This winter - the poor are screwed. According to forecasts by the U.S. Energy Information Administration - the price of heating the average home with oil this winter is expected to spike 10% to $2,500 for the whole season. That's a 45% increase from just two years ago. There are more than 8 million homes in America that rely on oil for heating purposes - and roughly 1-in-4 in the Northeast. Unrest in the Middle East - and rampant speculation on Wall Street are to blame for the oil price spike.
At the same time - thanks to Republicans demanding spending cuts - the LiHEAP program - or the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program - saw it's budget nearly cut in half this year - meaning more and more poor people won't be able stay warm in America during the winter. Currently 1-in-5 Americans are economically insecure - meaning they can't afford to pay for the essential to live.
So thanks to Republicans - this winter - 20% of the country will have to make a choice - stay warm at home - or put food on the table. A disgraceful reality for the richest nation on the planet.
-Thom
(How would you cope? Tell us here.)
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