Another Omnibus Spending Bill

[Gaspar]

Guess what was tucked in the 1,200 page bill? 

It will take weeks to unravel the whole thing, but for one, the ban on incandescent lightbulbs has been suspended.  My father in-law now has an attic full of scrap-glass.

Also, all federal employees are now required to meet e-verify standards (be American citizens).

Another rider keeps Detainees at Guantanamo from being transferred to the United States.


With each page totaling about $780 million dollars, I'm sure it's full of great stuff!

[heironymouspasparagus]

Guess what was tucked in the 1,200 page bill? 

It will take weeks to unravel the whole thing, but for one, the ban on incandescent lightbulbs has been suspended.  My father in-law now has an attic full of scrap-glass.

Also, all federal employees are now required to meet e-verify standards (be American citizens).

Another rider keeps Detainees at Guantanamo from being transferred to the United States.


With each page totaling about $780 million dollars, I'm sure it's full of great stuff!

If someone wants to keep wasting that much money on light bulbs, well, hey what can you say to that kind of dumb?


The defense bill kept detainees out, too.  Belt and suspenders?

[Townsend]

Saw that this morning about the bulbs.

Per the free Republic post:

As part of last night's omnibus budget bill which prevented government shutdown, Republicans won a small victory: they suspended the incandescent light bulb ban. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle bowed to widespread public pressure, as the American people made it clear they weren't interested in this literal government intrusion into their livingrooms.

Congressional Republicans dropped almost all of the policy restrictions they tried to attach to the bill, but won inclusion of the light bulb provision, which prevents the Obama administration from carrying through a 2007 law that would have set energy efficiency standards that effectively made the traditional light bulb obsolete.

The bill doesn't actually amend the 2007 law, but does prohibit the administration from spending any money to carry out the light bulb standards — which amounts to at least a temporary reprieve.

[Gaspar]

Rep. Paul Gosar, a freshman from Arizona, issued a statement shortly after the 296-121 vote explaining why he was sour on the deal – even though he supported it.

"You definitely do not want to bite into it, you cannot stand the taste, but you know you have to eat it," Gosar said. "I hoped that this bill would include far more cuts, greater reforms, and more regulatory relief. I'm disappointed that it does not! Let me be the first to admit, this legislation is far from perfect!"

He called it "A Crap Sandwich"

Sounds like Conan's signature pile!

[Townsend]

Rep. Paul Gosar, a freshman from Arizona, issued a statement shortly after the 296-121 vote explaining why he was sour on the deal – even though he supported it.

"You definitely do not want to bite into it, you cannot stand the taste, but you know you have to eat it," Gosar said. "I hoped that this bill would include far more cuts, greater reforms, and more regulatory relief. I'm disappointed that it does not! Let me be the first to admit, this legislation is far from perfect!"

He called it "A Crap Sandwich"

Sounds like Conan's signature pile!

I think each of them have been handed that soundbite for about 12 years now.

[Conan71]

As part of last night's omnibus budget bill which prevented government shutdown, Republicans won a small victory: they suspended the incandescent light bulb ban. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle bowed to widespread public pressure, as the American people made it clear they weren't interested in this literal government intrusion into their livingrooms.

Congressional Republicans dropped almost all of the policy restrictions they tried to attach to the bill, but won inclusion of the light bulb provision, which prevents the Obama administration from carrying through a 2007 law that would have set energy efficiency standards that effectively made the traditional light bulb obsolete.

The bill doesn't actually amend the 2007 law, but does prohibit the administration from spending any money to carry out the light bulb standards — which amounts to at least a temporary reprieve.

Outstanding!  Curious to know how many jobs the GOP created with that move?

[nathanm]

For the 80th time, it's not a ban. Incandescent bulbs will still be perfectly legal to sell, just not for general lighting purposes, and even then, only if they're labeled between 40 and 100 watts. IOW, you can buy an "outdoor" bulb that's the same as what you're buying today. You're a little dumb in the pocketbook if you do, but that's your business, I guess. And if you don't like that way of explaining it, let me make it even simpler: Halogen bulbs are also incandescent, they're just filled with different air. They will still be allowed to be sold for general lighting use.

It's not about control, it's about reducing grid demand. We presently suffer from a chronic lack of transmission capacity across large segments of the country. Since nobody is willing to spend the dough to increase capacity, the only solution is increased energy efficiency. That it happens to save you and I money is just a bonus.

