Obama To Cut Energy Assistance For Poor; Kerry Urges Him To Reconsider

[fedupinBushcountry]

"I understand that difficult cuts have to be made," the Massachusetts Democrat wrote. "But in the middle of a brutal, even historic, New England winter, home heating assistance is more critical than ever to the health and welfare of millions of Americans, especially senior citizens. I request that the administration preserve LIHEAP funding at least to the Fiscal Year 2010 funding at $5.1 billion when it submits its FY12 budget proposal to Congress."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/09/obama-poor-energy-cuts-kerry-letter_n_821061.html

[karynnj]

1. No one will replace Teddy, but JK is standing up for the poor and their basic needs here

I know that Obama will propose a huge number of cuts - and they will disproportionately hurt the neediest. Though it may be seen as settled, I think that reimposing the Clinton rates for those with high incomes should be included in the budget - especially if you are cutting things like this. You can't in good faith ask people to try to make due with less heat - when they likely are keeping things as cold as possible, and not ask the wealthiest to give more.

[wisteria]

2. I hope the President does reconsider this cut. Surely, there is something those with money

can do without.

[ladym55]

3. This is so upsetting

We couldn't POSSIBLY eliminate tax cuts for the top 2% of the country's citizens because "trickle down economics" has been SO darned effective. To stay in Afghanistan, I have read estimates that it costs us $1 million per day PER soldier.

And now we have John Kerry writing to the President (from his OWN party) so that the poor can have heat in this very long, cold winter. What is up with us as a nation? Where is our heart? I feel like crying.

[Inuca]

4. That hurts :-(

I assume it's correct and that JK knows better, but I am almost sure I heard some talking head saying, yesterday I think, that those subsidies ARE included in the budget.

[Mass]

6. There are subsidies. They are cut drastically from what they were the previous year though.

(at least according to an anonymous source. As the White House is not pushing back, I would assume it is true.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-02-10/obama-said-to-call-for-cuts-in-heating-oil-aid-update1-.html

President Barack Obama will propose cutting $2.5 billion from a program that provides heating oil assistance to the poor in his budget next week, according to a person familiar with the discussions.

[Mass]

5. This is what I dislike in this budget reduction deficit process.

We cant cut subsidies for the rich, so the poorest are the ones that are hurt. Which is one reason we need to stop talking about that and grow the economy.

But frankly, this is extremely disappointing.

[beachmom]

7. And also, it doesn't reduce the deficit. Not really.

It's all symbolic. Like Republicans saying they'll cut the NEA and PBS. It makes headlines, but will not put a dent in the deficit.

Again, our taxes need to be cut, defense needs to be cut, and Medicare & Medicaid need to be dealt with, painful as it will be. Meanwhile, the government needs to pay Social Security back for the money it took from it. I heard a report on Social Security and really -- the program would have been fine if Congress hadn't raided it over the years.

But no, let's take money for heating for the poor and .... earmarks, which actually amount to diddly squat.


Edit: also, everything I have read is that the austerity measures passed by the Tories in England are leading the country back into recession, which was completely predictable. In that sense, BS deficit reduction may be best right now. PRETEND to reduce the deficit until our economy has recovered. Thing is, Congress would have to pass those LIHEAP cuts, right? So this is all just talk at this point.

[Mass]

8. Just dont talk about it. Talk about creating jobs.

They are just indulging the media and the RW with talks like that, and they are creating a mood in the country that these cuts are unavoidable, and that all should be touched equally (because, of course, the person that gets LIHEAP can contribute as much as the person who earns $ 10 M a year. So just stop talking about it.

Obviously, there is a deficit, and it will need to be dealt with, but the talks about the budget are so incoherent and some options are so willingly ignored that right now, it is better to ignore them.

BTW, I worry about things like LIHEAP because in the current mood, the Senate could very well pass a budget that includes such cuts. The House would definitively do it and if it was included in the bill, the Senate would as well.

[beachmom]

9. Not sure if it showed when you went there, but Kerry's response is at the top

of Huff Post. It has a picture of Obama with the headline "Harsh Winter -- Obama to propose energy cuts for the poor". Then below the Obama pic, its headline is "John Kerry: Heating Assistance More Critical than Ever".

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/

9:30 AM

[Mass]

10. Boston Globe article - So Markey and Kerry have spoken days ago, but it only matters when Brown is

s on board?

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2011/02/brown_joins_ker.html

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2011/02/11/brown_opposes__us_cuts_to_heat_aid/?camp=obnetwork

Thanksfully, more local news had already reported that Kerry and Markey were on this, but frankly, even by the Boston Globe standard, it is ridiculous. I fear we are stuck with this guy for a while, given the totally ridiculous coverage he gets compared to the Democratic delegation and the governor.

[karynnj]

11. That is an awkward dilemma

but it is awkward for Brown as well - the best chance of being re-elected is to vote like the state wants - which, in effect, means vote like Kerry does and Kennedy would have. That however means having not just a Democratic voting record, but a liberal Democratic voting record for the next about 2 years.

As to political philosophy, the second poster on your first list somewhat has it (from a conservative point of view):

you know I just find this funny: The republicans stand up and decry Socialist movements... but then they defend this, which is by far and away MORE Socialist than any other service the US has... I'm serious, The Republicans and Pundits and anyone else who tosses the word "Socialist" around doesn't have a Clue what it means. What is socialism?
Police, Fire, Ambulance, Military, Space Programs, Roads, and Public Schools. Yeah... terrible things right? All ruining the country. I personally would like to see this bill kept to be honest, but I just want to know what the Republican Senator's stance on "Socialism" is, because he's is DEFIANTLY for it... and if he supports this, and votes against the Health Care Bill, then he's a hypocrite.

