Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Benjamin Franklin on The Founding of the Nation
I have often...in the course of the session...looked at that sun behind the President without being able to tell whether it was rising or setting. But now at length I have the happiness to know it is a rising and not a setting sun.
-Benjamin Franklin, on the final day of the Constitutional Convention, September 1887
Is this still true? Is it a rising sun or has the sun started to set on this country. I would love to believe it is still a rising sun, but at times I believe it maybe starting to set. The Constitution is not followed any more. The President just blatantly ignores the Constitution and does what he wants and there are no consequences. The Federal Government uses the Supreme Court to rule how it wants and it does not matter of the will of the people. I see too many things that are not right. This country was founded not for the Government to control the people, but for the people and by the people. We need to get back to our roots and dare I elaborate and say, get back to our Christian roots.
-Benjamin Franklin, on the final day of the Constitutional Convention, September 1887
Is this still true? Is it a rising sun or has the sun started to set on this country. I would love to believe it is still a rising sun, but at times I believe it maybe starting to set. The Constitution is not followed any more. The President just blatantly ignores the Constitution and does what he wants and there are no consequences. The Federal Government uses the Supreme Court to rule how it wants and it does not matter of the will of the people. I see too many things that are not right. This country was founded not for the Government to control the people, but for the people and by the people. We need to get back to our roots and dare I elaborate and say, get back to our Christian roots.
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
Obama: Won't wait for legislation to advance 2014 priorities
By Jeff Mason
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama said on Tuesday he would not wait for Congress to pass legislation to advance his policy priorities this year and said he was "getting close" to finishing a review of U.S. surveillance practices - to be unveiled on Friday.
Obama, speaking to reporters during a cabinet meeting at the White House, foreshadowed his upcoming State of the Union address and what appeared to be a new messaging strategy by emphasizing his ability to take executive actions without approval from lawmakers.
"We are not just going to be waiting for legislation in order to make sure that we're providing Americans the kind of help that they need," he said.
"I've got a pen, and I've got a phone. And I can use that pen to sign executive orders and take executive actions ... and I've got a phone that allows me to convene Americans from every walk of life," he said.
Obama began last year with high hopes of making progress on gun control, immigration reform, and other issues after giving an inaugural address that rallied his base and set an aggressive tone for his second term.
But the year concluded with few legislative achievements. His gun control efforts largely failed and an immigration reform bill passed in the Senate but stalled in the House of Representatives.
White House officials, while referring to 2014 as a "year of action," have already played down the prospect of getting a lot of laws passed and told reporters that they would not measure the year's success by the administration's list of legislative victories.
Obama again listed immigration reform as a priority for the year. He will need Congress to turn his goals on that issue into law. The president also emphasized his goal of getting the U.S. economy to recover faster.
"The message to my cabinet - and that will be amplified in our State of the Union - is that we need all hands on deck to build on the recovery that we're already seeing. The economy is improving, but it could be improving even faster," Obama said.
"And I am absolutely confident that in 2014, if we're all working in the same direction and not worrying so much about political points but worrying much more about getting the job done, that we can see a lot of improvement this year," he said.
Republican speaker of the House John Boehner, whose support Obama will need for the administration's legislative priorities, said the president had lost focus on the economy.
"If the president's serious about wanting to improve the prospects for our economy - and higher wages and better jobs - all he has to do is pick up the phone and call Democrat leaders in the Senate and ask them to move one of these dozens of bills that we've sent over there that would help put Americans back to work," Boehner said.
On a separate issue, Obama is scheduled to make a speech on Friday outlining his decisions on how to reform controversial surveillance activities by the National Security Agency that were made public through revelations by former U.S. contractor Edward Snowden.
Asked if he had finished his NSA review, Obama said: "It's getting close."
