Filed under: News, Politics, President Obama
You may have noticed that this has been a very cold winter and it's fairly certain that we will have climate disruptions going forward. And you may have also noticed that there is a little problem with the economy and that a lot of people are in financial trouble. So this makes perfect sense to those who believe that middle class and poor Americans need their characters built with some more sacrifice. (The wealthy, remember, must be reassured that they will not have to spend even one more penny in taxes or they will feel "uncertain" which is completely unacceptable.)
President Obama's proposed 2012 budget will cut several billion dollars from the government's energy assistance fund for poor people, officials briefed on the subject told National Journal.
It's the biggest domestic spending cut disclosed so far, and one that will likely generate the most heat from the president's traditional political allies. That would satisfy the White House, which has a vested interest in convincing Americans that it is serious about budget discipline.
The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP, would see funding drop by about $3 billion from an authorized 2009 total of $5.1 billion. The proposed cut will not touch the program's emergency reserve fund, about $590 million, which can be used during particularly harsh cold snaps or extended heat spells, three officials told National Journal.
Source: Alternet
Kevin Eason is a freelance editorial cartoonist and Illustrator from New Jersey. His brand of satire covers news events in politics, entertainment, sports and much more. Follow him on Facebook.