HomeUploadUpload DirectHotlinkRandomAbouttheme toggle
Expand

The Dumbest New Ban in 2014: Incandescent Light Bulbs

Views:979
@ReasonVids

Every New Year brings a bevy of stupid new nanny state bans.

In Los Angeles supermarket chains can no longer give out free plastic grocery bags made of plastic. From now on, either bring your own or shell out 10 cents per sack.

Illinois -- a state so well-run that is faces billions of dollars in unfunded pension obligations - now bans anyone under the age of 18 from going to a tanning salon. Residents also face a $50 fine for flicking a cigarette butt in the street or on the sidewalk too.

Delaware has banned the sale, possession, or eating of shark fins. New York City has banned horse-drawn carriage rides, and Major Leauge Baseball has banned home plate collisions.

The list is long and grim and seemingly endless but the worst nanny state ban going into effect in 2014 is almost surely the federal prohibition on the production of new incandescent light bulbs.

This ban was seven years in the making. The 2007 Energy Bill -- enthusiastically signed by then President George W Bush -- effectively killed incandescents light bulbs via energy efficiency mandates. 100 and 75 watt bulbs were phased out in previous years and now cheap 60 and 40 light bulbs -- once the very symbol of a good idea -- verboten in the Land of the Free.

Before the incandescent bulbs go out for good, it's worth shining a light on its cause: The ban was pushed by light bulb makers eager to up-sell customers on longer-lasting and much more expensive halogen, compact fluourescent, and LED lighting. When customers balked at paying more for home lighting, General Electric, Sylvania, and Philips did what corporate behemoths always do: They turned to the government for regulation that rigs the market in their favor.

So when you throw out that last 40 cent 40 Watt light bulb, remember that you're not just tossing out a piece of history, but a piece of what used to be a freer market.

Runs about 2:30.

Produced by Todd Krainin. Written and narrated by Nick Gillespie. Cameras by Meredith Bragg. Music by Chuzausen.

Go to http://reason.com/reasontv/2014/01/09/the-dumbest-new-ban-in-2014-incandescent for downloadable versions and subscribe to ReasonTV's YouTube Channel to receive notifications when new material goes live

incandescent light bulb (patent)
,
regulation
,
crony capitalism
,
libertarian
,
reason (periodical)
,
nick gillespie (author)
,
todd krainin
,
nanny state
    Thumbnail for Edward Snowden, v 1.0: NSA Whistleblower William Binney Tells All50:12
    Edward Snowden, v 1.0: NSA Whistleblower William Binney Tells All
    ReasonVids
    953 views
    Thumbnail for  They Killed JFK For Saying This.0:57
    They Killed JFK For Saying This.
    AOU
    1296 views
    Thumbnail for Is Abortion a Constitutional Right? Josh Blackman on Alito's Draft54:23
    Is Abortion a Constitutional Right? Josh Blackman on Alito's Draft
    ReasonVids
    806 views
    Thumbnail for Author Zack Lynch on How Neuroscience Will Change the World9:24
    Author Zack Lynch on How Neuroscience Will Change the World
    ReasonVids
    911 views
    Thumbnail for TYRONE EXECUTES A PLAN0:16
    TYRONE EXECUTES A PLAN
    AOUisgay
    526 views
    Thumbnail for Haiti's Pepe Trade: How Secondhand American Clothes Became a First-Rate Business4:03
    Haiti's Pepe Trade: How Secondhand American Clothes Became a First-Rate Business
    ReasonVids
    863 views
    Thumbnail for Democrat Debt Solutions: Tax the Rich, Spend More Money4:00
    Democrat Debt Solutions: Tax the Rich, Spend More Money
    ReasonVids
    863 views
    Thumbnail for Policing for Profit? California Towns Bill Residents Thousands for Nuisance Violations7:52
    Policing for Profit? California Towns Bill Residents Thousands for Nuisance Violations
    ReasonVids
    1094 views
    Thumbnail for Eggs Benedict For Mother's Day! | Cooking with kian1:00
    Eggs Benedict For Mother's Day! | Cooking with kian
    invidious
    53 views
    Thumbnail for Alan Charles Kors on Campus Speech Codes, Libertarianism, & The Case for the Humanities35:04
    Alan Charles Kors on Campus Speech Codes, Libertarianism, & The Case for the Humanities
    ReasonVids
    996 views
    Thumbnail for Porker of The Month (July 2010): Rep. Marcy Kaptur!1:28
    Porker of The Month (July 2010): Rep. Marcy Kaptur!
    ReasonVids
    869 views
    Thumbnail for Puppy Attack!0:47
    Puppy Attack!
    bestofvoatxyz
    782 views
    Thumbnail for I wouldn't go to France0:56
    I wouldn't go to France
    bestofupgoat
    355 views
    Thumbnail for Catboykami gives a speech to Trump Supporters1:14
    Catboykami gives a speech to Trump Supporters
    AOU
    2450 views
    Thumbnail for Use Chappells snl speech over pics of jews0:04
    Use Chappells snl speech over pics of jews
    bestofvoatxyz
    808 views
    Thumbnail for John McCain Defended the Wrong America7:00
    John McCain Defended the Wrong America
    AmericanRenaissance
    1431 views
    Thumbnail for Pygmy marmoset0:21
    Pygmy marmoset
    bestofvoatxyz
    806 views
    Thumbnail for Good Lord I Missed1:42
    Good Lord I Missed
    bestofupgoat
    227 views
    Thumbnail for Should America END The H1-B Visa Program? MAGA SPLITS Over H1-B | The Culture War w/ Tim Pool | Tim Pool2:06:15
    Should America END The H1-B Visa Program? MAGA SPLITS Over H1-B | The Culture War w/ Tim Pool | Tim Pool
    invidious
    126 views
    Thumbnail for Sen. Ted Cruz and Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee Rally for School Choice5:43
    Sen. Ted Cruz and Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee Rally for School Choice
    ReasonVids
    969 views
    Thumbnail for Radley Balko on the Militarization of Police11:57
    Radley Balko on the Militarization of Police
    ReasonVids
    878 views
    Thumbnail for How to 3D Print with Recycled Trash! | Maddie Moate | Maddie Moate9:33
    How to 3D Print with Recycled Trash! | Maddie Moate | Maddie Moate
    invidious
    379 views
    Thumbnail for Peter Jackson’s Last-Minute Fix to Gandalf’s Scene in The Hobbit! | Middle-Earth Updates0:51
    Peter Jackson’s Last-Minute Fix to Gandalf’s Scene in The Hobbit! | Middle-Earth Updates
    invidious
    67 views
    Thumbnail for TH vs. EDG - VCT Masters Shanghai - Playoffs5:43:54
    TH vs. EDG - VCT Masters Shanghai - Playoffs
    invidious
    257 views
    Thumbnail for High School Journalism Teacher Suspended After Standing Up for Student Reporters' Free Speech Rights7:05
    High School Journalism Teacher Suspended After Standing Up for Student Reporters' Free Speech Rights
    ReasonVids
    927 views

points

Permalink
Reply
incandescent light bulb (patent)
,
regulation
,
crony capitalism
,
libertarian
,
reason (periodical)
,
nick gillespie (author)
,
todd krainin
,
nanny state
TOS  •  Add Keywords  •  Donate  •   Analytics  •   DMCA  •   Puzzle