[Plantagenet]

The Alaska state legislature just voted to give every person in Alaska $1200 to help with higher energy costs here, and Obama is promising to give $1000 to every "working family" in America if they vote for him and he wins....

How long will it take for the states in New England to come up with some cash to give to their people to help with their high heating bills?

[midnight-gamer]

Heating cost is often talked about here. Surely, there will be a crises soon.

[mos6507]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('cube', '
')do I smell a little bit of pandering going on here?
It is my observation that ALL the "energy plans" that were ever proposed have one thing in common, the assumption that the good times will keep on rolling.

[mos6507]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Plantagenet', '
')How long will it take for the states in New England to come up with some cash to give to their people to help with their high heating bills?

[burtonridr]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('mos6507', '
')Obama's most recent speech is pretty f-n sober, and not that far off from Carter's 1970s speech. He's offering a short-term gimme because it's political suicide not to, but he also is warning people that change is gonna come and it won't be without necessary sacrifices.

[kpeavey]

I'm already committed to $1000 to keep my blue haired mother warm this coming winter.

As far as the gubment handouts, they spell disaster for democracy as the people learn they can simply write themselves a largess from the public treasury.

[Tyler_JC]

Even a $1,000 check would still mean that we're paying more for heating this winter than last.



Thank God for the recent crash in heating oil prices.

If we had to pay June prices in January...millions of people would be sleeping in front of space heaters.

We're still up more than 60% since this time last year.

[ROCKMAN]

Tyler,

For your sake and all my Yankee cousins I hope you're correct in your expectations for Jan FO prices. Right now a 3 month running average would project prices above $4/gal in Jan 2009. Not that all trend lines run for ever. Supply/demand and temperature will ultimately determine if the trend line holds.

[Plantagenet]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('mos6507', '[')
The problem is that heating bills will drag the middle class, which is NOT eligible for emergency programs like this, down to the poverty line.

[mos6507]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Plantagenet', '[')
The $1200 energy emergency rebate check, just authorized here in Alaska for example, is going to go out to help every single citizen in the state.

[Homesteader]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Plantagenet', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('mos6507', '[')
The problem is that heating bills will drag the middle class, which is NOT eligible for emergency programs like this, down to the poverty line.

[Plantagenet]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Homesteader', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Plantagenet', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('mos6507', '[')
The problem is that heating bills will drag the middle class, which is NOT eligible for emergency programs like this, down to the poverty line.

[mos6507]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Homesteader', '
')Since New England doesn't have any oil fields how do you propose they raise the funds? Tax increase? Bonds?

[TheDude]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', '"')I could easily see that 25 or 30 heating oil retailers would not be able to make it through the next heating season, without any question" says Guilford.

In fact, in the last year, at least 15 oil dealers in six states have gone belly up, leaving tens of thousands of customers high and dry.

In March, F and S Oil, a Connecticut company, shut down virtually overnight after collecting more than $3 million from families who pre-paid for their oil.

That total included $5,000 from Constance Copes, a loyal F and S customer for 20 years.

Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal has received more than 3, 000 complaints against oil dealers. He's investigating three, and is suing F&S for failing to live up to its promise.

"There's a sense of real confusion, as well as anxiety and apprehension about whether people are going to be able to heat their homes and who to trust to give them advice, let alone deliver the product," Blumenthal says.

Meaning that in the heat of summer, Constance Copes and thousands like her have had to pay twice for oil long before a winter of discontent arrives.

[Plantagenet]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('TheDude', '
')
We're not quite there yet, but scores of dealers going out of business would certainly qualify as "a regional supply shortage of significant scope and duration."

[TheDude]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Plantagenet', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('TheDude', '
')
We're not quite there yet, but scores of dealers going out of business would certainly qualify as "a regional supply shortage of significant scope and duration."

[lorenzo]

It's called a pellet boiler fueled with wood pellets. Fuel is 30 to 50% cheaper. It's a big hit in Europe.

[Homesteader]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Plantagenet', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Homesteader', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Plantagenet', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('mos6507', '[')
The problem is that heating bills will drag the middle class, which is NOT eligible for emergency programs like this, down to the poverty line.