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Congress Questions Constitutionality Of Light Bulb Ban
Say Anything Readers Blog ^ | June 20, 2008 | Anna

Posted on 06/23/2008 8:25:30 AM PDT by Turret Gunner A20

WASHINGTON – Members of Congress are beginning to have second thoughts about the ban on incandescent light bulbs effective in 2014 as a result of an energy bill signed into law earlier this year. Rep. Ted Poe, R-Texas, says his objection is very basic – the Constitution doesn’t authorize Congress to do anything remotely like banning a product that has been used safely and efficiently for more than 100 years in favor of Chinese-imported compact fluorescent light bulbs that pose considerable health and safety risks.

Extensive cleanup is required by the Environmental Protection Agency for simply breaking a bulb. When a bulb, which contains mercury, is broken, according to the EPA, the room must be evacuated for 15 minutes and aired out with windows, but not before all glass is removed, placed in a sealed glass jar and disposed of outside. Any remaining glass must be picked up with tape. In addition, central heating or air conditioning units must be turned off.

Wait… Environmental Protection Agency must be called for a broken bulb?

(Excerpt) Read more at sayanythingblog.com ...


TOPICS: Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 110th; 17pctapproval; commerceclause; congress; energy; govwatch; lightbulbs; tedpoe
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I think it was a dumb idea in the first place.

And the Congressman is probably right.

1 posted on 06/23/2008 8:25:30 AM PDT by Turret Gunner A20
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To: Turret Gunner A20
Just another bastard offspring of Algore & Co.
2 posted on 06/23/2008 8:27:48 AM PDT by Eric in the Ozarks
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To: Turret Gunner A20
the Constitution doesn’t authorize Congress to do anything remotely like banning a product that has been used safely and efficiently for more than 100 years in favor of Chinese-imported compact fluorescent light bulbs that pose considerable health and safety risks.

Should have stopped after the word "product".

3 posted on 06/23/2008 8:29:17 AM PDT by Constitutionalist Conservative (Global Warming Heretic -- http://agw-heretic.blogspot.com)
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To: Turret Gunner A20

Wait... you mean our Founding Fathers didn’t give Congress the authority to tell citizens what products they are allowed to purchase?!


4 posted on 06/23/2008 8:30:01 AM PDT by pgyanke ("Huntered"--The act of being ignored by media and party to prevent name recognition)
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To: Turret Gunner A20

Buyer’s remorse from a bunch of idiots.


5 posted on 06/23/2008 8:30:09 AM PDT by Virginia Ridgerunner ("We must not forget that there is a war on and our troops are in the thick of it!"--Duncan Hunter)
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To: Turret Gunner A20

“Extensive cleanup is required by the Environmental Protection Agency for simply breaking a bulb. When a bulb, which contains mercury, is broken, according to the EPA, the room must be evacuated for 15 minutes and aired out with windows, but not before all glass is removed, placed in a sealed glass jar and disposed of outside. Any remaining glass must be picked up with tape. In addition, central heating or air conditioning units must be turned off.
Wait… Environmental Protection Agency must be called for a broken bulb?”

The EPA does not have a mandate to regulate private property owners. Sweep it up and throw it in the trash. Nuff done, nuff said.


6 posted on 06/23/2008 8:31:36 AM PDT by Cletus.D.Yokel
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To: Turret Gunner A20

About d-— time. And, there is a bunch of other stuff they have legislated that also is unconstitutional.


7 posted on 06/23/2008 8:32:18 AM PDT by Parmy
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To: Turret Gunner A20
Extensive cleanup is required by the Environmental Protection Agency for simply breaking a bulb. When a bulb, which contains mercury, is broken, according to the EPA, the room must be evacuated for 15 minutes and aired out with windows, but not before all glass is removed, placed in a sealed glass jar and disposed of outside. Any remaining glass must be picked up with tape. In addition, central heating or air conditioning units must be turned off.

Every fluorescent bulb contains mercury. Each time a bulb breaks, every office in the U.S. would have to shut down if this were true. The amount in each bulb is minute.

