“Save the light bulb” seems an unlikely war cry, but the fate of the old-fashioned, incandescent light bulb has become an issue that Tea Partiers, conservatives and a host of other Americans are rallying around. However, Tuesday the House thwarted an initial attempt to move forward with Representative Joe Barton’s (R-TX) Better Use of Light Bulbs Act today, which would allow the free market to decide which light bulbs are best rather than the United States government.
The bill was largely a symbolic gesture, but an important one nonetheless, reflective of the continuing national distress over continued, excessive government intrusion in commerce. Old fashioned – or “classic” if you will – incandescent light bulbs will not be able to meet the energy efficiency standards that are scheduled to kick in starting in 2012. The bill requiring higher efficiency bulbs was passed by Congress in 2007 and then signed by then President Bush.
Although nothing in the 2007 law requires consumers to buy the curlicue fluorescent bulbs that many consumers despise, the fact of the matter is that the only bulbs on the market that can meet the new standards are halogen bulbs, which are more than double the price of the classic bulb, and fluorescents which are far more expensive than that.
It may be the new bulbs will save the average American household about $100 per year in electrical bills, as Energy Secretary Steven Chu has claimed. He chided Republicans for supposedly picking the pocket of the beleaguered consumers.
... And here is the element of pure government - big business fascism:
The only difference between the above scenario and the light bulb law are the sums of money involved. Randy Moorhead, Vice President of Government Affairs for Philips Electronics, has been tirelessly working the Hill, urging lawmakers to defeat Barton’s bill. Why would one expect any other behavior? Unless Barton is somehow successful, Phillips Electronics will have access to a huge new market, by Act of Congress. Every corporation should be so lucky.
[read on at the above link]
No comments:
Post a Comment