Light Bulb Wars Roar Back Into House Of Representatives

[wtmusic]

[div style="float: left; padding-right: 12px;"]"For the past couple of years the light bulb torch has been passed Representative Michael Burgess (R) of Texas, who just spearheaded a vote in the House adding language to the energy and water spending bill, to prevent the Department of Energy from funding any effort to implement the new standards.

This time around the anti-efficiency language was a little more sophisticated. As reported by Pete Kasperowicz of The Hill, Rep. Burgess reasoned that “the federal government should not use regulations to impose standards that force consumers to buy the pricier bulbs…the market should be allowed to sort it out.”

Burgess Aims At Light Bulbs, Shoots Down Jobs In Texas

Ironically, Burgess’s home state of Texas neatly illustrates how the new lighting standards have benefited the US lighting industry. We’ve been following a company called Firefly LED Lighting, based in Austin, that got its start just before the new standards began their phase-in, and it’s been growing ever since."

http://www.theenergycollective.com/tinacasey/249166/light-bulb-wars-roar-back-house-representatives?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=The+Energy+Collective+%28all+posts%29

[TreasonousBastard]

1. Ya know, I had to take an aptitude test for my job and it's about time...

anyone running for legislative office pass one.

[wtmusic]

2. Try advancing that idea on DU

then stand back and watch your ass get kicked. Seriously.

[TreasonousBastard]

3. Even worse than when I suggested a literacy test for voters? Democracy...

only goes so far, you know, and there's always that lowest common denominator problem. Alas, however, all things end up as racial arguments in America, even when race shouldn't be an issue and sidetracks the real issues.

And it was only a suggestion, put out for discussion, not a call for action.

Here's a simple question with a very difficult answer...

In the grand scheme of things, would we prefer to to lend our futures to elitists or dumbasses?

[Demeter]

5. Neither

Nor to libertarian California software engineers.

You know that when the problems become insoluble, women are finally let in to clean up the mess. And we do: efficiently, economically, fairly, and for far less pay than we are worth.

[TreasonousBastard]

7. Just hope it's not those libertarian software engineers...

brought in to clean up messes women like Palin make.

(One might be tempted to use certain Republican women to argue that women have no place in politics, but that argument fails when one considers most of the Republican men in politics.)

[Demeter]

9. I'm sorry, but I cannot consider Palin a woman or a female

She's some other species. Or a Stepford product. But she's not a woman.

[Demeter]

6. At the very least, a test on the Constitution

anyone who wants to govern has to pass that!

[Nihil]

11. That might be a vain hope ...

... considering that the "constitutional lawyer" isn't exactly defending it ...

[Demeter]

12. We are in complete agereeement there

but at least the opposition, if cognizant, might put up a fight....as it is, I'm not sure these cavemen can even read, let alone comprehend. Our side has NO excuse. Election financing reform desperately needed.

[prole_for_peace]

4. They may be pricier individually but they last so much longer that they are

probably cheaper that incandescent in the long run.

I only use CFLs in my house and I only replace a bulb about twice a year. And I have a lot of bulbs in my house. My bathroom alone has 6 or 7 double bulb fixtures.

[HooptieWagon]

8. I'll say.

I've replaced my incandesent bulbs bit by bit over the years. One of the first flourescent bulbs I bought about 12 years ago finally burned out. The incandesents lasted less than a year. Now, most of the bulbs used frequently are flouro...they last forever. I still have a couple incandescents in closets, since they are seldom used, and then only for a minute or so.

[prole_for_peace]

10. Remembered I do have an incandescent in my closet

I have a motion sensor on the light socket and it doesn't work with a CFL. But I think it's been the same one for the last 5 years

[oldhippie]

14. I have to admit I have not been lucky with CFLs ........

I have been using them since they first came out 20 years or more ago. I have them all over my house. But I seem to be replacing them far more often than I would expect. Almost as much as I used to replace regular incandescents. I'm not sure why. I buy the quality GE or Phillips bulbs, but they just don't seem to last for me.

OTOH, I have six big, clear incandescent bulbs over the mirror in the master bedroom. They are the main light for the bathroom and thus get used several times a day. They are a rather odd shape and style, and I always wondered where to get one like them when they finally fail. But, they have been there the whole time since we moved into this house, sixteen years ago this week, and (knock on wood) none of the six has failed yet. Definitely out of the ordinary.

Still watching LED bulbs. I have a couple in certain task light applications, and like them, but so far haven't found one I like for general lighting.

[hatrack]

13. Because who cares about the environment, or even saving money . . .

. . . when you can punch hippies instead?

I'm waiting for them to ban vaccinations, since they're imposed, forced DOWN OUR THROATS by jack-booted Nazi federal thug elitist smarty-pants "doctors" and "scientists".