The perils of reliance on unstable foreign energy sources

Has finally caught up with the American Left. They've been cut off by Hugo Chavez

Citgo, the Venezuelan government’s Texas-based oil subsidiary, has suspended its free heating oil program for the poor in the United States, citing falling oil prices and the world economic crisis.The joint effort by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and Citizens Energy Chairman Joseph Kennedy — the eldest son of late U.S. Sen. Robert F. Kennedy — is a controversial program that provides fuel assistance to 400,000 households in 23 states.Connecticut was among the states the program delivered to last year, according to Citizens Energy.

Started in 2005 with Kennedy’s Citizens Energy, a Boston-based nonprofit aimed at reducing home heating costs for low-income and elderly residents, the program sent 100 gallons of free oil a year to eligible households, but drew fire from critics who said it was just a ploy by Chavez to undermine the Bush administration. 

http://www.nhregister.com/articles/2009/01/06/business/c1-_citgo6.txt

New Haven's Mayor, lefter than left John DeStefano,  signed his city up for this program in 2006.

NEW HAVEN, Conn. --Low-income residents in the New Haven area are about to benefit from a reduced cost -- and politically contentious -- heating oil program intended to help defray skyrocketing fuel costs.

Mayor John DeStefano Jr. said Sunday that his office, with the Citizens Energy Corp. in Boston, has secured 4.8 million gallons of oil through the Venezuela-CITGO Heating Oil Program.

The program will provide discounted heating oil to New Haven residents whose eligibility is determined by low-income and heating assistance programs.

Discounted fuel from Venezuela, which is used in New York City and several Northeastern states, is seen by critics as a way to embarrass President Bush by Venezuela's leftist leader Hugo Chavez, who has frequently denounced Bush and U.S.-style capitalism.

Of course, please excuse me for thinking this really wasn;t about helping the less fortunate.

DeStefano, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for governor, hopes to extend the program statewide. He wrote to Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell on Friday, informing her that Citizens Energy Corp. is seeking to work with Connecticut's network of 12 community action agencies that administer the state energy assistance program.

DeStefano's gubernatorial bid did not end well. Now his city is in dire straits.  And now he will have to let the state handle the energy assistance program with the normal federal dollars.

Maybe he should have lined up his oil supplies from someone a bit more reliable