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Politics

Light Bulb Ban Man Waffling on Flip Flop?

Katherine Mangu-Ward | 6.30.2011 3:02 PM

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Remember when the congressman who sponsored the 2007 legislation to ban incandescent bulbs flip-flopped and promised to work to repeal the ban in order to win the chairmanship of the House Energy and Commerce Committee? That was pretty awesome, right?

Well that guy, Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.), has been dragging his feet. The Michigan View reports:

After Upton scheduled hearings this week featuring rent-seeking corporate fat cats that stood to benefit from the ban, anger boiled over and the chairman agreed not only to cancel the hearings but to bring up a bill repealing the ban. The View's source says that the bill will likely be brought up under "suspension," which means no amendments will be allowed and passage requires a two-thirds majority….

Upton has come under increased pressure in recent weeks, sources say, after failing to follow up on a promise he made after assuming the committee chairmanship that he would hold hearings on reversing the ban. After months of paralysis—and with the ban just six months from going into effect on January 1—outrage was building among his own Republican committee colleagues and conservative activists.

Via The Washington Examiner.

As Instapundit never tires of reminding his readers: It's not too late to stock up.

Also, consider following the semi-funny Twitter feed of @RealBulb for news on the topic.

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Katherine Mangu-Ward is editor in chief of Reason.

PoliticsPolicyNanny StateCongressRegulationEnvironmentalism
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  1. James Ard   14 years ago

    That Upton was given the chairmanship was proof that the Republicans didn’t get the message in November. The Tea Party isn’t going to be happy about this.

  2. P Brooks   14 years ago

    “Hey, you fucked up. You trusted us.”

    1. Warty   14 years ago

      “That’s right, Matrix! You said you’d kill me last!”

      “I LIED!”

      1. SugarFree   14 years ago

        SAID THAT SHE DID!

        1. Warty   14 years ago

          Why are you afraid to debate me, you giant overstuffed vagina?

          1. SugarFree   14 years ago

            You don’t even have a law degree, do you Warty? Punk.

            1. Warty   14 years ago

              I wasn’t even talking about the bar exam! PWND

  3. SIV   14 years ago

    Just another meaningless culture war proxy battle.

  4. Tank   14 years ago

    At least his niece is hot. That’s more than we get from most congressmen.

    1. mr simple   14 years ago

      What? Where? I need pics to verify you statement.

      Also, Chuck Schumer’s niece, Amy, is pretty hot and funny, for a comedienne. You can look her up because I gave you her name.

      1. Pip   14 years ago

        Google “Kate Upton”. You’ll be glad you did.

        1. bigbigslacker   14 years ago

          nice

        2. Mainer   14 years ago

          Hubbla Bubbla Va Va Va Voomsky..
          Oh yes, I’m glad.

  5. Jim   14 years ago

    I would like to point out that, since passing the legislation to ban the lightbulbs, there have been no major terrorist attacks on US soil.

    WINNING!

    1. capitol l   14 years ago

      They hate us for all of the freedoms tungsten we have!

      1. PIRS   14 years ago

        An early Edison prototype used bamboo. Perhaps we should switch to that.

        1. capitol l   14 years ago

          Bamboo! Bam-fucking-boo!!!!

          Are you goddamn kidding me? Hippies make macs and bikes out of fucking BAMBOO. Edison and his hippy friends can stuff all the bamboo in China up their patchouli stinikn’ asses!

          I’ll go to a mercuric vapor filled cf before I fuck with that commie shit!

          You can have my tungsten when you pry it from my cold, pleasingly lit, dead hands!

          /lightbulb rage

    2. PIRS   14 years ago

      +999999

  6. Achtung Coma Baby   14 years ago

    http://scienceblogs.com/pharyn…..import.php

    PZ Myers hates light bulbs ‘cuz Rand Paul hates abortion.

    1. Warty   14 years ago

      Why would you inflict PZ Meyers on yourself?

      1. Cyto   14 years ago

        No, you have to go over and read the commentary. It is like the evil-Spock version of HnR. The same rant that had us all snickering with glee that someone finally said something has them reacting in a perfectly inverse manner.

        prime example:

        Posted by: Gus Snarp | March 11, 2011 3:38 PM
        “I can find you a toilet that works” is so full of win. God what a stain on humanity Rand Paul is. He’s like his dad, only not as smart.

        The next line was my favorite from the whole rant ‘I don’t need the government to find me a toilet!’ These guys absolutely could not be more opposite to everything that I stand for.

        But the ultimate prize goes to Eamon Knight. After excoriating Paul for his views on toilets and ridiculing Paul’s notion that “In America we believe in trying to convince our neighbours but not trying to convince them through the force of law”, Knight demures on the topic of compact florescent light bulbs:

        About lightbulbs though: ….It’s enough to make me buy a case lot of 60w incandescents to make sure I’ll be able to run those lights until someone comes up with a CF that works with the sensor (or vice versa).

        1. Warty   14 years ago

          I don’t care how good the lulz are, I’m not going there. I go to feministing for you people, that should be enough.

          1. PermaLurker   14 years ago

            We all appreciate your sacrifice too.

  7. Moving Lips   14 years ago

    How can you tell a politician is lying?

    1. Comment Tater   14 years ago

      A cartoon light bulb appears over his head?

  8. jtuf   14 years ago

    Wow. I just realized, I better save one of my old incandescent light bulbs. Someday, my grandkids might see an old cartoon with an incandescent light bulb over a person’s head. I’ll have have to explain that Thomas Edison invented the incandescent light bulb and that it was the symbol of inspiration for a century. Then I’ll show the incandescent that I saved and explain that Congress banned the incandescent light bulb because they feared that using it will cause the oceans to rise and hurricanes and tornadoes to ravage the lands.

  9. lighthouse   14 years ago

    To add to the irony:
    Fred Upton’s homestate Michigan has just launched a repeal ban bill
    http://freedomlightbulb.blogsp…..-bill.html
    …following the legislation in Texas and the bills in 5 other states.
    Updates on the other states and the Canada Government 2 year ban delay proposal: http://ceolas.net/#li01inx
    .

  10. Jay Walker   14 years ago

    Before I started my own business I didn’t think something like finding light bulbs would be important. However, now with rising energy costs I did my homework and shopped around and found that http://www.bulbamerica.com/lig…..bulbs.html provides a great selection. I’d definitely recommend this site to find the right bulbs.

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