Why Can't I Afford to Heat My Home?

What should we tell families that can’t heat their homes this winter? Tell them the truth. And push Congress to help them.

There is a full-blown fascist war of aggression against the peaceful democratic nation of Ukraine that is roiling Europe and the global economy. This disruption of world peace and normal commerce, coupled with a worldwide pandemic, are major factors causing food shortages in vulnerable nations and massive inflation everywhere. 

Spectacular leadership in the US by the Biden administration has nearly ended the global pandemic while strengthening our economy to the point where inflation in the U.S. is well below what it is in many allied nations. Job growth is at a record high, while unemployment is at a record low. Most folks here should be able to heat their homes this winter. 

But amid all this global turmoil, oil company profits are at an all-time high? Why? 

Because petroleum company executives and authoritarian OPEC nations have raised a barrel of crude oil prices above inflation rates to make the United States and Joe Biden look weak and ineffective. The fossil fuel billionaire stockholders in the U.S. don’t like Biden because he wants to reimpose fair taxes on them. More importantly, Biden threatens the long-term investment prospects of billionaires everywhere with his renewable energy plans, his steps to lower carbon emissions, and his work to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. While Biden and most global citizens want to save the planet, the petroleum interests want to save their profits. You can’t break an addiction without hurting your supplier’s profits… and the powerful suppliers are fighting back. 

An African proverb: When elephants fight, the grass dies. 

This is the truth. The road to recovery is never easy, especially for the most vulnerable families among us. They need our help to stay warm this winter. Congress must authorize financial assistance for vulnerable families to keep the heat on this winter. And the champions of democracy who are act to save the planet need our support support