GOP Fred Upton Retires – Banned our Incandescent lightbulb

April 6, 2022 — bunkerville

While the headlines are about his retirement and his impeachment vote, it is that darn lightbulb that sticks in my mind. The GOP had just won a landslide. 2010. It was a heady time for the Tea Party and Conservatives:

ABC News projects Republicans will take control of the House of Representatives picking-up between 60 and 70 seats in a resounding rebuke to President Obama and the Democrats.

The GOP House victory would be the biggest gain for a party in a midterm since 1938, when Democrats lost 71 seats amid deep economic malaise during the Great Depression.

“With their voices and their votes, the American people are demanding a new way forward in Washington,” Boehner said. “The people’s priorities will be our priorities. The people’s agenda will be our agenda. This is our pledge to America, this is our pledge to you.”

……..

So what did Boehner do? Appoint Upton. According to Upton’s bio:

I serve on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.  The Energy and Commerce Committee has one of the broadest jurisdictions of any congressional committee, with principal responsibility over matters relating to healthcare, energy, the environment, consumer safety, telecommunications, commerce, manufacturing, and trade.

I also serve as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy. This pivotal subcommittee has jurisdiction over national energy policy.

Upton and Bunkerville go back a long way. 2010 to be exact when Upton made a charge to consolidate his power. My posting about this Dem in sheep’s clothing began as Boehner pushed him forward to chair the House Energy Commerce Committee and join the “Super Committee” as well.  Here is part of previous postings:

The Lightbulb Ban…One Great Reason That Fred Upton Should Never Head A House Committee

November 25, 2010

Bunkerville:

Michigan Republican Congressman Fred Upton has forced Americans by law to change the type of lightbulb they use. He’s running for the House Energy Commerce Committee and according to Americans For Limited Government’s Bill Wilson, he’s the wrong guy for the job. Reporter Frank McCaffrey has the story.

On Upton’s home page: http://upton.house.gov/ He asks the Dept. of Energy, “where are the Jobs”?   Sir.. they are going to Mexico, where did you think they would go?

Fred Upton is considered a front-runner to become chair of the Energy and Commerce Committee, where he would dictate the GOP’s legislative policy regarding energy issues such as cap-and-trade, oil drilling, and so-called “green” initiatives.
The bad news? On these issues, Fred Upton is FAR out of step with the Tea Party, the GOP and America as a whole.
  • Upton was one of only 38 House Republicans to support the Democrats’ Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 that removed millions of acres of federal lands from oil and gas leasing, thus driving up energy costs for consumers.
  • Upton was one of only 20 Republicans to vote against an amendment that would have reduced the Environmental Protection Agency’s 2010 funding to 2008 levels.
  • Upton teamed up with Democrat Jane Harman to pass an invasive energy bill which mandates that only politically-favored “environmentally-friendly” light bulbs be used. That’s right, this guy thinks the Constitution gives him the power to tell you which light bulb you can use.
  • More at A Good Choice

Postscript: Oh and all those makers of the lightbulb?

ARE THERE ANY LIGHT BULBS MADE IN THE USA?

Well, the answer is complicated. Yes, there are American made light bulbs. However, almost all of these light bulbs are ASSEMBLED in the USA from domestic and imported parts.

There were several companies that manufactured incandescent light bulbs in the USA, but those companies either went out of business, or transitioned to LED bulbs with oversea manufacturing. Incandescent light bulbs use more energy than LED and CFL bulbs and they have actually been banned in several states.

Since most consumers look to purchase a cheaper light bulb, most light bulbs are manufactured over seas in China where it is more cost effective for companies to do so.

The best of the swamp today.

Posted in Energy, Green. Tags: , , . 20 Comments »

Barton supports Chu at Solyndra Hearing, Hearing a dud

November 18, 2011 — bunkerville

I watched most of the hearing on the Solyndra, and in my mind, the hearing was a bust. A few choice words to posture and to look good, but a sinking feeling that this Committee is not up to the job. I will pick out two Republicans that are more than happy to give Chu a pass.  Hot Air has a more reasoned analysis of the hearing. Wander there for a bit of a different take.

Every now and then, a Congressman gets on a blogger’s nerve and one feels compelled to follow him as he walks down the leftard path. Supposedly a Republican, I could never conceive that Boehner would appoint Upton to Chair the Energy and Commerce Committee. This is the man that brought us the Light Bulb ban. Now the new wrinkle? Here are a couple of questions and comments:

“Based on what you know and what’s happened, who has to apologize” for Solyndra? Energy and Commerce Chairman Fred Upton (R-Mich.) asked Chu

It is extremely unfortunate what has happened to Solyndra,” Chu replied, adding, “Was there incompetence? Was there any undue influence? I’d have to say no.”

“So no apology?” Upton followed up. Is that what we are asking for? An apology?

“It’s extremely unfortunate what has happened to Solyndra. You and I both feel the same,” Chu said, adding that the price drops for solar panels caught DOE and others off guard. “This company and several others got caught in a very, very bad tsunami,” he said.

Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas) said he believes the Obama administration may be trying to throw Chu under the bus.

“I do think you’re a man of integrity. I think you’re trying to do your job as best that as you can. I also happen to believe that it’s possible you’re being set up to be the fall guy,” Barton said.
To back up his assertion, Barton cited an email released last week from Dan Carol, the research director of the 2008 Obama campaign, to White House counselor Pete Rouse, suggesting a DOE shakeup that included removing Chu. Read more at Politico and for a reminder of Fred, I include the following earlier posts:

 The Ligntbulb Ban- One great reason Fred Upton should never lead a House Committee and

GOP picks Fred Upton for Super Congress- we are screwed 

  • Upton was one of only 38 House Republicans to support the Democrats’ Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 that removed millions of acres of federal lands from oil and gas leasing, thus driving up energy costs for consumers.
  • Upton was one of only 20 Republicans to vote against an amendment that would have reduced the Environmental Protection Agency’s 2010 funding to 2008 levels.
  • Upton teamed up with Democrat Jane Harman to pass an invasive energy bill which mandates that only politically-favored “environmentally-friendly” light bulbs be used. That’s right, this guy thinks the Constitution gives him the power to tell you which light bulb you can use. 
Posted in Energy. Tags: , , , . 7 Comments »

GOP Picks Fred Upton for Super Congress,We are screwed

August 10, 2011 — bunkerville

Ed Morrissey over at  Hot Air tells us that just one of the picks might give us pause…. I think so Ed…Ed says,”Fred Upton might be the only one that will make Tea Party activists nervous — they didn’t like his selection as Energy and Commerce Chair, but he’s done a pretty good job thus far in pushing back against EPA regulators”. Really Ed?

It only takes one GOP to vote with the Dem plan and that is what will be voted on by the full Congress in an up or down vote. Fred will do that.

Look out if it is not approved.Here is some background from an earlier post.

Michigan Republican Congressman Fred Upton has forced Americans by law to change the type of lightbulb they use. He’s running for the House Energy Commerce Committee and according to Americans For Limited Government’s Bill Wilson, he’s the wrong guy for the job. Reporter Frank McCaffrey has the story.

On his home page earlier he  asks the Dept of Energy, “where are the Jobs”?   Sir.. they are going to Mexico, where did you think they would go?

Fred Upton is considered a front-runner to become chair of the Energy and Commerce Committee, where he would dictate the GOP’s legislative policy regarding energy issues such as cap-and-trade, oil drilling, and so-called “green” initiatives.
The bad news? On these issues, Fred Upton is FAR out of step with the Tea Party, the GOP and America as a whole.
  • Uptonwas one of only 38 House Republicans to support the Democrats’ Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 that removed millions of acres of federal lands from oil and gas leasing, thus driving up energy costs for consumers.
  • Uptonwas one of only 20 Republicans to vote against an amendment that would have reduced the Environmental Protection Agency’s 2010 funding to 2008 levels.
  • Uptonteamed up with Democrat Jane Harman to pass an invasive energy bill which mandates that only politically-favored “environmentally-friendly” light bulbs be used. That’s right, this guy thinks the Constitution gives him the power to tell you which light bulb you can use.  There is a petition drive at this link :
  • More at A Good Choice 
Posted in Government. Tags: , , . 16 Comments »

The Lightbulb Ban…One Great Reason That Fred Upton Should Never Head A House Committee

November 25, 2010 — bunkerville

Michigan Republican Congressman Fred Upton has forced Americans by law to change the type of lightbulb they use. He’s running for the House Energy Commerce Committee and according to Americans For Limited Government’s Bill Wilson, he’s the wrong guy for the job. Reporter Frank McCaffrey has the story.

On his home page: http://upton.house.gov/ He asks the Dept of Energy, “where are the Jobs”?   Sir.. they are going to Mexico, where did you think they would go?

Fred Upton is considered a front-runner to become chair of the Energy and Commerce Committee, where he would dictate the GOP’s legislative policy regarding energy issues such as cap-and-trade, oil drilling, and so-called “green” initiatives.
The bad news? On these issues, Fred Upton is FAR out of step with the Tea Party, the GOP and America as a whole.
  • Upton was one of only 38 House Republicans to support the Democrats’ Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 that removed millions of acres of federal lands from oil and gas leasing, thus driving up energy costs for consumers.
  • Upton was one of only 20 Republicans to vote against an amendment that would have reduced the Environmental Protection Agency’s 2010 funding to 2008 levels.
  • Upton teamed up with Democrat Jane Harman to pass an invasive energy bill which mandates that only politically-favored “environmentally-friendly” light bulbs be used. That’s right, this guy thinks the Constitution gives him the power to tell you which light bulb you can use.  There is a petition drive at this link :
  • More at A Good Choice
Posted in Green. Tags: , , , . 3 Comments »