Conan, they probably created zero jobs, but they did manage to give the foreign light bulb manufacturers even more time to milk the old tech.

[Gaspar]

Conan, they probably created zero jobs, but they did manage to give the foreign light bulb manufacturers even more time to milk the old tech.

The new ones are made in China too, and sold at a far higher profit margin than then incandescent bulbs.

I actually like the CFL bulbs.  Have them all through the house and they are very efficient.  I like incandescent for a reading lamp, but more and more I just read on my iPad.
CFL is actually on it's way out now that we are producing cheaper brighter LED technology.  I would estimate that by the time the BAN is back, we will have gone to LED and the product will be less expensive and so attractive from an energy standpoint that a BAN will not be necessary.

I just noticed today that we haven't put a ban on candles yet.  Why not?  They are flammable, produce toxic fumes, and severe burns.  What is wrong with us?  Get those things out of your house!

[Red Arrow]

Outstanding!  Curious to know how many jobs the GOP created with that move?

Or, how many are not eliminated.  Never mind the fact that all the tungsten bulbs are probably made in China.  At least I won't have to get rid of my dimmers.

[Red Arrow]

IOW, you can buy an "outdoor" bulb that's the same as what you're buying today. You're a little dumb in the pocketbook if you do, but that's your business, I guess.

We tried it.  The florescent bulbs had a bigger base and DID NOT FIT the existing sockets.  Someone forgot to check compatibility with existing fixtures.

[nathanm]

I was talking about the usual incandescent bulb, which will be (would have been?) sold as an "outdoor" bulb for those folks who really had to have the hot-metal kind.

[Red Arrow]

I was talking about the usual incandescent bulb, which will be (would have been?) sold as an "outdoor" bulb for those folks who really had to have the hot-metal kind.

We have 2 bulb, 60w (each) max incandescent fixtures on both the back porch and front porch.  Except when they burn out, they light instantly.  They also require horizontal mounting.  Heiron says that doesn't matter.  I haven't checked lately but the last time I did, CFL didn't like horizontal.

The ones that didn't fit were the flood/spot fixtures.

Edit: added "each"

[Red Arrow]

I just noticed today that we haven't put a ban on candles yet.  Why not?  

Because they emit light when the sun goes down and the wind stops blowing.

[patric]

For the 80th time, it's not a ban. Incandescent bulbs will still be perfectly legal to sell, just not for general lighting purposes, and even then, only if they're labeled between 40 and 100 watts. IOW, you can buy an "outdoor" bulb that's the same as what you're buying today. You're a little dumb in the pocketbook if you do, but that's your business, I guess. And if you don't like that way of explaining it, let me make it even simpler: Halogen bulbs are also incandescent, they're just filled with different air. They will still be allowed to be sold for general lighting use.

It's not about control, it's about reducing grid demand. We presently suffer from a chronic lack of transmission capacity across large segments of the country. Since nobody is willing to spend the dough to increase capacity, the only solution is increased energy efficiency. That it happens to save you and I money is just a bonus.

Conan, they probably created zero jobs, but they did manage to give the foreign light bulb manufacturers even more time to milk the old tech.

The "ban" is a product of Glenn Beck and FOX news, and it's false.  The bi-partisan -supported law called for bulbs to be more efficient (mostly by adding different gasses to the bulb) which is a far cry from a ban.  Nathan is correct.

The energy law is still in place, but the money to enforce it now is gone.  That creates a situation where speculators could import older, cheaper-made foreign bulbs to undercut sales of the newer efficient ones and create an uncompetitive disadvantage for U.S. manufacturers that made investments in the newer technology. 

i.e., the GOP just screwed American bulb makers. 
Good jobs strategy, guys.

[patric]

Fox Admits Defeat In Phony War On "Light Bulb Ban" (But Doesn't Know It)
http://mediamatters.org/blog/201112050008

Regular Fox News viewers know that the network has spent months hyping a nonexistent "light bulb ban" going into effect on Jan. 1, 2012, that they claim would outlaw incandescent light bulbs. The law in question -- signed by former President George W. Bush -- does not outlaw incandescent bulbs, only inefficient ones.

Yet Fox has never acknowledged that its war on the "light bulb ban" was phony -- until today. With no self-awareness, Fox & Friends hyped a bulb that reportedly meets the new efficiency standards -- and it happens to be an incandescent.