You Can Thank Congress for the $60 Light Bulb
Congress passed laws that ban the manufacture of incandescent light bulbs because our leaders know what is best for us. 100 watt incandescent bulbs cannot be manufactured in the U.S. now and beginning in 2014 the manufacture of incandescent light bulbs of 40 watts or greater will be banned. The U.S. Department of Energy had a contest called “Bright Tomorrow” for manufacturers of energy efficient alternatives to the 60 watt bulb. Guess what? Only one company entered the contest and it was a Dutch company. Yes, it was the winner.
BBC News: “Made by Dutch electronics giant Philips, the bulb swaps filaments for light-emitting diodes to provide illumination. Using LEDs endows the light with a long life and a hefty price tag. The first versions are set to cost $60.”
I just counted 25 60 watt light bulbs in my house. At $60 a bulb I would pay $1,500 to replace those bulbs. The simple result of this ban on incandescent bulbs will be that people will have fewer light fixtures because they cannot afford the new high tech bulbs. Congress and other state and local governments now routinely pass laws and ordinances that take away our freedoms.