Light Bulbs vs. The Nanny State

In September, the European Union banned the sale of 100-watt incandescent light bulbs, with lawbreakers facing up to $70,000 in fines. Over the next few years, bans on lower-wattage bulbs kick in. In the United States, similar legislation comes into play in 2012. The idea is to kickstart the market for compact fluorescent lights (CFLs), which use less energy than conventional incandescents. Although CFLs present any number of problems (even beyond a much higher initial cost), governments all over the globe are determined to make them the new standard.

Invented in its modern form by Thomas Edison in 1879, the light bulb became synonymous with a brilliant idea. Now, it seems, it's just one more symbol of a nanny state that increasingly dictates more choices in our public and private lives.

"Light bulbs vs. The Nanny State" is produced by Meredith Bragg and Nick Gillespie. Approximately two minutes. Go to http://reason.tv for embed code and downloadable versions.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Light Bulbs
• Nanny State
• Reason
• Reason.tv
• Reason Magazine
• CFL
• fluorescent
• incandescent
• Bush
• Obama
• Pelosi
• Reid
• Congress
• Energy
• Phase out
• Edison
• lightbulbs
• 2012

[arthur1411]

I am an electrician in the UK and much of my work now involves installing halogen downlights into houses that previously had incandescent bulbs.

Rooms that were once lit by a 60w bulb are now illuminated by six 50w bulbs(5 x carbon emissions).

Is this another case of EU unintended consequences or vested interest?

[noreaga12326]

@Martian74 i have roughly about 700 boxes of incandescent bulbs stocked up and i will keep on stocking up until they're banned. many of them being between 100-60 watts. i actually have incandescent bulbs that havent burnt out in years. with that being said, i'l be using incandescents forever and u can stick with ur toxic cfl bulbs. People like u who enjoy government up your pants 24/7 dont deserve any kind of freedom. i think cuba would be a great place for u.

[newfagscanttrif0rce]

@noreaga12326

You are the one being a whiny, greedy little bitch over your fucking light bulbs. Greedy fuck.

[noreaga12326]

@newfagscanttrif0rce oh stop complaining. As i said in earlier posts, we have been using incandescent bulbs for more than a century and nothing happened to the planet, so quit whinning like a little girl. ppl like u want the world to live being paranoid about any little thing. Quit being a little busy body and worry about the energy YOU use. When u start paying my rent and light bill, then perhaps u can tell me how to light my house. Until then, worry about YOUR energy bills and fuck off

[MrDoubtfulguest]

@Martian74 This is the scariest thing I've read in a while. Government FORCE is for our own good. Yikes! How do people like this have any self respect? They really LIKE having people like Pelosi, Waxman, and Obama telling us how to illuminate our homes, telling us what to eat by levying taxes on foods, drinks (and smokes), they don't approve of, and making nuisances of themselves by butting into our lives. This submissive, unimaginative, herd mentality is for losers.

[safetychoice]

How many bureaucrats does it take to replace a light bulb? Eight. One to fill out the requisition, three to sign the authorization, one to retrieve the bulb from the parts department, one to screw in the bulb, one to hold the ladder (safety you know) and one to supervise the other two.

[teflaime]

Incandescent bulbs haven't beened banned. That is FUD.

[newfagscanttrif0rce]

Nick, incandescent light bulbs wast too much electricity. Stop being such a selfish resource hog. We all have to share this planet with each other and future generations. There are kids out there who don't have enough food to eat and you are obsessed over light bulbs. You are childish and greedy.

[DoctorCapitalist]

Soon sex will be regulated to help stop STDs :(

[noreaga12326]

@Martian74 look at all the millions of ppl like me around the globe who have stocked up on incandescents. The only way this ban will be effective is if government make incandescent bulbs illegal. Thankfully, MOST people around the world are smart enough to think for themselves. Even if incandescents are no longer on store shelves, its gona wind up in our homes either way. If ur not proud of ur home and would rather make it look like the inside of a hospital waiting room, knock urself out.