Washington, D.C. - Among the regulations packed into the newest energy bill that just passed Congress this week, a ban on the incandescent light bulb will officially end what Edison started 130 years ago. "If you outlaw light bulbs, then only outlaws will have light bulbs," says Libertarian Party Executive Director Shane Cory.

"The ban on incandescent light bulbs may seem almost comical," says Cory, "but it raises several red flags on the level of government intrusion in people's lives. From the toilets in your bathroom to the lights in your ceiling, there are very few consumer products free from some form of government regulation. I seriously doubt regulating light bulbs was intended to be a necessary-and-proper role of the federal government."

Incandescent light bulbs will begin to be phased out in 2012, with a complete ban finalized in 2014. Manufacturers will be forced to switch to compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs, which can cost more than six times as much as the common incandescent bulb. While CFL bulbs are much more energy efficient, to maintain the bulb's longevity and achieve maximum efficiency, consumers must adhere to proper operating suggestions made by Congress, such as leaving the bulb turned on for at least 15 minutes.

"Not only do consumers have to alter how they use light in their houses, they must also take a number of precautions with CFL bulbs that were unnecessary when using incandescent bulbs," says Libertarian Party Media Coordinator Andrew Davis. "Because of the toxic levels of mercury in CFL bulbs, consumers will need to check with their waste management providers for proper disposal methods, and consumers will also have to research how to clean up broken bulbs. These bulbs may save energy in the long run, but at a great inconvenience to the consumer."

The Libertarian Party believes in free market solutions to environmental problems, and vehemently opposes government regulation that interferes with private business and personal liberty. The Libertarian Party also maintains that solutions cannot come from America's biggest polluter: the federal government.

"How many Americans does it take to change a light bulb?" Davis asks jokingly. "I guess we'll have to wait for next year's energy bill to find out."

Kris Kobach, a former counsel to then-Attorney General John Ashcroft who is currently the chairman of the Kansas GOP, sent out an email on Thur entitled “Kansas Republican Party Year in Review” in which he brags of voter caging. Blue Tide Rising has the goods:

… Kris Kobach, chairman of the Kansas GOP, sent out a self-congratulatory litany of accomplishments. Among them was one particularly eye-catching item:

“To date, the Kansas GOP has identified and caged more voters in the last 11 months than the previous two years!” […]

Slate.com has the best comprehensive write-up on how the Republican Party employs caging techniques to suppress the votes of the poor, the deployed, and college students. (You know, likely Democratic voters.)

Did we mention it’s illegal? And that Kris Kobach is proud to be doing it?

Since Kris Kobach can’t expand his own party or force his own Party’s members to support his candidates he’s shamelessly trying to keep Democrats from voting instead. This is the stratagem of a desperate and shrinking party.

Someone needs to ask Kris Kobach which voters he’s caging and how he’s doing it. Someone like a newspaper editor or perhaps a Grand Jury. … (more)

More on Kris Kobach here and here (He apparently suffers from an advanced case of Lou Dobbs disease). Depending on what methods are being used in Kobach’s admitted voter caging scheme, it may very well be illegal, but hardly surprising. Voter suppression through caging lists has become a standard part of the Republican playbook to steal elections for some time now. In Sept McClatchy detailed current Republican voter caging efforts underway in Florida and Ohio to “impede Democratic-leaning minorities from voting in 2008,” and back in July PBS NOW took a look at the Republican Party’s voter caging plan “designed to keep Democrats from voting, allegedly by targeting people based on their race and ethnicity.” Watch that video here.

The powers that be that run and benefit from this hypocritical and corrupt government can be seen as the shepherds, and the masses of people can be seen as the sheep. And as the French writer Marie-Henri Beyle wrote, “The shepherd always tries to persuade the sheep that their interest and his own are the same.” Of course, the shepherd really only wants to take the fleece off their backs and eventually kill them.

One scam the government and its benefactors use to shepherd the sheeple to destruction is to get them to believe that voting matters. Of course, thinking people know it does not matter, but unfortunately the vast majority of people have been programmed by government and religion not to think independently and in most cases not to think at all. This creates the perfect voter!

To my memory, this is the first time we’ve been in continuous non-stop election mode for two straight years. From the time campaigns of the last congressional elections ran into the current disgusting and revolting presidential campaigns we’re currently being inundated with, there has been absolutely no let up in the media brain polluting campaign to let us all know how American and important this elephant and donkey show is!

It’s unfortunate, but many sincere people seem to believe that there is a chance for positive change through these election shows. Nothing could be further from the truth! A key reason why real change is absolutely impossible through elections and voting is because the powers that be have this game all sown up. They’re not about to take a chance of losing their power and control over the sheeple by being voted out! (continued...)