In a turnabout from it's previous stance two years ago New Hampshire will now embrace the offer of heating oil assistance this winter from Citizens Energy.
In the Press - HuffPost.
Also this story is seen at - AP
Well, first let me say I'm glad that some of the citizenry of the Granite State will be getting 100 free gallons of heating oil this winter as a result of the efforts of Citizens Energy.
What leaves me still bewildered is how, two years ago the bluster of Sununu and his ilk was sufficient to get Gov. John Lynch to back down on implementing the same program. After all, oil is that ultimate in fungible commodities. If Chavez sees fit to give free oil at near $5 a gallon to many of New Hampshire's needy residents then good for him and Citizens Energy. (Citizens Energy was started, of course, by Rep. Joseph Kennedy).
Call it another sign of the times, call it a case of pragmatics overcoming orthodoxy. Do what you like, but also call it what it is, charity, and needed charity at that. It'll likely set back some oil-burning households four figures to fill their oil tanks this winter, and they may have to do so multiple times.
(As an aside about Huffington Post -- am I the only one who finds their subordinate pages often render very badly in FireFox?)
Lastly - can we please get Bill to talk to Bob and make him see the light?
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.
Eh, Bob, think some things may have changed recently?
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.
Good on you Bill - hope it didn't leave you out of pocket.
"It's actually a pretty good program," he said. "We get a voucher. We fax it in and get money right away."
Well, there you go - some good deeds do go unpunished!
Warms the cockles of your heart.