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Upton flips a switch on CFL bulbs--Feeling heat, lawmaker sees light on incandescents
The Washington Times ^ | December 6, 2010 | Stephan Dinan

Posted on 12/06/2010 6:42:56 PM PST by jazusamo

Three years after he led the charge to require consumers to ditch their comfortable old incandescent lights in favor of those twisty CFL bulbs, Rep. Fred Upton now wants to be the man to help undo that law as the next chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

That about-face is not unique among lawmakers looking to atone for stances they've taken over the past decade as they seek to gain top posts in a decidedly more conservative Republican Congress, but his reversal underscores how intent the GOP is on proving it has broken with past practices.

"We have heard the grass roots loud and clear, and will have a hearing early next Congress," said Mr. Upton, a Michigan Republican who is facing several others in his party in a bid to earn the gavel of the powerful committee. "The last thing we wanted to do was infringe upon personal liberties - and this has been a good lesson that Congress does not always know best."

Indeed, the compact fluorescent lamp, or CFL, has become a symbol of government overreach for many consumers, who wonder what was wrong with the incandescent bulbs that have lighted their kitchens, family rooms and bedrooms for more than a century.

The government says incandescent bulbs have too short a life span and are inefficient, wasting most of their energy on heat rather than on light. CFLs, on the other hand, can last up to 10 times as long and use 75 percent less electricity.

Still, they were slow to catch on, prompting industry, environmentalists and lawmakers to team up and give consumers a push. Mr. Upton joined Rep. Jane Harman, California Democrat, to co-sponsor legislation to phase out incandescent bulbs beginning in 2012. Their bill was incorporated into the 2007 Energy Independence...

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


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Government
KEYWORDS: 2007; 2010election; 2012; cflbulbs; cfls; chairmanships; congress; econuts; energycommittee; fredupton; ge; harman; incandescentbulbs; janeharman; lightbulbs; lighting; lightnazis; mercury; nannystate; nobulbsforyou; phaseout; toxiclightbulbs; upton
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To: jazusamo
CFLs, on the other hand, can last up to 10 times as long

anybody seen this to be true ? I haven't yet.
21 posted on 12/06/2010 7:01:18 PM PST by stylin19a
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To: jazusamo
"The last thing we wanted to do was infringe upon personal liberties

That is exactly what they were doing and they know it.

22 posted on 12/06/2010 7:02:20 PM PST by HP8753 (Live Free!!!! .............or don't.)
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To: muawiyah

The new toilets failed to account for the fact that some men are built such that their needs are neglected.

__________________________

Smells like discrimination to me.


23 posted on 12/06/2010 7:03:36 PM PST by volunbeer
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To: jazusamo

Agree with you jaz. The guy wants that power of that committee so badly. He wants to be the man, but he’s a RINO, and like all Lefties cannot be trusted at all. He speaketh for his own convenience. He’s a liar.


24 posted on 12/06/2010 7:04:51 PM PST by rockinqsranch (Dems, Libs, Socialists, call 'em what you will, they ALL have fairies livin' in their trees.)
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To: jazusamo
OH, NOW he wants to rectify his mistake, now that he is in line for a chairmanship. Nothing wrong with that? RIGHT?????

And hey, let's not mention the jobs his decisions have cost. It's just a pittance, really.

25 posted on 12/06/2010 7:05:39 PM PST by TheThinker (Communists: taking over the world one kooky doomsday scenario at a time.)
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To: P-Marlowe; xzins

That’s true and in the summer months the days are much longer and bulbs aren’t used as much.


26 posted on 12/06/2010 7:06:00 PM PST by jazusamo (His [Obama's] political base---the young, the left and the thoughtless: Thomas Sowell)
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To: surroundedbyblue
These CFLs are a freaking joke! You can’t even throw them in the trash they’re so damn toxic!

Just take notice of who has Pro-Communist/Democrat party lawn signs during election season and deposit the spent CFL's in their yard as you drive by. (just joking, Put away the flamethrowers)

27 posted on 12/06/2010 7:06:21 PM PST by HP8753 (Live Free!!!! .............or don't.)
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To: jazusamo

I’m real happy for his conversion...and in about 20 years, if he continues to vote as a solid conservative, maybe he can apply for a leadership position. Until then...not a chance!


28 posted on 12/06/2010 7:07:33 PM PST by Tex-Con-Man
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To: stylin19a

The ones we tried didn’t even come close but that was about 4 years ago so they may be better now.


29 posted on 12/06/2010 7:07:38 PM PST by jazusamo (His [Obama's] political base---the young, the left and the thoughtless: Thomas Sowell)
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To: jazusamo
"We have heard the grass roots loud and clear, and will have a hearing early next Congress," said Mr. Upton.

