New light bulb efficiency standards will begin phasing in on Jan. 1 despite intense opposition from conservatives, who have blasted the rules as a textbook unnecessary federal regulation.Apparently "land of the free" doesn't apply to choosing your own light bulb... Oh. Wait. "Land of the free" is just some words in some song. It's not official policy.
While Republicans secured inclusion of a measure blocking funding for enforcement of the standards in a year-end spending bill, energy efficiency groups say the provision will have little practical impact. The Energy Department rules will nonetheless go into effect at the start of 2012.
Because that's why we have a federal government.