Trump is desperate to roll back the last of the Obama energy efficiency regulations. He offered a rambling discourse on low-flow toilets and showers, claiming that these regulations often led to no water at all and that some poor persons had to flush their toilets 10-15 times just to get their turds down the trapway. What's a conscientious conservative to do?
This is a continuation of his administration's decision in September to rollback the regulations on energy efficient light bulbs. Trump claimed "what's saved is not worth it, for the little they save." Actually, quite a bit is saved. One LED light bulb alone can save you more than $160 over a conventional incandescent light bulb during a span of 23 years. Multiply that by the number of light bulbs in your house!
It's not like he or any member of his administration has quantified these decisions. They are rolling back these regulations purely out of spite, akin to Reagan removing the solar panels from the White House roof when he took office in 1981. However, we have learned a lot since then in regard to energy efficiency, and most industries have retooled accordingly because the average consumer wants to save money on electricity and water bills. It's only persons like Trump, who have no bills to pay, who don't see the "worth" in it.
Oddly enough, it was the Bush administration that signed onto the Energy Independence and Security Act in 2007. The Act was carried out during the Obama administration. Michelle Bachmann fought tooth and nail against these regulations throughout Obama's tenure, offering her notorious Light Bulb Freedom of Choice Act that became a running late night joke. Seems she also liked the warm glow of traditional Christmas tree lights as opposed to the harsh white of LED lights.
Trump claims the new lights make him look orange, which appears to be in direct contradiction to Michelle's earlier complaint. If anything, LED lights would cast Trump in a better glow. The old incandescent lights would only serve to highlight his orangeness. Maybe those "orange bulbs" in the White House are left over from earlier days.
This battle over energy efficiency light bulbs and toilets may seem petty but it serves to underscore the antiquated view of many conservatives that everything was better before environmental regulations came along. They view these regulations as impediments to a free market society.
The irony is that a free market society is what has made these energy efficient light bulbs and appliances affordable. Before their widespread use, an LED light bulb would set you back 20 or 30 dollars. Today you can buy a four-pack for eight bucks. They come in the same size and shape as the old bulbs but are much more efficient and you might not need to replace them in your lifetime. The average span of an LED light is 25,000 hours, as opposed to 1200 hours for the "orange bulb."
It is fortunate that we have had 12 years since this Act was first implemented, as now it doesn't really matter what the Donald does. These light bulbs and toilets have become the industry standard and incandescent light bulbs an expensive novelty. The thought of saving money far outweighs any nostalgia for such items.
Nevertheless, there will be those Magaheads and former Teapartiers who will continue to insist on using their old Christmas tree lights, claiming the holiday season just isn't the same without that familiar orange glow. Ironically, it is incandescent tree lights that now cost more than LED tree lights, and you can get LED lights in any color you like.
Comments
Post a Comment