8 posted on 06/23/2008 8:33:31 AM PDT by rjsimmon
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To: Turret Gunner A20

Of course, only a complete moron would call a govt agency in for any reason, under any circumstances. It would give some squinty-eyed beaurocrat the perfect opportunity to condemn someone’s house for dropping a case of the damn things.


9 posted on 06/23/2008 8:33:57 AM PDT by Oldpuppymax (AGENDA OF THE LEFT EXPOSED)
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To: Turret Gunner A20
Light Bulb/Energy Bill Congressional comments Very good!! Everyone should see this info.
10 posted on 06/23/2008 8:34:04 AM PDT by pillut48 (CJ in TX --Soccer Mom and proud Rush Conservative with no dog in the presidential race now *sigh*)
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To: Turret Gunner A20
So What!

Show me where Congress has the right to enact welfare transfer payments, become involved in housing projects, rule the country's educational system, require minority quotas, fund health care benefits, and generally ignore the 9th and 10th amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

Why start with light bulbs when there is so much more that needs to be fixed first?

11 posted on 06/23/2008 8:35:30 AM PDT by Zakeet (Be thankful we don't get all the government we pay for)
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To: Cletus.D.Yokel
The EPA does not have a mandate to regulate private property owners.

A fellow I was acquainted with 15 years ago killed himself after constant legal battering by the EPA for having old tires on his farm. His family had used them to shore up land since before the war. I guess farms aren't private property.

12 posted on 06/23/2008 8:35:43 AM PDT by Glenn (Free Venezuela!)
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To: Parmy

Now, how about that toilet water capacity mandate?

I told a greenie that I had the solution to the energy problems in America. He was intrigued.

I said, after the 1.5 gal toilet law, and the ban on lightbulbs,

we could simply hook up generators to the American founders spinning in their graves.


13 posted on 06/23/2008 8:36:17 AM PDT by MrB (You can't reason people out of a position that they didn't use reason to get into in the first place)
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To: Turret Gunner A20
Rep. Ted Poe, R-Texas, says his objection is very basic – the Constitution doesn’t authorize Congress to do anything remotely like banning a product that has been used safely and efficiently for more than 100 years in favor of Chinese-imported compact fluorescent light bulbs that pose considerable health and safety risks.

You mean they can't find anything in the General Welfare clause, or the Commerce clause?

-PJ

14 posted on 06/23/2008 8:36:37 AM PDT by Political Junkie Too (Repeal the 17th amendment -- it's the "Fairness Doctrine" for Congress!)
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To: Turret Gunner A20

Recommend by the EPA, not required.

http://www.epa.gov/mercury/spills/index.htm#fluorescent


15 posted on 06/23/2008 8:36:54 AM PDT by thackney (life is fragile, handle with prayer)
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To: Zakeet

Hey, ANY law that they start looking at opens the door for someone to point fingers at other things, like the ones you mentioned.


16 posted on 06/23/2008 8:37:25 AM PDT by MrB (You can't reason people out of a position that they didn't use reason to get into in the first place)
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To: Turret Gunner A20

It takes a little longer for those CFL’s to flicker on above some people’s thick heads.


17 posted on 06/23/2008 8:38:01 AM PDT by rhombus
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To: Turret Gunner A20

Here is the real rub. After 2014, we will have the bulb police to inspect every home, business, etc. to make sure compliance. Some places this miracle bulb just is not efficient and not configured in size to work. What then? This is pure liberal BS.


18 posted on 06/23/2008 8:39:09 AM PDT by Logical me (Oh, well!!!)
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To: Political Junkie Too

Lightbulbs are shipped across state lines, so they are subject to regulation under the Interstate Commerce Clause.

This is what they use to justify EVERYTHING.

The founders CLEARLY meant that the feds could intervene only when there was a dispute between the states.


19 posted on 06/23/2008 8:39:14 AM PDT by MrB (You can't reason people out of a position that they didn't use reason to get into in the first place)
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To: Turret Gunner A20

AMEN!


20 posted on 06/23/2008 8:39:49 AM PDT by Chili Girl
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