Politics: August 2008 Archives

Washington Times - DEMING: Fluorescent bulb follies

OU associate professor David Deming points out the flaws with the 2012 ban on incandescent light bulbs: "For a compact fluorescent bulb to achieve the claimed efficiency, it has to be burned continuously for long periods. If a CFL is left on for only 5-minute periods, it will burn out just as fast as an incandescent bulb. To avoid short cycling, the U.S. Energy Star program advises consumers to leave compact fluorescents on for at least 15 minutes.... [CFLs] contain toxic mercury and cannot be thrown into the trash, but have to be recycled. CFLs become dimmer as they age, and thus again will not perform as advertised. The quality of light from fluorescent bulbs is inferior to incandescent. Standard CFLs won't operate at low temperatures and are thus unsuitable for many outdoor applications." (All Oklahoma Republican congressmen and senators voted against the ban. Democratic Congressman Dan Boren voted in favor.)

A GOP Choice: Tom Coburn or Ted Stevens - WSJ.com

"Mr. Stevens was a big reason the earmark culture had such a grip on Senate Republicans: Few dared risk his wrath.... In the House, GOP Rep. Don Young of Alaska -- the former Transportation Committee chair who stuffed the last highway bill with over 6,000 earmarks -- played a similar intimidation game.... Now Mr. Stevens is almost certain to lose his Senate seat -- either through defeat or conviction on felony charges. And Mr. Young is trailing in Alaska's August 26 primary.... They may not like it, but Mr. Coburn is showing Republicans how the GOP can return to its small government roots."