When Republicans warm to outspending Obama

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. -- As winter approaches in this prosperous-looking northern Michigan city, it is clear the safety net has ripped. Thousands of households can't afford to heat their homes and aid agencies predict many people will be forced to choose between eating and staying warm. Yet there are signs Republicans in Washington may be listening.

First, the bad news. The Obama administration, under pressure from Republicans to cut spending, has proposed a 50 percent cut to the main federal program that helps people keep their heat on. The latest White House budget, issued in February, proposed slashing funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, known as LIHEAP, from $5.1 billion to $2.57 billion, a move that would bring the program's funding back to its 2008 level.

The program got a big budget increase under the president's stimulus program, which Obama now says needs to be scaled back.

"We doubled the home heating assistance program when I first came into office in part because there was a huge energy spike," Obama said at a press conference announcing the cuts last February. "Energy prices have now gone down but the cost of the program has stayed the same. So what we've said is let's go back to a more sustainable level."

Salon.com > Traverse City

When Republicans warm to outspending Obama