The entire US must change to CFL bulbs by 2016! It's the law! Good or Bad? (page 12)

hillary_step

JK666,

Nate, You started this!

Just as YOU started the insult throwing in my direction.

What are you going to do now? Sob and wail to the moderators, as you commonly do, to help you get out of a situation where you are having to take responsibilty for your own words?

Grow up man! I am quite sure than even in real life you have heard that phrase said to you more often than is comfortable.

HS

hillary_step

mincan,

Oh yes...lol.

Attack mouse number four has appeared.

Not wanting to be governed has nothing to do with being an asshat.

I am quite sure that you ware an expert on both matters.

HS

purplesofa

JK,

My being in FL has nothing to do with Nate being a loser.

And after having just spent quite a bit of time with him.

I can attest to the fact that he has not been drinking alot.

purps

hillary_step

JeffK,

So, let me get this right. Those who defend the gov't intrusion into matters of this nature find it acceptable? Even advantageous?

Yes. If the matter is imprtant enough to affect not just the practical functioning of a nation but impacts in a huge way the world environment, then it would be irresponsible NOT to 'intrude' as you put it (or mandate as I would) a consensus of behavior upon a nation.

As for me - I retain the right to decide if I should use certain products.

The problem is Jeff, that proper decision-making is not something that has proven to be an effective means of answering such questions. We have been well aware for five decades for example, the costs that are being paid in environmental damage by numerous aspects of our modern life over which we did have a decision-making responsibility. We have proved that our desire to consume is greater than our sense of responsibility. That is why the US government has laws that control how corporations deal with chemical pollutants. You may view these laws as an 'intrusion', I view them as an essential protection for the future generations who have to deal with the world we leave behind.

Those who wish to surrender intelligent decision making to government should be very happy with the future you are shaping. Soon you will not need to make any choices - your government will take care of all that for you. Denny Zagger and Rick Evans told me there would be those kind around here.

I think that you are being unecessarily emotive about this Jeff. This is not about people being forced to wear the same clothes, and sing the same songs in North Korean. This is about protecting our own environment and not soiling our own beds.

People are far too selfish to be relied upon to make decisions in their lifestyles for the sake of others. The seatbelt laws have already been mentioned and they are very good example. When first implemented in the UK, there was fierce opposition from those who based their arguments on a similar foundation to your own. Think now about the tens of thousands of lives saved through this government 'intrusion'.

Do you think if it was a voluntary requirement most people would have chosen to do the right thing?

HS