(additional reporting by Roberta Rampton; editing by Gunna Dickson)
Who does this man think he is? Does he not know about the Constitution or does he even care? He seems to think he is some kind of dictator and does not have to follow procedures. He seems to think he can do whatever he wants, whenever he wants. He has just recently got slapped on the hand by the Supreme Court for appointing individuals into office without the consent of Congress. That is not how the procedures work. that is why we have a checks and balance in place to keep one branch from gaining too much power, but that does not seem to stop him. Hopefully people will wake up and see what he is doing and put a stop to it before it is too late.
Obama, speaking to reporters during a cabinet meeting at the White House, foreshadowed his upcoming State of the Union address and what appeared to be a new messaging strategy by emphasizing his ability to take executive actions without approval from lawmakers.
"We are not just going to be waiting for legislation in order to make sure that we're providing Americans the kind of help that they need," he said.
"I've got a pen, and I've got a phone. And I can use that pen to sign executive orders and take executive actions ... and I've got a phone that allows me to convene Americans from every walk of life," he said.
Obama began last year with high hopes of making progress on gun control, immigration reform, and other issues after giving an inaugural address that rallied his base and set an aggressive tone for his second term.
But the year concluded with few legislative achievements. His gun control efforts largely failed and an immigration reform bill passed in the Senate but stalled in the House of Representatives.
White House officials, while referring to 2014 as a "year of action," have already played down the prospect of getting a lot of laws passed and told reporters that they would not measure the year's success by the administration's list of legislative victories.
Obama again listed immigration reform as a priority for the year. He will need Congress to turn his goals on that issue into law. The president also emphasized his goal of getting the U.S. economy to recover faster.
"The message to my cabinet - and that will be amplified in our State of the Union - is that we need all hands on deck to build on the recovery that we're already seeing. The economy is improving, but it could be improving even faster," Obama said.
"And I am absolutely confident that in 2014, if we're all working in the same direction and not worrying so much about political points but worrying much more about getting the job done, that we can see a lot of improvement this year," he said.
Republican speaker of the House John Boehner, whose support Obama will need for the administration's legislative priorities, said the president had lost focus on the economy.
"If the president's serious about wanting to improve the prospects for our economy - and higher wages and better jobs - all he has to do is pick up the phone and call Democrat leaders in the Senate and ask them to move one of these dozens of bills that we've sent over there that would help put Americans back to work," Boehner said.
On a separate issue, Obama is scheduled to make a speech on Friday outlining his decisions on how to reform controversial surveillance activities by the National Security Agency that were made public through revelations by former U.S. contractor Edward Snowden.
Asked if he had finished his NSA review, Obama said: "It's getting close."
(additional reporting by Roberta Rampton; editing by Gunna Dickson)
Who does this man think he is? Does he not know about the Constitution or does he even care? He seems to think he is some kind of dictator and does not have to follow procedures. He seems to think he can do whatever he wants, whenever he wants. He has just recently got slapped on the hand by the Supreme Court for appointing individuals into office without the consent of Congress. That is not how the procedures work. that is why we have a checks and balance in place to keep one branch from gaining too much power, but that does not seem to stop him. Hopefully people will wake up and see what he is doing and put a stop to it before it is too late.
Sunday, January 12, 2014
Obama says "your crazy"
Last week, Barack Obama outlined a plan to infringe on your Second Amendment rights through regulatory fiat --Presidential Executive Orders.
He outlined a new “mental health” plan to strip you of your gun rights without a trial and without you even being notified.
Mike Hammond, a former high-level Senate staffer and political strategist, wrote an excellent piece this week detailing exactly what Obama’s new agenda is -- stripping Americans of their rights under the guise of “mental health.”
His plan could strip the gun rights of millions of our nation’s military veterans.
Hammond is a long-time friend and adviser to NAGR, as well as to GOA and a myriad of other pro-gun groups.
Please take a moment to read the article below so you understand just how important it is to FIGHT BACK against the gun-grabbers' new “mental health” mandates:
CLICK HERE to read Hammond's analysis!
CLICK HERE to read and discuss Hammond's analysis with more than 3.3 million NAGR members and supporters on FACEBOOK!
