News of the Ridiculous: the Light Bulb Edition

Congress was busy yesterday.  Working on a jobs bill or deficit reduction plan?  Nope.  Saving the energy-efficient light bulb.  Nancy Pelosi rallied the Democrats to this cause, and a bill that would have repealed efficiency standards for light bulbs fell short of the two-thirds majority required for passage of an expedited bill, so for now, new energy-saving, cost saving light bulbs will still be required starting in January 2012.  Seems a no-brainer, right?

Here's the background. In 2007, Rep. Fred Upton (R, MI) authored a provision of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA), which set efficiency standards for light bulbs, with the goal of reducing both emissions and consumers' energy bills.  EISA passed the House with a bipartisan vote of 319-100, a slightly revised version was passed by the Senate, and it was signed into law by President Bush in June 2007.  The bill was supported by the domestic light bulb industry, which stood to benefit from the design and manufacture of new bulbs, as well as by environmentalists.  The new standards were projected to save households approximately $100 in energy costs per year, and re-engineered incandescent light bulbs would use 28 to 33 percent less energy.  In a press conference soon after the bill was passed, Upton said "This common sense, bipartisan approach partners with American industry to save energy as well as help foster the creation of new domestic manufacturing jobs...all the while saving American families billions of dollars in their electric bills."  Saves energy, saves money, creates jobs; what's not to like, right?  As recently as 2009, Upton continued to support the standards, stating that Congress had worked with industry and environmentalists to come up with sensible goals for efficiency and cost savings.

Then Republicans won control of the House in 2010, and the poor light bulb was made to endure conservative wrath (you can insert your own joke here about the "dim" future of the efficient light bulb). Both Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck accused Upton, who was hoping to be selected as chair of the House Energy and Commerce committee, of socialist tyranny for using government mandates to set energy- and money-saving standards, thereby reducing consumer choices among light bulbs.   In response to this criticism, Upton promised that he would revisit the "light bulb issue".  Apparently being in favor of industry regulation - or even worse, authoring it - doesn't look good when the party of "small government" is in power. Never mind the fact that minimum efficiency and safety standards are law for most major appliances, and have been since the 1970s.  The common, inefficient, and cheap incandescent light bulb had suddenly become the symbol of consumer freedom, and any attempt to regulate it became an attempt by the government to tell consumers what they can and cannot buy.

Sure enough, earlier this year, Texas Republican Joe Barton sponsored a bill that would repeal the light bulb standards.  In fact, H.R. 2417 was rushed straight through to a floor vote, bypassing the normal legislative process, including committee hearings.   Upton's response to the introduction of the bill that would repeal his own? “It was never my goal for Washington to decide what type of light bulbs Americans should use.  The public response on this issue is a clear signal that markets — not governments — should be driving technological advancements. I will join my colleagues to vote yes on a bill to protect consumer choice and guard against federal overreach.”  Um, what does that even mean?  Oh well, I'm sure his flip-flop had nothing to do with the fact that the original bill was opposed by the Koch brothers-funded conservative group Americans for Prosperity, and Koch Industry employees donated generously to Upton's 2010 campaign.  But anyway, the bill went to a expedited vote in the House yesterday, and was defeated.  Score one for the tyranny of energy efficiency.

So to recap, a law that had bipartisan support in 2007, and was signed by a Republican president, and that will cut energy cost and reduce energy use, has become in 2011 a symbol of socialism and government interference in consumers' right to choose. Ain't democracy grand?

Comments

[Infidel753]

What will they want to repeal next? Kitchen-appliance safety standards? Restaurant health codes? Speed limits? Not sure I want to know.

[Pam]

Marmot, I'm terribly sorry that you're disappointed in my socialist tendencies. But do you mind turning off the light on your way out? I'm trying to save energy. Thanks!

[nice_marmot]

I visited The Bullock Pulpit on the recommendation of Ed at Dispatches, but I have to say that I'm more than a little disappointed to see that you're already attacking our light-bulb liberties.
What's next, "turn off the water while you're brushing your teeth?"
This is America, not Communist Sweden. We can run our SUVs on baby-seal blood if we want to; it says so in the Bible.
I appreciate your idealism, but I will be forwarding this to FoxNews.
Best wishes!
Sincerely,
nice_marmot