Citizens Energy giveaway imperiled as Venezuela halts its oil donations
Joseph P. Kennedy II, the president of Citizens Energy Corp., said yesterday the Venezuelan oil company Citgo Petroleum Corp. has suspended contributions to the Boston nonprofit's program that provides free heating oil to 200,000 low-income residents and Native American tribes in 23 states, including Massachusetts.
The former Massachusetts congressman, who publicized the three-year-old program in television commercials urging people to call 1-877-JOE-4-OIL, said Citgo will stop participating indefinitely because of plunging oil prices and the global economic crisis, which have crimped its revenue. Last year, Citgo provided roughly $100 million in free fuel, 90 percent of the program's funding.
On the one hand, I'm saddened that people who have come to depend on this oil are going to have a very cold winter ahead of them. The libertarian in me scoffs at their dependence on the government for something as basic as heat in the winter; the Christian side hunts for the checkbook to send a donation to my Church. The other factor at play here is that home heating oil prices are down because of the declinging oil prices overall - meaning that this will have less of an impact than it might have in years past.
But on the other hand, I'm laughing like a tickled hermit. First off, it means that Chavez is hurting - if he can't continue his "Oil for Fooling Silly American Leftists" program, that means his days are numbered. As the oil revenue dwindles, so does his power - live by the Golden Rule, die by the Golden Rule (in this case, of course, the Golden Rule is "He who has the Gold makes the Rules").
Secondly, it means that little Joey Kennedy is taking it in the shorts for all these years of fellating tinpot dictators. Gee, I'm all broke up about that. Live by the anti-American potentate, die by the anti-American potentate. I can't bring myself to feel sorry for someone who has hitched his wagon to the anti-American star of Hugo Chavez.
In either case, I'll be hoisting a pint at the fate of Hurtin' Hugo and Sad Panda Joe tonight...
That is all
4 comments:
It's working!
I stopped buying Citgo a few years ago. Even when the fuel prices peaked and the local Citgo was the cheapest around I held fast. I've also convinced my family and a few friends to do the same. I knew it was only a matter of time before The Man Of A Thousand Faces started feeling the squeeze from the loss of my hemi.
Uncle Hugo's mouthpiece, Citgo, used to charter my ship. We carried what Schitgo told us to carry. I always felt nonplussed by it, but I did enjoy the Venezuelan secretaries that accompanied officials.
Every time a douche-bag MA politico takes it in the shorts, an angel gets its wings.
tweaker
Good news :-) Old Hugo probably will not 'survive' the next election!
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