Discounted heating oil part of "unfriendly government's hostile foreign policy"

Wow, the nerve of the state of Connecticut.

It's bad enough that Chucklenutz grew up there and Lieberman mis-represents the people in the Senate. Now, they have the audacity, the AUDACITY to allow their social service energies to supply low cost VENEZUELAN heating oil to their low income residents.

You'd think Hugo Chavez could stoop no lower, but every day, he just keeps digging deeper. Connecticut AG Richard Blumenthal ruled the program was legal, so Connecticut just plugged into the 40% discounted supply.

My favorite parts from the AP wire story:

"Venezuela's leftist, pro-Castro president, Hugo Chavez, is a fierce critic of the Bush administration, and critics say he is trying to use the program to embarrass President Bush and build support for himself in this country."

"In Washington, House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Joe Barton, R-Texas, and Rep. Ed Whitfield, the Republican chairman of the subcommittee for oversight and investigations, have voiced concern that the oil deals are ''part of an unfriendly government's increasingly belligerent and hostile foreign policy'' toward the United States."

and Richard Blumenthal gives it right back to them:
''As a matter of policy or political perspective, there may be sound reason to have reservations about the source of this assistance -- a company effectively owned by a foreign government that may have questionable policies or motives,'' he said. ''There is also sound reason to be critical of Congress whose ill-advised neglect makes the assistance necessary.''
---
I remember when Massachusetts first took up the offer in November, there was a debate on CNN between one of the Massachusetts agency folks who was, obviously, glad to have the help, and a former Republican Congressmember (I want to say Bob Barr) were debating the pros/cons of Venezuelan oil, and the republican had such winning statements as "people in massachusetts usually don't freeze to death" and "i just want to know if they reached out to any other companies to match this deal before they went with Citgo." Yeah, sure, blame Chavez for offering assistance while your oil buddies make billions and look silly. Then, blame poor people for not demanding the really rich oil buddies give them a deal too. I know Barbara Bush might not realize it, but there are plenty of poor people who live in cold states.

IDIOTS.