I made a post on Barack Obama’s policies regarding the stimulus package, and Barack Obama’s and specifically his advisor, Austan Goolsbee’s position on the low income heating assistance program.

Dr. Goolsbee took exception to my post in the comments, and has granted me permission to reproduce it as a post, which follows:

This is totally bogus. I have never opposed LIHEAP as a program and neither has Senator Obama (who has voted many times to fund the program). The only objection to the program–in the CNBC clip and in all previous discussions–is trying to use LIHEAP as a stimulus program. Because there is an application process, it won’t get out the door quickly. Obama’s stimulus plan would cut checks for low income people that are BIGGER than the LIHEAP checks and would send them the money right away.

Proof that I support LIHEAP just not as a stimulus, see the debate over stimulus is the NY Observer of January 24

“For the most part, Goolsbee had little to take issue with. He had a much bigger problem with the Clinton plan’s call for $25 billion in emergency energy assistance for families facing skyrocketing heating bills. Goolsbee’s criticism of this component was consistent with his major beef with Clinton’s entire stimulus plan, which is that it would take way too long to enact, and therefore wouldn’t provide for any real stimulus at all.

Here’s Goolsbee’s critique: “It is a very detailed program. It is a very good program that people are familiar with but it just isn’t a stimulus. It is for winter heat and by the time this thing gets through we’d be talking about next winter. Two, it’s a five to 10-page application process which is significantly onerous.

He added, “After convincing the people to apply and getting them to fill out the application process, you then have an evaluation process, so this will take many months if not a year to get out the door.”

Note: there were some apostrophes that were munged by haloscan that I corrected. Otherwise it is as posted.