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11 States Sue Trump Administration's Energy Department After Weeks of No Movement On Efficiency Standards (go.com)

An anonymous reader quotes a report from ABC News: New York, California and nine other states sued the Trump administration Tuesday over its failure to finalize energy-use limits for portable air conditioners and other products. The new standards would reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save businesses and consumers billions of dollars, and conserve enough energy to power more than 19 million households for a year, but the U.S. Department of Energy has not met a requirement to publish them by now, according to attorneys general who filed the lawsuit (PDF) against the DOE in federal court in San Francisco. That means the standards are not legally enforceable. The other states in the lawsuit are: Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Vermont, Washington, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Oregon and Maryland. The City of New York is also a plaintiff. The energy efficiency standards at issue in the lawsuit also cover walk-in coolers and freezers, air compressors, commercial packaged boilers and uninterruptible power supplies. There is currently no federal energy standard for air compressors, uninterruptible power supplies or portable air conditioners, according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit seeks a court order requiring the DOE to publish the new standards as final rules.

116 of 219 comments (clear)

  1. Useless by _Sharp'r_ · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Good. The existing program is useless. Maybe they can do something more useful with the money, time and effort than try and have the Federal government dictate what energy use standards should be.

    --
    The party of stupid and the party of evil get together and do something both stupid and evil, then call it bipartisan.
    1. Re:Useless by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Exactly. Why don't the manufactures set their own standards? Even the states suing the federal government have the power to set the standards for any units sold in their state.

      These lawsuits are nothing more than politically motivated attack on the current administration. And like all the other politically driven attacks aimed at the current administration they are willing to harm anyone or anything they have to in order to win their political power. If they succeed in getting rid of Trump they best be ready for the political backlash. It's easier to accuse someone of doing wrong than to defend against accusations, and innuendo. Especially since no evidence of a criminal act has been released. If the people braying for Trump's ouster surely they would divulged some evidence in support their accusations. If these people really cared about the country wouldn't they want to get the evidence released as soon as possible so the country could recover as fast as possible?

      And there is not a single politician or activist I would want in any position of power in the government. These people crave political power and influence not good government. Politics will never be the same after this sorry episode of politics. And the only endgame in the not so distant second Civil War that is on the way. Remember every state has their own National Guard with the Governor being the commandeer in chief. Some of the National Guard units command enough manpower and equipment to put them in the top 10 strongest militaries in the world. In a civil war you can expect a considerable amount of defections from the federal forces. So yeah we are fucked but at least we won't have to listen to the whiny professional protesters and endless stream of talking heads that revel in their own superiority and galling intellectualism.

    2. Re:Useless by Pseudonym · · Score: 1, Insightful

      Why don't the manufactures set their own standards?

      Yeah, because that's worked so well for the software industry.

      --
      sub f{($f)=@_;print"$f(q{$f});";}f(q{sub f{($f)=@_;print"$f(q{$f});";}f});
    3. Re:Useless by gravewax · · Score: 4, Insightful

      because efficiency is more expensive. Why make something more efficient when it is more profitable to be able to undercut the competition with less efficient systems. Many people that buy and install those systems are also only caring about their profit margin as they don't intend to be the long term user of the system.

    4. Re: Useless by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      It's called The Prisoner's Dilemma. Two criminals commit a crime and are independently caught. The cops say, plea guilty and rat out the other guy for a light sentence, or take your chance in court for a heavy sentence. Each prisoner will rat out Each other, and they both end up in jail. It's a tale of managing risk.

      In this case, efficiency costs money. It is better for Company A to get the government to pass a national regulation that forces Competator B to have to do the same thing, than for A to take the risk that B will get all the business for being cheaper and not as efficient. A and B are both harmed equally.

      This is why states have the power to create carbon regulated markets, but so few do, because without all states working in concert, regulations will put your own citizens out of work as the business and utilities move to other states. Elon wants everyone held to a high standard not because he is altruistic, but because it forces Ford and GM to enter the EV market where Tesla has a head start. Without emissions standards, Tessa is about to be buried in debt without sales, giving time for IC engine competition to adapt.

    5. Re:Useless by ChrisMaple · · Score: 1, Insightful

      This is more a matter of whether the companies making the buying decisions are exercising good judgement. Some brands (like Trane) typically last a lot longer than others, and cost more. Many companies also offer a variety of different efficiencies on similar models, and the more efficient ones cost more. You don't see Trane going out of business because they offer a superior but more expensive product.

      Government forcing the purchase of a particular type of product is just usurpation, and the moral philosophy of those promoting such laws is no better than that of the leaders of North Korea.

      --
      Contribute to civilization: ari.aynrand.org/donate
    6. Re:Useless by cayenne8 · · Score: 1
      I suppose they could whip out a standards document immediately, just one page that says:

      "You're free to do what you want."

      --
      Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
    7. Re: Useless by parkinglot777 · · Score: 1

      So you are saying that the race to the bottom is a win for everyone? The race to the bottom is the reason why we have Walmart and worthless crap from China.

      You misunderstood the GP. You need to reread the post again. What GP said is that if there is no regulation, the cheaper products could ruin the market of more efficient (and expensive) one because they are cheaper. Majority of consumers don't think about a long term and that's the problem...

    8. Re: Useless by JackieBrown · · Score: 1

      That is where choice comes in. Your desire to remove that choice from the market is extremely anti-poor / middle class.