He outlined a new “mental health” plan to strip you of your gun rights without a trial and without you even being notified.
Mike Hammond, a former high-level Senate staffer and political strategist, wrote an excellent piece this week detailing exactly what Obama’s new agenda is -- stripping Americans of their rights under the guise of “mental health.”
His plan could strip the gun rights of millions of our nation’s military veterans.
Hammond is a long-time friend and adviser to NAGR, as well as to GOA and a myriad of other pro-gun groups.
Please take a moment to read the article below so you understand just how important it is to FIGHT BACK against the gun-grabbers' new “mental health” mandates:
CLICK HERE to read Hammond's analysis!
CLICK HERE to read and discuss Hammond's analysis with more than 3.3 million NAGR members and supporters on FACEBOOK!
Saturday, January 11, 2014
Friday, January 10, 2014
The Difference One Man Can Make
One man or woman truly can make a difference. I hear people use that cliché all the time, but my father and founder of AMAC (The Association of Mature American Citizens), Dan Weber, has proven it to be true by example.
A few years ago... I stood beside my father and watched the cynics take a good, hard look. I watched as they shook their heads, saying, "AARP is too big, Dan. AARP has too much influence. AMAC will never see a thousand members, let alone a million! Do you seriously believe you can compete with an organization like that?" My father calmly smiled back, as he so often does, and answered with confidence, "Yes, I do." With a sincere face, he continued, "People deserve better. They need an organization with the courage to stand up for the values upon which this country was built - values that are under constant attack. People deserve an organization that stands up for its members. Millions of Americans are just as fed up with AARP as I am, and I'm going to do something about that." Then he turned to me and quietly said, "Dave, when it seems like you're up against overwhelming odds, just remember David and Goliath." My father, a man of true faith, sure has a way of putting things into perspective.
Fast forward through a few long years of lofty goals... Purposeful work, and plenty of prayers; of proverbial blood, sweat, and yes, even a few tears. Five years chock-full of hard work by extraordinary people dedicated to fighting the good fight for something they believe in; of countless extra-hour workdays and trips to the local deli to pick up fresh coffee to keep us going. Sprinkle in a few set-backs, a couple of heartbreaks, and maybe even a few sleepless nights and you'll find that not only is AMAC still here, but AMAC is here to stay - not to prove those cynics wrong, but rather to do good for those who believe in us today and to ensure a brighter future for our children and grandchildren tomorrow.
Today AMAC is over a million members strong.... Congressmen and women are turning to AMAC to find out where you - the very people from whom we take our marching orders -truly stand on the issues. And today, when AARP flexes their political muscle in Washington to promote an agenda that is not yours, AMAC is ever watchful and standing guard.
If one man or woman can make as much of a difference as my father has over the past five years, just imagine what a million or more of us can do together momentum going!
With heartfelt gratitude, David G. Weber Chief Operating Officer
A few years ago... I stood beside my father and watched the cynics take a good, hard look. I watched as they shook their heads, saying, "AARP is too big, Dan. AARP has too much influence. AMAC will never see a thousand members, let alone a million! Do you seriously believe you can compete with an organization like that?" My father calmly smiled back, as he so often does, and answered with confidence, "Yes, I do." With a sincere face, he continued, "People deserve better. They need an organization with the courage to stand up for the values upon which this country was built - values that are under constant attack. People deserve an organization that stands up for its members. Millions of Americans are just as fed up with AARP as I am, and I'm going to do something about that." Then he turned to me and quietly said, "Dave, when it seems like you're up against overwhelming odds, just remember David and Goliath." My father, a man of true faith, sure has a way of putting things into perspective.
