Our brilliant government at work yet again. While debating amendments for an energy bill, two alternatives were proposed to help reduce US oil consumption. The result? No new regulations to actually reduce oil usage, but how about extending Daylight Saving time by two months instead?
A House committee voted on Wednesday to expand U.S. daylight-saving time by two months to help reduce energy consumption, but rejected a plan to shave total U.S. oil demand by 1 million barrels a day.
Both proposals were offered as amendments to be tacked on to a broad energy bill that was debated by the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
The panel agreed in a voice vote to move the start of daylight-saving time in the United States — which occurs when clocks are turned forward by one hour — one month earlier to the first Sunday in March. The end of daylight time would be moved back one month to the last Sunday in November.
[…]
The committee voted down, 39 to 12, a separate amendment to require the federal government to find a way to cut U.S. oil demand by 1 million barrels a day by 2013. The amendment offered by Democrat Henry Waxman of California aimed to reduce imports of crude oil.
Lawmakers with automakers in their districts led the fight to defeat Waxman’s proposal, arguing it was backdoor way to require U.S. mini-vans, sport utility vehicles and pick-up trucks to improve their fuel efficiency.
Oh, the horror! My god, can you imagine what this world would come to if we actually had to improve the fuel efficiency of our cars and trucks? The environment would improve and oil profits would drop — it would be a disaster of unmitigated proportions!
Ugh. Idiots.
Instead, we’ll just muck around with our clocks to make summer seem longer…kinda. Resonsibility’s overrated anyway. Why actually do something when you can procrastinate and ignore the problem?
“Bitch” by Pigface from the album Easy Listening… (2002, 3:10).