Beam me to Planet Gore !
More........
While the measure prevents DOE from enforcing the standards through fiscal year 2012, Nadel said that states can still require companies to follow the efficiency rules.
Gillis, of the Consumer Federation of America, added that individual companies can pressure other companies to comply with the standards in order to keep a level playing field.
He said the light bulb standards got caught up in a growing wave of Republican disdain for federal regulations.
“The bottom line is the light bulb became a political victim,” Gillis said. “It was portrayed as an example of overzealous regulation, when in fact none of that is actually true.”
Inclusion of the measure blocking funding for the light bulb standards in the broader year-end spending bill was a political victory for Republicans, who have been targeting the regulations for months.
Republicans often describe the standards as a “light bulb ban,” arguing that the rules would greatly restrict consumer choice by pushing out traditional incandescent bulbs in favor of more expensive, but more efficient, LED (light emitting diode) and CFL (compact fluorescent light) bulbs.
Environmental and energy-efficiency groups note that the standards do not ban incandescent bulbs, but instead require them to be more efficient. While more efficient light bulbs are often more expensive at the point of sale, experts say they save consumers money on their electricity bills over the long term.
Ya know,,,, I’ve got a light bulb I took out of my Grandfather’s house after he passed, and my Grandmother moved to a Portage Trail condo. It was there as long as I can remember, and I’m 65. The bulb has a pointy tip on the end. It’s gotta be well over 80 years old. Still works like a champ!