They don’t call them e coli conservatives for nothin’
by digby
Why isn’t this man running for president?
While many Republicans have taken up the cause of the familiar 100-watt incandescent bulb, Mr.[Ron] Paul said he took the law as a personal affront visited on Americans by “bureaucrats.”
“I’m not against conservation,” Mr. Paul said. “But why not do it in a voluntary way,” rather than force him to adopt the new bulbs with “fines and threats of jail?”
Mr. Paul also drew a pointed parallel with abortion, opening his questioning by asking Ms. Hogan, “I was wondering if you are pro-choice?”
Ms. Hogan said she was “pro-choice in light bulbs.” But Mr. Paul accused her, the Energy Department and Democrats in general of hypocrisy. “You favor a woman’s right to abortion,” he said, but “you’re really anti-choice on every other product.”
He said that department standards on energy-efficient refrigerators and toilets, for example, do not work. “We don’t even save any money,” Mr. Paul said. “We have to flush the toilet 10 times before it works.”
I would say that Paul is full of it (if you know what I mean) but that would lead to some crude imagery that I don’t think any of us want polluting our beautiful minds. Suffice to say that he’s got some issues that have little to do with the efficiency of his toilet.
Update: Who knew? This appears to be a big Tea Party issue:
Sharon Glass with the Santa Rosa Tea Party Patriots told members of the state Senate Environmental & Conservation committee today that no one has proven leaky septic tanks are causing water quality problems. She said the state is discriminating against septic tank owners.
“The Tea Party of Florida is behind the people with these septic tank issues,” said Glass, one of several Tea Party members to speak. “And we’re not going to stand for it.”
The new bill, proposed by Sen. Charlie Dean, R-Inverness, says that local governments could adopt the state’s new model, the details of which are not yet determined. Cities and counties could opt to adopt more stringent requirements. Or they could seek an exemption.
One committee member, Sen. Jack Latvala (R-St. Petersburg) took issue with Glass’ comment that the state was discriminating against septic tank owners.
“It’s all nice and good to be talking about discriminating against people but let me tell you one little story,” he said.
He went on to talk about PascoCounty’s HudsonBeach, a place that is frequently closed to swimmers because of high bacteria levels in the water.
“People cannot swim there because of the septic tanks on the canal,” he said. “So in that case we’re discriminating against completely innocent folks who all they want to do is take their kids to the beach every day.”
If they want a clean beach they can buy themselves one.
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