Fast forward through a few long years of lofty goals... Purposeful work, and plenty of prayers; of proverbial blood, sweat, and yes, even a few tears. Five years chock-full of hard work by extraordinary people dedicated to fighting the good fight for something they believe in; of countless extra-hour workdays and trips to the local deli to pick up fresh coffee to keep us going. Sprinkle in a few set-backs, a couple of heartbreaks, and maybe even a few sleepless nights and you'll find that not only is AMAC still here, but AMAC is here to stay - not to prove those cynics wrong, but rather to do good for those who believe in us today and to ensure a brighter future for our children and grandchildren tomorrow.
Today AMAC is over a million members strong.... Congressmen and women are turning to AMAC to find out where you - the very people from whom we take our marching orders -truly stand on the issues. And today, when AARP flexes their political muscle in Washington to promote an agenda that is not yours, AMAC is ever watchful and standing guard.
If one man or woman can make as much of a difference as my father has over the past five years, just imagine what a million or more of us can do together momentum going!
With heartfelt gratitude, David G. Weber Chief Operating Officer
Okla.'s Coburn wants to shine light on settlements
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn says he wants to increase the transparency of settlements reached with federal enforcement agencies, saying the real value of settled cases is often not known.
Coburn announced in a press release Wednesday his plans to join Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts on a bipartisan bill. Dubbed the “Truth in Settlements Act,” the measure would require more detailed disclosures about settlement agreements that are often reached when federal agencies close investigations.
Coburn says in some cases, the settlement details are kept confidential unnecessarily. In other cases, settlement amounts touted by federal agencies may be misleading because of tax deductions or other “credits” built into the value of the settlement.
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
Thursday, January 2, 2014
The President Gets a Taste of His Own Obamacare Medicine
December 30, 2013
To work successfully, Obamacare needs people like the guy that signed up last week. He selected a bronze plan through the District of Columbia's exchange. And he's highly unlikely to make a single claim in 2014.
The guy? None other than Barack Obama. While the president will pay the plan's premiums himself, he's unlikely to make any claims, since his health care is provided through military doctors. Talk about taking your medicine with a spoonful of sugar.
Claim-less enrolleesTo work successfully, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare, needs more enrollees like Obama that are unlikely to make a claim. Healthy enrollees are key to balancing out the big spenders with chronic diseases.
Insurers don't need symbolic purchasers like Obama that get their health care provided outside the system. The normal amount of claims will be just fine; aggregate premium payments, co-pays, and deductibles for healthy patients far surpass their aggregate medical costs.
On Sunday, the Obama administration said 1.1 million Americans had selected a health plan through the federally run exchange but didn't give any breakdown on how healthy the average enrollee was. Of course, all pre-existing conditions are covered by Obamacare, so insurers no longer have to ask how sick you are.
But a breakdown of age would be a good proxy. Younger people are more likely to be healthy, and their enrollment is ultimately the key to Obamacare's success.
Sick firstWith coverage set to start on Wednesday but the deadline for enrollment not until the end of March, it seems likely that uninsured sick people would sign up early to get coverage while many healthy individuals who had forgone insurance would continue to push off the payment until the last minute.
Insurers, such as UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH ) and WellPoint (NYSE: WLP ) , that are offering plans on the exchanges presumably factored the enrlolment timing into their premiums, figuring they might lose money on the early adopters and make up for it during the last nine months of the year.
Of course, the website issues that slowed early enrollment could further skew the percentage of healthy enrollees. People desperate for health insurance are more likely to have the tenacity to enroll in Obamacare despite website crashes. Last month, Humana (NYSE: HUM ) cut its enrollment projections by 50% after early enrollment stagnated. If those are mostly healthy individuals, it could be costly for the industry, especially for a company like WellPoint that has a large percentage of its profits coming from individual plans.
If the government doesn't release the numbers first, we should get an idea of the breakdown of healthy versus unhealthy enrollees when UnitedHealth, Humana, WellPoint, and the rest of the insurers release first-quarter financial results in April.
Obama might be paying more in 2015Fortunately for insurers -- and unfortunately for consumers without subsidies -- the prices are guaranteed for only a year; insurers get to submit new pricing for 2015. If they've guessed horribly wrong about the risk pool, they'll adjust prices higher to compensate for the lack of Obama-like enrollees.
