Clinton just announced he is authorizing release of emergency funds to help pay for heating oil in the north and north east. He said that we are experiencing "an emergency situation" trying to afford the heating oil to stay warm. .. If this was a temporary situation, I doubt Clinton would have stepped in so quickly--Unless they know something about this situation that we don't know.. namely, what is behind the current state of the Oil situation (the ongoing failures of refineries, pipelines, future shortages),and that it is going to get much worse before it gets better.

-- River (Riverwn@aol.com), January 25, 2000

Answers

Exactly how are these emergency funds to be distributed??????

-- Duke1983 (Duke1983@aol.com), January 25, 2000.

Unfortunately River, the only thing that Clinton knows is how to look good in the evening news. Helping a few poor families from freezing to death is always good for a couple of popularity points in the polls.

Unfortunately I think now, as I have always thought, that the government is no better at seeing the big picture than those of us who cruise the web are.

-- Ben (my@oh.my), January 25, 2000.

Interesting that he's releasing the money but, apparently, no stocks from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. SPR stocks would still have to be refined into respective end products, but it's interesting that money is being released, rather than raw materials. Does that say something about refining ability?

-- (cashtradr@aol.com), January 25, 2000.

Providing Federal funds to pay for heating oil for the poor will just increase the price further by increasing demand!

...but I guess we knew Clinton wasn't a supply sider ;-)

-- cgbg jr (cgbgjr@webtv.net), January 25, 2000.

How about an emergency tax cut, so people can afford heating oil? Any chance of that?

-- Earl (earl.shuholm@worldnet.att.net), January 25, 2000.

Duke he didnt give any details yet--he was at a press conference and they began asking questions on other topics.. Even the press doesnt understand how important this situation is!

Ben, I have to agree with you 100%...I wish, I wish that someone with some power connected to their name would warn the people--it ain't over! Watch the inflation spiral out of control.. watch prices in the stores go crazy... watch the shortages begin...unemployment worsen...we have just begun to see the legacy left by y2k and who is left to blow a warning whistle.. makes me sad.

-- River (Riverwn@aol.com), January 25, 2000.

Oh, I'm sure these funds will be well distributed. One prominent political family controls Citizens Energy Corporation -- which provides "financial assistance to the poor for the purchase of heating oil" -- and members of that family have made a small fortune off that deal in recent years. Pathetic.

-- Harbor Guy (HarborGuy@OnThe.Waterfront), January 25, 2000.

Will he next be subsidizing gasoline so us poor folks can get to work and to the market? And diesel so prices for commodities won't be so high that we can't afford them?

-- Michael (m@m.m), January 25, 2000.

I don't think there is enough money in the .gov piggy bank to subsidize the coming inflation!!

Ray

-- Ray (ray@totacc.com), January 25, 2000.

We inna heappa trouble!!! If Federal emergency funds have to be used to bail out a bunch of folks after only a few days of shortages....what happens when we have a "real' emergency? Doggone it, we are having an awful lot of problems that seem like y2k, but the calendar just doesn't support them. Is there some strange computer dynamic at work here that we just don't understand? No flames please.

-- citizen (lost@sea.com), January 25, 2000.

Ray,

That's the problem. If inflation goes where I think it will, the fed piggy bank might be able to buy a sausage.

-- Powder (Powder47keg@aol.com), January 25, 2000.

White House Briefing Room

No press releases available for today yet.

http:// www.whitehouse.gov/library/PressReleases.cgi

Nothing yet at U.S. Department Of State (formerly USIA) Washington File, latest news...

http:// www.usia.gov/products/washfile/latest.shtml

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), January 25, 2000.

Two thoughts - this type of action brings to mind the story of the little boy putting his finger in the dyke and secondly, as far as no authentication from the websites Diane listed, D.C. is shut down today for all intents and purposes due to the snow. Maybe we will hear more by tonight or tomorrow.

-- pryfle (pryfle@aol.com), January 25, 2000.

Found story in AP wire off CEO Express website with title about East Coast getting hit with a foot of snow, something like that. Haven't learned how to do the fancy stuff yet on the puter, just a surfing mom. Maybe someone else could link?

-- Ma Kettle (Mom@home.com), January 25, 2000.

Here is web address: http://www.newsday.com/ap/national.htm title: Storm Dumps Foot of Snow in East. Mentions that Clinton has released emergency funding for Alaska and the Northeast due to weather,FWIW and FYI.

-- Ma Kettle (Mom@home.com), January 25, 2000.

Figure it out.

Jeanne Shaheen (Governor of New Hampshire) whines about heating oil prices. Says Prez should do something. Wants extra $$ for NH's low income heating program.

NH primary is next week.

Republicans are already targeting Al "I Created The Internet" Gore in NH advertisements. They're not worried about Bradley anymore.

The prez goes on TV; "We'll send more $$, Jeanne!"

Figure it out.

-- Nom (nom@de.plume), January 25, 2000.

Link to thread discussing NH heating oil situation.

-- Nom (nom@de.plume), January 25, 2000.

Storm Dumps Foot of Snow in East.

-- (4@5.6), January 25, 2000.

opps, transposed a couple of letters

Storm Dumps Foot of Snow in East.

-- (4@5.6), January 25, 2000.

Is it at all logical to assume that because it gets cold during the winter there should then be a heating oil shortage or prices should inflate like they've never inflated before?

NO

Something happened to the supply. I hate our stinkin' media. That little boy from Cuba is far more important because the media places human interest on it and the manipulation of the heating oil supplies or the reason/s for lack thereof is unimportant therefore a big yawner. We're having presidential caucus crap rammed down our throat for the next umpteen months and we can't have real reasons for massive increases in the price of heating oil.

Our media, is as bad as our political system. WORTHLESS

-- Guy Daley (guydaley@bwn.net), January 25, 2000.

Cynic that I am! - I think Nom nabbed it - the NH primaries are soon and people remember when the politicians do something for them. Doesn't matter if the MA and DC and other people all benefit, the NH voters are the targets of this beneficence.

-- Laurane (familyties@rttinc.com), January 25, 2000.

Just an idea no one expressed .... If we really have an oil shortage that lasts for a few more weeks (months ?) , WHERE will the extra money find the product that is NOT available ( in quanity ) ??? Eagle

-- Hal Walker (e999eagle@FREEWWWEB.COM), January 25, 2000.

Laurane's got it...when I was young and living in MA about 50 years ago, there was a local Boston pol cooling his heels in Deer Island State Prison, out in Boston Harbor...for embezzlement of public funds. But at the very next ward election he was reelected, while still in jail. Why? Because at Thanksgiving and Christmas, he gave every family in his ward a turkey. They got nothing else from their pols, but they remembered those turkeys, and they voted him back in. I've been an interested observer of politics and government ever since....

-- Norm Harrold (nharrold@terragon.com), January 25, 2000.