OPINION: Congress Sees The Light

Congress wants to be home for Christmas, so they’re rushing to approve spending that is $40-billion more than what the House budgeted last spring.

But national defense will get $12-billion less than the House had planned. It’s because the Senate and White House wanted more for everything else, but less for national defense.

Yet there is one bright light. Mixed-in with the billions of extra spending is a postponement of the new light bulb law. The phase-out of incandescent bulbs that was to begin January 1st, starting with 100-watt bulbs, is put off until at least next September.

Environmentalists claim that newer bulbs use less energy and last longer. They never mention that the higher price wipes out supposed savings—especially when they burn out a lot quicker than they advertise. Score one small victory for us consumers.

From The Heritage Foundation, I’m Ernest Istook.

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