Barack Obama News

CHART: Private Sector Job Growth Under Obama

3:01 pm EST April 1st, 2011 | Economy | 87 Comments

Not so bad for a supposed socialist who hates capitalism.

Report: Obama Planning To Cut Energy Assistance For The Poor

3:42 pm EST February 9th, 2011 | News | 11 Comments

Obama This better be a big ass joke.

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.

I really hope this is one of those stupid ideas people float so they get roundly condemned and die a quick death, because otherwise it’s the perfect sort of thing that makes a President criticized for being too corporate-friendly look just that way.

Poor people don’t need their lives made harder, certainly not when there are tons of uber-wealthy people around who could do without one less yacht.