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Hi Tom C., I appreciate your view on capitalism and agree that regulation is not ventured into lightly. I will disagree that climate change has never been on solid ground. The oceans are rising, glaciers are disappearing, the average global temperatures are rising and the average mixture of CO2 in the atmosphere is increasing at a rate higher than ever before measured ever since we've been able to retrieve trapped air bubbles of ancient ice in Antarctica. It is not convenient but it is the truth.
Sometimes we humans don't want to know the truth and sometimes we have to find ways to incentify the larger populase of a better way forward even when they don't want to do so. Take seat belts for example. I remember when the auto industry fought tooth and nail in opposition to federally mandating seat belts in all passenger vehicles. Their principle argument against it was cost and the scare tactic that you'd get trapped in a burning car. They couldn't argue the safety aspect so they created distraction to build opposition. In the end we got seat belts in all car and after seat belt use laws became the nation's choice, crash related deaths in the US fell dramatically.
Using LED or CFC lighting greatly reduces power consumption which was always the goal but the battle was to fight fear. Now the LED lamps are just as good (if not better than) incandescent lamps and the total cost of operation is way less.
The regulation (it's not really a law) creates a new market where innovation drives competition which drives cost down. Yes, it took a regulation to force the existing manufacturers to develop better products and that can reduce choice but that's the right way to use these kinds of governmental processes. We all benefit from these game changers.
I will say I wish we didn't have to force these kinds of changes through governmental regulations because it kind of goes counter to free market concepts. Unfortunately, we do not live in an ideal capitalist democracy. We live in a Madisonian republic that is a compromise at best. It is the best compromise on the planet.
As a fellow HAM and tube device enthusiast, I appreciate your passion and love the debate. Let's agree that LED lamps use less energy and despite how we got here, that part is a good thing.
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