The only way that this might not be a dilemma to Brown is if he really has no core political believes. From his completely incoherent, frustrated Senate speeches that does not seem the case - though it is difficult to tell. The surprising thing is that these speeches can simply be read - and they can be written by his staff. He is not Kerry, who can impress speaking without notes.


This shows on committees too. I looked at one, because this article, http://gcn.com/blogs/circuit/2011/02/claire-mccaskill-dry-topic-contract-auditing.aspx , had McCaskill praising him for his work on the committee - which from the hearing was more that he was the only Republican to show up! It is a subcommittee of the Homeland Security committee that deals with audits of contractors. Here's a link to the hearing - http://hsgac.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings.Hearing&Hearing_ID=79fe8144-c38e-4360-b42f-b23dd7fcd563

But, listening to the questioning - he balances out Kerry being the best or near the best at questioning to make MA only slightly above average. (To hear his questioning, start at 62 minutes in - he really did little homework (even though he defensively claimed to after McCaskill very diplomatically countered his criticism. He adds little to McCaskill's very competent work. At one point - after complaining of the backlog of audits, he complains that they are hiring 500 new auditors - asking when they will hire "real workers".

He likely does have a political philosophy, but a very simplistic one - evidenced by his small government bias - although on LIHEAP, when faced with a real program - not a theoretical or general issue - he does see the need for the specific function of a larger government. The question is this due to his never having really challenged his conservative small government believes or whether it was knowing that Kerry and Markey (et al) had the very popular side of this in MA.

It is sad that "barn coat", "truck", "independent" carry more weight than votes and competence.

[Mass]

12. There is no question Brown has to take this position, but given Brown wants to be an independent,

I am not sure it is a difficult call. He gets to show he is independent from both the GOP and president Obama in one decision. He knows he will need many of the MA independents if he wants to be reelected. And Brown cannot let himself be distanced by a potential 2012 opponent( as Markey is rumored to be).

Also, remember that Brown is not really a "small government"guy. In MA, he voted for the healthcare bill and other similar bills. How does that make him pro small government? The guy has no core values. He is small government in DC and in front of conservative groups, and centrist in Massachusetts. (which is what makes it the Globe coverage so infuriating, as he is a flip-flopper and they ignore this to show him as a man of the people - To be fair, it is not only Kerry's coverage that is infuriating. Governor Patrick's is as well. Cant these guys cover facts and not insinuations).

Frankly, I remember the debates between Coakley and him, and she was so much better. Actually, during the campaign, most of the MA media were treating him as somebody with not that much intellect. Unfortunately, as you say, it is more important to look cool than to look competent.:shrug:

At least, the title is "Brown joins Kerry" as it does in the Republican. At least, Brown joining the pack will grant coverage of Kerry and Markey's efforts, I guess. But I dont see him having a choice here. It is a HUGE issue in Massachusetts, so he had no choice. It would have been gutsy for him to take the other decision (even though from a human POV, it would have been wrong), but courage is not your junior senator's strength.


http://blog.masslive.com/thefray/2011/02/senators_john_kerry_scott_brow_1.html

But you cant beat the stupidity of USA Today

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2011/02/obama-to-propose-slashing-home-heating-aid-for-poor/1

Lawmakers from New England and other northern states always fight efforts to cut the program.

Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., is among them this year. He says the more than 3 million families that rely on the government's help would suffer.

This year? Really? Not last year or the last 10 years, or more. :banghead:

[Blaukraut]

13. Re the title "Brown joins Kerry"

No worries. By the time the election campaign is in full swing it will have (d)evolved into Brown spearheading the opposition to LIHEAP cuts with nary a mention of Kerry or Markey.
You are absolutely correct, Mass. We will be stuck with him for a while. There is nobody on our side who can beat him in the areas that will apparently be the most important: charisma, popularity, charm, 'he's one of us'-ism, etc. I get the feeling that issues will largely take a backseat unless they pose minimal embarrassment or are advantageous. Our media will make sure of that.

Honestly, though. Who here did not see this coming when he won the special election? Did we really believe he'd be easy to get rid of? With all the evidence of media collusion, the result of 2012 was going to be a foregone conclusion.

[Mass]

15. I am a lot less pessimistic than you are. I remember 2009 when common wisdom was saying

Baker would eat Patrick alive (or may be Cahill would). And given the Globe's coverage, it was very plausible. And it seems they are starting again. I also remember that, in 2009, everybody thought the Republicans nationally were a sure loser for 2010. So, it is way too early to have a clear picture.

I think he is beatable, but this means somebody tries to beat him. Right now, nobody has really declared except Massie, who is probably not a viable candidate. Of course, the surest way to lose is to declare defeat right now (Thanks Menino)

[Blaukraut]

14. Again, Senator Kerry gives the poor a voice

How I wish he had won in 2004. I could still cry. Obama is doing everything he can to appease those who cannot and will not be appeased. All at the expense of those who can't fight back. I'm sick of him selling out to corporations, the right wing, and the wealthy.

[politicasista]

16. This doesn't sound good, but

maybe the President is floating the idea out there to sike the GOP, aka call their bluff like he did on the Egyptian uprising.

Is this like the SS rumor floated a while back before the SOTU? There are some that will take a wait and see approach on this because of the understanding that Obama has to make hard decisions like this one. (being the adult in the room as opposed to the GOP), but we shall see.

Glad the Senator is out there standing up for the poor. :)