In another example of how utterly lame Politifact (and most “fact-checking” columns) are, Politifact rated this statement “mostly false”:
New energy standards will take away “our freedom of choice and selection in the light bulbs we have in our homes.”
Which is entirely true, of course. Politifact argues that it is mostly false because consumers will be able to buy different (and more expensive) bulbs in place of the current light bulbs. That’s no rebuttal at all. The existence of other remaining choices hardly means that one of your choices isn’t being foreclosed.
James Taranto adds:
By PolitiFact’s logic, people who think abortion should be outlawed are pro-choice because they would allow other choices (childbirth, adoption, avoiding pregnancy via abstinence or contraception).
POSTSCRIPT: People defending the light-bulb ban keeping talking about these high-efficiency incandescent bulbs that we can supposedly get. Even setting aside the higher price, are these bulbs actually available? Has anyone ever seen them for sale? I haven’t.
And do they actually produce the same quality light as a traditional bulb? I’ve never seen one, so I can’t say.
Internet Scofflaw 