I heard this guy on a local radio interview. He completely disowned the legislation. He said "that was Jane Harmon's bill." He hid behind industry testimony at the hearings. I guess when a captain of industry tells you something common sense should go out the window.

He is completely untrustworthy.

30 posted on 12/06/2010 7:07:54 PM PST by Former Proud Canadian (How do I change my screen name now that we have the most conservative government in the world?)
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To: P-Marlowe; jazusamo

I use both, but if I need good lighting I get an incandescent. Outdoor lights that need to stay on a long time, I use the CFLs. Don’t have to change them nearly as often.

Choice. I don’t need the government me that they’re getting rid of adjustable wrenches because sockets are just so much better, getting rid of horses in favor of mules, or books in favor of kindles.

I actually prefer books, to be honest with you. And I like paperbacks over hardcover....much easier to hold in one hand while you drink coffee with the other. :>)


31 posted on 12/06/2010 7:10:40 PM PST by xzins (Retired Army Chaplain & proud of it: Truly Supporting the Troops means praying for their Victory!)
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To: Tex-Con-Man
I’m real happy for his conversion...and in about 20 years

Amen!

32 posted on 12/06/2010 7:11:15 PM PST by jazusamo (His [Obama's] political base---the young, the left and the thoughtless: Thomas Sowell)
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To: stylin19a

Nope some last most don’t


33 posted on 12/06/2010 7:11:19 PM PST by al baby (Hi Mom REMEMBER FREE REPUBLIC IN YOUR WILL. I DID)
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To: surroundedbyblue

I toss them in my neighbors can


34 posted on 12/06/2010 7:12:04 PM PST by al baby (Hi Mom REMEMBER FREE REPUBLIC IN YOUR WILL. I DID)
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To: jazusamo

It’s a waste of time anyway.

Manufacturers have ditched much of their capacity for the old bulbs as they were complicit in lobbying for the new more expensive CFLs.

CFLs will become obsolete in the near future anyway as LEDs per the free market will make CFLs go the way of 8-tracks, Beta video recorders, laserdisks, etc.


35 posted on 12/06/2010 7:13:01 PM PST by quantim (Victory is not relative, it is absolute.)
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To: jazusamo; All
Mr. Upton and other lawmakers - including the other three men seeking the chairmanship of the Energy and Commerce Committee - now say they've learned their lesson and want to unshackle consumers and restore their choice in light bulbs.

Too late...!

Light bulb factory closes; End of era for U.S. means more jobs overseas

36 posted on 12/06/2010 7:13:42 PM PST by Virginia Ridgerunner (Sarah Palin has crossed the Rubicon!)
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To: muawiyah

And some women Hillary has her fitted with a badger 9


37 posted on 12/06/2010 7:14:01 PM PST by al baby (Hi Mom REMEMBER FREE REPUBLIC IN YOUR WILL. I DID)
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To: jazusamo

I swapped every light in the Spodefly World Headquarters and Bunker Compound to CFL. They seemed fine ... got used to it. Didn’t notice any massive swings in electrical bills.

Recently tho, I found a light that someone was discarding. Basically a pole, with a bulb on top and a cone that directs the light up. It has a dimmer built into it. I put my last 60watt incandescent bulb into it, and turned the dimmer to low ... and what beautiful light.

A soft, deep orange glow that is beautiful. Made me hate the greenish, pasty CFLs.

Also, I had a CFL “burn out” not long ago ... very spectacularly. At first it just went out. No fanfare, just stopped making light. About 5 seconds later tho there was a horrible arc welding sound, followed by the stench of frying electronics, which I assumed to be mostly toxic due to the mercury in the CFLs, so I turned on all the fans and opened all teh windows and herded the cats into a different part of the house till it cleared up

And no, I didn’t observe some government enforced disposal ritual ... I threw the son of a bitch in the trash.


38 posted on 12/06/2010 7:14:36 PM PST by spodefly (This is my tag line. There are many like it, but this one is mine.)
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To: jazusamo

*** CFLs, on the other hand, can last up to 10 times as long***

Bunk. None have lasted over a year (6 months average)and one CFL lasted only 30 days.


39 posted on 12/06/2010 7:14:52 PM PST by Ruy Dias de Bivar (I visited GEN TOMMY FRANKS Military Museum in HOBART, OKLAHOMA! Well worth it!)
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To: jazusamo

No one is less trustworthy than a politician who has suddenly decided to do the right thing.


40 posted on 12/06/2010 7:15:45 PM PST by Blood of Tyrants (Islam is the religion of Satan and Mohammed was his minion.)
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