[Marxism] N.H. will accept free oil from Chavez after all

[Walter Lippmann <walterlx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

July 18, 2008
N.H. will accept free oil from Chavez after all
By NORMA LOVE
Associated Press Writer


Two years ago, New Hampshire refused to accept heating oil from
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, the pro-Castro U.S. critic who once
called President Bush "the devil." But with fuel prices rising, well,
free oil is free oil.

With the state's blessing, New Hampshire residents will be receiving
some of the fuel this winter.

New Hampshire becomes the last state in the Northeast to embrace the
offer.

"A lot of people have said, `We need help and we value any help we
can get,'" said Amy Ignatius, director of New Hampshire's office of
energy and planning.

The oil giveaway will be managed by Citizens Energy, a nonprofit
organization set up by former Massachusetts Rep. Joseph Kennedy to
help the poor stay warm. But the state energy office plans to help
Citizens publicize the aid and sign up fuel-oil dealers.

It is just the latest example of how rising oil prices have brought
about an attitude adjustment in the U.S. Over the past few weeks, for
instance, pressure has been growing in Washington and around the
country to lift the federal ban on offshore drilling.

Back in 2006, when Chavez began offering free oil to Americans from
Venezuela's government-controlled Citgo, New Hampshire's energy
office contacted the Venezuelan Embassy about working out a deal.

But the idea galled some New Hampshire Republicans, including Sen.
John Sununu, who called it a "disgrace" and an attempt at
grandstanding by Chavez, and Democratic Gov. John Lynch squelched the
effort.

This year, though, "the state's role is to make sure people are aware
of the program," Lynch spokesman Colin Manning said.

Chavez's supporters defend the heating oil program as another example
of a generous deed by a president leading a socialist revolution for
the poor. Some Chavez critics have charged that he is trying to
embarrass the Bush administration and curry favor with the American
public.

But a lot has changed over the past two years. Back then, heating oil
sold for about $2.50 per gallon in the Northeast. Last month, the
average price was $4.61, with predictions of $5 per gallon oil by
winter.

"The average tank is 250 to 275 gallons," Citizens spokeswoman Ashley
Durmer said. "Filling it once is over $1,500. That is unfathomable
that anyone can pay that price. If you have to fill the tank four
times, it's going to be a devastating winter for a lot of people."

On Thursday, Sununu again criticized Chavez but said he has no
problem with people or businesses accepting help from an independent
nonprofit such as Citizens.

Sununu and other lawmakers around the Northeast are pressing for big
increases in federal home heating aid. More than 6 million New
England households rely on oil heat.

Bob Garside, president of the Oil Heat Council of New Hampshire, a
trade group, predicted many of the state's 200 dealers will refuse to
participate in the heating-oil giveaway. "In the past, it's been
nothing but a ploy for Chavez," Garside said.

Bill Fuller, general manager of Fred Fuller Oil Co., disagreed. He
began delivering fuel for Citizens last winter, when hundreds of New
Hampshire residents who applied on their own, without state
involvement, got 100 gallons free. Fuller said he plans to do it
again.

"It's actually a pretty good program," he said. "We get a voucher. We
fax it in and get money right away."


=========================================
     WALTER LIPPMANN
     Los Angeles, California
     Editor-in-Chief, CubaNews
     http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CubaNews/
     "Cuba - Un ParaÃso bajo el bloqueo"
=========================================

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