To me this is another joke. Imagine the President, who makes $450,000/yr, buying a bronze plan. All the other elected officials are required to buy one of the upper levels plans and what does the President do? He buys the cheapest level. This is another slap in the face to the American people. If the Affodable Care Act is so great, why is he not buying the most expensive plan for his family and himself and then use it. Like I said another slap in the face like when he "gave" back a measley 5% of his salary, a measley $20,000.
Claim-less enrolleesTo work successfully, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare, needs more enrollees like Obama that are unlikely to make a claim. Healthy enrollees are key to balancing out the big spenders with chronic diseases.
Insurers don't need symbolic purchasers like Obama that get their health care provided outside the system. The normal amount of claims will be just fine; aggregate premium payments, co-pays, and deductibles for healthy patients far surpass their aggregate medical costs.
On Sunday, the Obama administration said 1.1 million Americans had selected a health plan through the federally run exchange but didn't give any breakdown on how healthy the average enrollee was. Of course, all pre-existing conditions are covered by Obamacare, so insurers no longer have to ask how sick you are.
But a breakdown of age would be a good proxy. Younger people are more likely to be healthy, and their enrollment is ultimately the key to Obamacare's success.
Sick firstWith coverage set to start on Wednesday but the deadline for enrollment not until the end of March, it seems likely that uninsured sick people would sign up early to get coverage while many healthy individuals who had forgone insurance would continue to push off the payment until the last minute.
Insurers, such as UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH ) and WellPoint (NYSE: WLP ) , that are offering plans on the exchanges presumably factored the enrlolment timing into their premiums, figuring they might lose money on the early adopters and make up for it during the last nine months of the year.
Of course, the website issues that slowed early enrollment could further skew the percentage of healthy enrollees. People desperate for health insurance are more likely to have the tenacity to enroll in Obamacare despite website crashes. Last month, Humana (NYSE: HUM ) cut its enrollment projections by 50% after early enrollment stagnated. If those are mostly healthy individuals, it could be costly for the industry, especially for a company like WellPoint that has a large percentage of its profits coming from individual plans.
If the government doesn't release the numbers first, we should get an idea of the breakdown of healthy versus unhealthy enrollees when UnitedHealth, Humana, WellPoint, and the rest of the insurers release first-quarter financial results in April.
Obama might be paying more in 2015Fortunately for insurers -- and unfortunately for consumers without subsidies -- the prices are guaranteed for only a year; insurers get to submit new pricing for 2015. If they've guessed horribly wrong about the risk pool, they'll adjust prices higher to compensate for the lack of Obama-like enrollees.
To me this is another joke. Imagine the President, who makes $450,000/yr, buying a bronze plan. All the other elected officials are required to buy one of the upper levels plans and what does the President do? He buys the cheapest level. This is another slap in the face to the American people. If the Affodable Care Act is so great, why is he not buying the most expensive plan for his family and himself and then use it. Like I said another slap in the face like when he "gave" back a measley 5% of his salary, a measley $20,000.
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
Incandescent Light Bulb Ban Ushered in with New Year
Incandescent light bulbs, which have been in use in the United States for more than a century, are on their way out in the new year. The federal government has prohibited their manufacture and import starting Wednesday.
The latest ban covers 40-watt and 60-watt bulbs. The 100-watt and 75-watt varieties had already been phased out. The bans were signed into law by President George W. Bush in 2007 as part of the Energy Independence and Security Act.
Opponents of the law protest that the government is making decisions for consumers rather than letting the marketplace determine the products people want.
"When we make a purchase, it's about quality, price, how much money we have now, can I use that money for a better investment? I don't need the government to say that I am making the incorrect decision and therefore I should buy energy-efficient products," said Daren Bakst, research fellow in agricultural policy at the Heritage Foundation.
He decries the light-bulb ban as representing heightened government overreach.
