First The Government Came for the Light Bulbs...

...then they took control of the thermostats?

It's bad enough the President signed a law banning traditional light bulbs, forcing all Americans to convert in the next few years to poorly functioning, harsh "energy saving" light bulbs which, among other things, are said to possibly cause skin cancer and migraine headaches. Not to mention causing toxic waste in your home if a bulb should break.

What was Congress -- and especially President Bush -- thinking?

Now something even worse may be looming: a California proposal which would give the government control of temperature thermostats in all private homes and businesses built in future is starting to cause a stir.

Rather than build new electric plants, California bureaucrats and politicians continue to look at ways to ration power. I wrote last summer about punitive electric rates which are pricing summer air conditioning out of the range of middle-class Californians.

The bureacrats' new idea: "California utilities would control the temperature of new homes and commercial buildings in emergencies with a radio-controlled thermostat, under a proposed state update to building energy efficiency standards. Customers could not override the thermostats during 'emergency events'..."

So, even if you can afford the bill, you might not be able to run air conditioning even if you want to...and if you find the temperature the State chooses for you to "enjoy" in your own private home too hot or too cold, you will be breaking the law if you change the State's setting.

Too Orwellian to be believed. The accumulation of things like this sure takes the luster off living in California.

Friday Update: The story hits The New York Times.

Commentary on the NYT article is at Patterico's Pontifications.