Republicans and shiny things

UPDATE:7/12/11 Upton and Barton's BULB Act fails. The vote on the bill was 233-193 with five Democrats voting for the bill and 10 Republicans against it.One Republican voted present.

Call it the freedom to choose the light bulb you want or even the right to bare bulbs.

This week House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton will introduce legislation watering down a 2007 law aimed at phasing out incandescent light bulbs and establishing efficiency standards for light bulbs. The bill Upton will bring to the floor is built around Texas Oil Rep. Joe Barton’s cleverly named retrograde effort called Barton’s Better Use of Light Bulbs (BULB) Act.

BULB Act repeals a provision in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 that requires traditional incandescent light bulbs to be 30 percent more energy efficient beginning in 2012.

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) has a fact sheet (PDF) that shows what the present law if un-modified by the BULB Act would save rate payers in individual states. By their estimate Vermont households annually would save $105.00 in electric costs. These savings collectively, nationwide, would eliminate the need for 30 new power plants.

First he was for it, now he’s against it. For Congressman Upton this is an ongoing effort to live down the fit of reason he suffered back in 2007 when he actually co-sponsored this law and supported bills aimed at phasing out incandescent light bulbs and establishing efficiency standards. Upton – a 24 year house veteran and wealthy heir to the Whirlpool manufacturing fortune, and once considered a Republican moderate – is rapidly phasing out that personality feature.

“It was never my goal for Washington to decide what type of light bulbs Americans should use," Upton said in a statement to The Hill. " The public response on this issue is a clear signal that markets – not governments – should be driving technological advancements. I will join my colleagues to vote yes on a bill to protect consumer choice and guard against federal overreach.”

Perhaps Upton is afraid the burned-out incandescent bulb over his head will be replaced by a nice, efficient, lower-heat, more-light, longer-lasting, compact fluorescent. No new ideas.

Shimkus,Barton,Upton and Stearns read our lips, ‘no new light bulbs’

In the new Republican controlled congress Democrat Henry Waxman the current Energy and Commerce Chairman will be leaving that post. The House Energy and Commerce Committee oversees legislation related to issues including the supply and delivery of energy, public health, and air quality and environmental health. Republican Congressmen John Shimkus (Illinois), Joe Barton (Texas), Fred Upton (Michigan) and Cliff Stearns (Florida) are all vying for the chairmanship and clinging to their old familiar light bulbs as ferociously as their retrograde views.

Shimkus ,Barton,Stearns and Upton

Here is a quick look at some remarks that the candidates have made which offers some insight to each congressman’s views on energy issues.
Rep.John Shimkus has said that "Greenhouse gases are not toxic - every time we exhale we emit carbon dioxide; does EPA propose we stop breathing," He made clear he is not worried about global climate change because "The Earth will end only when God declares it's time to be over. Man will not destroy this Earth. This Earth will not be destroyed by a Flood."

Texas Rep.Joe Barton famously called Obama’s proposal for the oil company to establish a $20 billion escrow account for oil spill remediation a “shakedown” and apologized to the oil giant. He did back track afterward but he remains a recipient of large oil industry contributions.

Rep.Cliff Stearns supports drilling in ANWR and has claimed that this alone would reverse the decline in the US oil supply in a decade. Doubts about climate change science. In 2007 he gave a speech on the house floor saying the experts were wrong about global cooling in the 1970’s and that “…does not necessarily mean that they are wrong about global warming today, but it does at least show that experts are sometimes incredibly, incredibly wrong”.

What is happening with Rep.Fred Upton’s effort to gain the chairmanship is interesting. In 2007, Upton suffered an apparent spasm of reason and supported and co-sponsored bills aimed at phasing out incandescent light bulbs and establishing efficiency standards for light bulbs.

Although he has established his retrograde credentials by questioning the science of global warming and says the Democratic-controlled congress has let the EPA run wild and that the EPA must be held accountable.
Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh have attacked him as a socialist and supporter of the nanny-state for his ideas on light bulbs.

Texas Rep.Joe Barton demands Gulf of Mexico Appologize

In congressional hearings today Joseph Linus”Joe” Barton Repubican Congressman from Texas’ 6th district demanded that the Gulf of Mexico apologize to BP CEO Tony Hayward for soaking up all his crude oil.


What really happened is almost that bad :

A Texas Republican apologized to BP CEO Tony Hayward on Thursday for having to set aside $20 billion for Gulf of Mexico damage claims, drawing ridicule from Democrats and embarrassing Republicans.

Representative Joe Barton, a major recipient of campaign contributions from the oil and gas industry, triggered an uproar with his lengthy apology to Hayward for being the victim of a White House "shakedown."

"I'm speaking totally for myself, I'm not speaking for the Republican party ... but I'm ashamed of what happened in the White House yesterday," Barton said.