"The light-bulb issue is about a complete ban of a product. It's overkill. Now you have something you can no longer buy. That's really indefensible," he said.
"Forget about choice. It's basically saying not only can you not make smart choices, we have so little faith in you that we will make sure you can't buy those goods anymore.
"Here you have a central-planning bureaucrat that knows everything, saying we're going to make sure you do the right thing. Granted, Congress passed the law, but this looks like the state knows better than the public does," Bakst said.
The prohibition has also led to U.S. job losses, as factories that made incandescent bulbs have been forced to close.
Because of the ban, General Electric closed a factory with 200 employees in Winchester, Va., that was the last major incandescent manufacturing facility in the United States. Now the work is going to places such as China, where some of the new compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) and light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are made.
Energy efficiency experts say the new light bulbs benefit consumers, who will pay more on the front end for the new-generation bulbs but will save money over time because they last longer — up to 23 years for LED bulbs and about nine years for CFLs.
CFL bulbs use about 75 percent less energy, government estimates say, while LEDs use about 85 percent less than incandescent bulbs, but they cost about 10 times more.
"The reason why the federal government legislated the change is because these incandescent bulbs use four times or more energy than other technologies," Kevin Hallinan, a University of Dayton engineering professor who studies renewable energy, told the Dayton Daily News, noting that incandescent bulbs emit more heat.
"That's more pollution coming out of the power plants, that's more carbon emissions, so this is really a good thing for the U.S," Hallinan said.
Consumers can still purchase the incandescent bulbs as long as supplies last, and they remain in stock at many home-product retailers around the country. Once those are gone, however, the newer bulbs will be the only ones available.
Some Republican members of Congress have sought a repeal of certain elements of the ban, but have had no success despite cries of a "nanny state" imposing its will on consumers.
In 2011, a trio of Republican lawmakers — Reps. Joe Barton and Michael Burgess of Texas and Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee — offered the Better Use of Light Bulbs Act, but the legislation failed to pass the House.
The Light Bulb Freedom of Choice Act, sponsored by Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota and eight co-sponsors, was also floated in 2011 but died in a House subcommittee.
Current laws under the federal government's Energy Star program are enforced by the Environmental Protection Agency, which is in charge of new guidelines for light fixtures. The guidelines for a fixture to earn Energy Star ratings increased in 2013 as part of the federal law's broader energy efficiency plan.
The light bulb issue marks a continued pattern of what some say is the federal government's overextending its power in recent years, including spying on news reporters' sources, forcing menu labeling laws in an attempt to change what people eat, and intimidating certain groups, including conservatives, through IRS intrusion.
Former presidential candidate Herman Cain said in a speech to the Faith and Freedom Coalition's annual conference:
"We've got the IRS abuse. FEC intimidation. EPA discrimination. DOJ intimidation. NSA corruption. And it goes on and on and on in terms of the abuse and the corruption in the government that wants to control all of our lives."
Said Bakst, of the Heritage Foundation:
"We certainly have seen far more government intrusion in the last few years than we have before. It has become the expectation that the government has the proper role in the free choices that we make."
I agree that it is one more thing that the government is "dictating" to the people. I have used both the CFL and LED lights and I have not noticed any savings. The bulbs have not lasted any longer, which costs more with replacement, but also have not noticed a savings on my electric bill. Then there is the issue of mercury in the LED bulbs and need to be recycled. The problem with that is not everyone has a recycle center they can go to. I live out in the country and was looking for a place that would take the bulbs and found one. The problem was they would only accept the bulbs from people who lived in the Metro area. Our government is getting out of control and padsing bills and laws that the people do not want. Whatever happened to the time when the people voted on these issues?
The latest ban covers 40-watt and 60-watt bulbs. The 100-watt and 75-watt varieties had already been phased out. The bans were signed into law by President George W. Bush in 2007 as part of the Energy Independence and Security Act.
Opponents of the law protest that the government is making decisions for consumers rather than letting the marketplace determine the products people want.
