Your Congress In Action

Along the same lines as my last post, our Congress continues their sellout of the American worker! In 6 years (2014) we, the citizens of the United States, will be required by law to use "energy-saving light bulbs". Now, on the surface that doesn't seem like a big deal, right? Most of us are willing to make some adjustments in order that we may:

1. reduce our personal expenses for utilities.
2. do what we can to help to conserve available energy resources.

We are, therefore, responsible custodians of our limited personal financial resources, while simultaneously doing our part to preserve our environmental resources. And we feel good about it! Now let's examine the concept a little closer ...

We've all seen "energy-saving light bulbs" in the stores. They're those odd-looking, twisty fluorescent bulbs that resemble a Dairy Queen cone, and claim increased light for less power consumption. The package usually says something like, "Get 70 watts of light for only 25 watts of power", or words to that effect. And they carry the names of well-known, repsected American manufacturers, such as General Electric and Sylvania, among others. These bulbs are classed as Compact Fluorescent Lamps, or CFL's, and although they cost more than twice as much as a similar incandescent bulb, they claim a useful life of 6,000 or more hours - which could easily offset the initial purchase cost ... until you break one!

One person, in Ellsworth, Maine, could be looking at an unforeseen expense of about $2,004.28 - which is the price quoted for cleanup by the U.S. Department of Environmental Protection. The CFL's are filled with mercury, which is a pollutant, and there are specific laws covering the cleanup of pollutants.

There is only one place in the world where these CFL's are made - CHINA! Aren't we using enough things that are made in China? Pet foods that kill our pets, toys with lead-based paints, and toxic toothpastes aren't enough of a clue to Chinese manufacturing quality to make us choose to do something different? I'd rather burn candles, or oil lamps ... or ignite stock certificates for GE & Sylvania, than use more crap made in China! And here's where you can find the details ...
http://youtube.com/watch?v=e-LOtKIIKcg . This YouTube post is NOT something that a kid created from some herb-induced state of mind - it's a video taken on the floor of the United States House of Representatives, and it's worth seeing and hearing!

I'm Gil, and I approve this blog!