Oh, horror of horrors!

The trend is expected to continue this winter, putting even more money in people’s pocketbooks and smoothing over price spikes caused by inadequate natural gas pipeline capacity in New England, officials say. The latest Maine survey put the average heating oil price at close to $2 per gallon, about 50 cents lower than the same time a year ago.

A combination of lower energy prices and a forecast for a warmer winter will mean savings of 18 percent for propane users and 25 percent for heating oil users over last winter, according to the Energy Information Administration.

What’s so bad about that, you ask?  Well, according to the article “officials” are “worried” that people will take their eyes off the renewable-energy, climate-change ball and use their savings for things like building their businesses and supporting their families.  If they get too comfortable, they might even start to question their votes for politicians who peddle big government in the name of saving the world.

Bottom line: If the first thought of “officials” upon hearing that the people whom they rule will have an easier time making through the winter is that those people will be less amenable to following the officials’ commands, then the people aren’t really their first concern.  The headline and lede of the article should have been: “Rhode Islanders to Save Money on Energy: Government Worries About Loss of Power.”