Freedom tries to make a comeback:
The House today is poised to vote on a bill repealing the ill-conceived ban on standard incandescent light bulbs. H.R. 2417, introduced by Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas) and supported by Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-Mich.), would eliminate the ban scheduled to begin taking effect on January 1, 2012.
“The American people have voiced overwhelming opposition to the light bulb ban, and the House of Representatives has started to listen,” said Myron Ebell, Director of Freedom Action. “Freedom Action urges every House Member to vote Yes on Rep. Joe Barton’s bill to overturn the ban enacted in 2007 on standard incandescent bulbs.”
Fine. But just know that by doing so, you’re voting to spend your own money in a way that the government doesn’t think is very smart or efficient.
Christ. This kind of silly “freedom” would never happen in China, where wise leadership and some carefully conceived five year plans have them Winning the Future!
Stupid rubes.
Jeff, when I think efficiency, I think Government!
Father knows best.
It’s a shame that we’d want to waste our money employing Americans to make good ol’ incandescent light bulbs for other Americans, when we could waste it on some administration “green energy” boondoggle instead, or perhaps just righteously redistribute-because of the fairness…
Just like it’s a shame that some of you wingnuts think we can’t be directed to buy health insurance…
I see Upton is trying to atone for going along with this in the first place. I can’t imagine why it couldn’t pass, save for maybe some phony environmentalist posturing.
Which, like, CF bulbs have all kinds of icky chemicals that are far worse for the carbon based environment than, you know, carbon. But that’s just another inconvenient truth.
Damned by faint observation. The correct statement is this: The American people have a long history of not being told how to live.
At any cost.
I’m waiting for Obama to convene a commission to force light bulb manufacturers to pay reparations to unemployed candle makers.
PVRC may have chimed in with the thread-winnah at #5.
Drat! I meant #4, but as usual couldn’t type.
The thing is, the damage has already been done. Incandescent light bulbs are now no longer manufactured in the United States.
So even if the law is changed so that we may once again in Secretary Chu’s words, “waste our own money,” remember this and cite it any time anyone is confused about the regulatory uncertainty we biznessmen face every day.
Jeff, you took the words right out of Tom Friedman’s mouth.
I hope Jeff was wearing rubber gloves. No telling where that mouth has been.
“Chu on this, Stevie-boy.”
Well, Tom Friedman can put CFLs in his own personal Forbidden City.
My hovel is going with Mr. Edison’s bulbs.
I guess Congress doesn’t want poor people to be able to read.