"When we make a purchase, it's about quality, price, how much money we have now, can I use that money for a better investment? I don't need the government to say that I am making the incorrect decision and therefore I should buy energy-efficient products," said Daren Bakst, research fellow in agricultural policy at the Heritage Foundation.
He decries the light-bulb ban as representing heightened government overreach.
"The light-bulb issue is about a complete ban of a product. It's overkill. Now you have something you can no longer buy. That's really indefensible," he said.
"Forget about choice. It's basically saying not only can you not make smart choices, we have so little faith in you that we will make sure you can't buy those goods anymore.
"Here you have a central-planning bureaucrat that knows everything, saying we're going to make sure you do the right thing. Granted, Congress passed the law, but this looks like the state knows better than the public does," Bakst said.
The prohibition has also led to U.S. job losses, as factories that made incandescent bulbs have been forced to close.
Because of the ban, General Electric closed a factory with 200 employees in Winchester, Va., that was the last major incandescent manufacturing facility in the United States. Now the work is going to places such as China, where some of the new compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) and light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are made.
Energy efficiency experts say the new light bulbs benefit consumers, who will pay more on the front end for the new-generation bulbs but will save money over time because they last longer — up to 23 years for LED bulbs and about nine years for CFLs.
CFL bulbs use about 75 percent less energy, government estimates say, while LEDs use about 85 percent less than incandescent bulbs, but they cost about 10 times more.
"The reason why the federal government legislated the change is because these incandescent bulbs use four times or more energy than other technologies," Kevin Hallinan, a University of Dayton engineering professor who studies renewable energy, told the Dayton Daily News, noting that incandescent bulbs emit more heat.
"That's more pollution coming out of the power plants, that's more carbon emissions, so this is really a good thing for the U.S," Hallinan said.
Consumers can still purchase the incandescent bulbs as long as supplies last, and they remain in stock at many home-product retailers around the country. Once those are gone, however, the newer bulbs will be the only ones available.
Some Republican members of Congress have sought a repeal of certain elements of the ban, but have had no success despite cries of a "nanny state" imposing its will on consumers.
In 2011, a trio of Republican lawmakers — Reps. Joe Barton and Michael Burgess of Texas and Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee — offered the Better Use of Light Bulbs Act, but the legislation failed to pass the House.
The Light Bulb Freedom of Choice Act, sponsored by Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota and eight co-sponsors, was also floated in 2011 but died in a House subcommittee.
Current laws under the federal government's Energy Star program are enforced by the Environmental Protection Agency, which is in charge of new guidelines for light fixtures. The guidelines for a fixture to earn Energy Star ratings increased in 2013 as part of the federal law's broader energy efficiency plan.
The light bulb issue marks a continued pattern of what some say is the federal government's overextending its power in recent years, including spying on news reporters' sources, forcing menu labeling laws in an attempt to change what people eat, and intimidating certain groups, including conservatives, through IRS intrusion.
Former presidential candidate Herman Cain said in a speech to the Faith and Freedom Coalition's annual conference:
"We've got the IRS abuse. FEC intimidation. EPA discrimination. DOJ intimidation. NSA corruption. And it goes on and on and on in terms of the abuse and the corruption in the government that wants to control all of our lives."
Said Bakst, of the Heritage Foundation:
"We certainly have seen far more government intrusion in the last few years than we have before. It has become the expectation that the government has the proper role in the free choices that we make."
I agree that it is one more thing that the government is "dictating" to the people. I have used both the CFL and LED lights and I have not noticed any savings. The bulbs have not lasted any longer, which costs more with replacement, but also have not noticed a savings on my electric bill. Then there is the issue of mercury in the LED bulbs and need to be recycled. The problem with that is not everyone has a recycle center they can go to. I live out in the country and was looking for a place that would take the bulbs and found one. The problem was they would only accept the bulbs from people who lived in the Metro area. Our government is getting out of control and padsing bills and laws that the people do not want. Whatever happened to the time when the people voted on these issues?
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