The irony is dripping off this one. A couple days ago, I wrote about the House Republicans’ effort to repeal the phase out of production of the incandescent light bulb.

I argued – essentially – that Republicans were right to repeal the 2007 law, but they went two steps too far by then federalizing light bulb production. Curiously enough, I was tipped off to the news by this post, which lambasted Tennessee Republicans for co-sponsoring the repeal-plus-federalization.

From the post:

The Republicans are the conservatives right?
The Republicans are the good guys, right?
The Republicans obey the Constitution, right?

HA! That’s what you thought.

On Monday 7/11 the Republicans in Congress will vote to federalize
lightbulbs!
And EVERY Tennessee Republican in Congress is cosponsoring this bill!
Here is a list of all of the cosponsors.

The bill (HR2417) known as The BULBS Act is being sold to the people by saying that it will repeal the coming ban on all incandescent bulbs, but in reality it usurps state and local powers and does an end-run around the 9th and 10th Amendment. You can read the text of the legislation
here.

In effect this bill will say that all regulations and laws about consumer types of lightbulbs will now be handled at the federal level. The 10th AmendmentCLEARLY says: “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.”

WHY are the Tennessee Republicans supporting this bill? Why not support the other bill that repeals the incandescent lightbulb ban WITHOUT trampling the Constitution in the process? It already exists, has lots of cosponsors, and is listed here.

Can these elected officials not read the Constitution? Why do they want to federalize all laws about lightbulbs and take power from the states? Why are they expanding the reach and size of the federal government?

Maybe you should contact your Congresscritter and let them know what you think about this and tell them you are NOT going to fall for their deceit and unconstitutional antics.

While the by-line is anonymous (TN Sons of Liberty is hardly a real person), it’s pretty obvious it was written by a Ron Paul supporter.

Well… heh heh heh… The House voted last night at 6:45 on the BULBs Act, and who do we have here…

Both Texas Congressman Ron Paul and his protégé Michigan Congressman Justin Amash voted in favor of federalizing light bulb production and taking the authority out of the hands of the states.

The bill ultimately failed, but it makes me wonder: Why does Ron Paul hate the 10th Amendment and the U.S. Constitution?

Essentially, I’ve employed one of Saul Alinsky’s “Rules” here – Make the enemy live up to his own book of rules.

Ron Paul and his supporters are certainly not enemies, but I’ve put them in an impossible position to defend. Calling the Tennessee Republican delegation out for supporting the bill means calling Ron Paul and Justin Amash out. Hmmm.

Just sayin’…