      If you can afford the bigger more efficient unit, awesome. Do your research or pay a pro to do the research and get that expensive unit.

      Most people that can afford higher cost versions of items are not buying AC units at Walmart.

      For some people (myself being one of them) buying an AC that will work for 3-4 years is an option. Buying one that will last for 10-15 years is not. Not having an AC for 3-5 years while saving up for the better AC is not a legit choice all the time. I live in Texas. My deceased wife had MS. She was not able to be in extreme heat for long periods of time without having a relapse. Waiting 3-5 years so that we could wait for the better unit was not a real choice for us.

    9. Re: Useless by JBMcB · · Score: 1

      The larger the size, the higher initial upfront cost. But the larger the size the higher efficiency the unit will be with shorter run times and lower utility bills. The shorter the run time of the unit the longer it will last

      Dude you got ripped off. For the 10 ton unit to work your whole HVAC system has to be able to push enough air through your house to take advantage of it. Unless you added a whole bunch of ductwork, the 10 ton unit is going to burn out faster, because you aren't moving enough hot air over the A coil to push enough heat into the exterior coils for them to work properly.

      Read up on it in an HVAC manual, there is an equation you use to figure out the appropriate size compressor depending on how many cubic feet of air you can move through the A coil.

      I hope you got the extended warranty on that thing.

      --
      My Other Computer Is A Data General Nova III.
  2. Wait, they're suing for MORE regulation? by davide+marney · · Score: 1, Insightful

    That's just bone-headed. If you want to manufacture a new energy-efficient whatzit, go right ahead. No one's stopping you.

    --
    "We receive as friendly that which agrees with, we resist with dislike that which opposes us" - Faraday
    1. Re:Wait, they're suing for MORE regulation? by unixisc · · Score: 1, Insightful

      Not just that, there's nothing stopping these states - NY, CA, IL, et al from introducing their own regulations & banning sales of energy inefficient products in their states. Each state should be allowed to decide for itself how it wants to go. They can easily have regulations that are stricter than what the EPA already has, and then companies can either meet those standards, or miss them and choose to sell outside these states.

    2. Re:Wait, they're suing for MORE regulation? by Pseudonym · · Score: 2

      They're suing to make the Department of Energy do what it is legally required to do. If you don't like it, by all means contact your legislator about amending or repealing the relevant legislation which requires them to do this.

      Oh, yeah, and good luck getting Congress to pass legislation at the moment.

      --
      sub f{($f)=@_;print"$f(q{$f});";}f(q{sub f{($f)=@_;print"$f(q{$f});";}f});
    3. Re: Wait, they're suing for MORE regulation? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      They could. Perhaps. The dormant commerce clause is effectual. But as the state of North Carolina already argued, pollution does not stop at state borders, making it a Federal problem.

      And since Energy usage is directly tied to pollution, Congress passed the law, an now, Trump's administration is required to follow it, or be in violation of its delegated duty.

    4. Re:Wait, they're suing for MORE regulation? by Pseudonym · · Score: 1

      Oh, did it pass in the Senate?

      --
      sub f{($f)=@_;print"$f(q{$f});";}f(q{sub f{($f)=@_;print"$f(q{$f});";}f});
    5. Re: Wait, they're suing for MORE regulation? by ChrisMaple · · Score: 1, Insightful

      Are you deliberately being stupid? Just meet the toughest standard and your products are acceptable everywhere.

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      Contribute to civilization: ari.aynrand.org/donate
    6. Re:Wait, they're suing for MORE regulation? by ChrisMaple · · Score: 1

      Not that it's really relevant, but the Obama administration flouted the law on a continuing basis, and ignored court decisions that insisted that the law be obeyed.

      --
      Contribute to civilization: ari.aynrand.org/donate
    7. Re: Wait, they're suing for MORE regulation? by Captain+Splendid · · Score: 1

      That sounds like wealth redistribution to the poorer states. Good job comrade!

      --
      Linux, you magnificent bastard, I read the fucking manual!
    8. Re:Wait, they're suing for MORE regulation? by mysidia · · Score: 1

      They're suing to make the Department of Energy do what it is legally required to do.

      I read they're suing claiming the delay to publishing the regulation is a violation of some "Anti-backsliding" rule.... in other words, seeking to revise the regulation in progress is equivalent to Lowering the required bar for efficiency

    9. Re:Wait, they're suing for MORE regulation? by jandersen · · Score: 3, Insightful

      That's just bone-headed. If you want to manufacture a new energy-efficient whatzit, go right ahead. No one's stopping you.

      In the past, before we had standardised units of measure, the size of a foot, for example, would be different from city to city, and the same for everything else, which meant that there would be constant problems with claims about short measure etc. Both traders and customers wanted to have standardised measures, so they could feel confident that they knew what they were buying. Same now - I don't think this is the government telling manufacturers how to produce their goods, it is about defining a standard scale, so everybody knows how different brands compare. This makes it possible to compete on objective value of the goods rather than perhaps lies.

    10. Re:Wait, they're suing for MORE regulation? by pnutjam · · Score: 1

      No industry wants 50+ regulations to follow. They're always lobbying for superseding regulations at the highest possible level. Shitty regulations if possible, the less the better. However, the important part is there is only one Federal agency to lobby or take over.

    11. Re:Wait, they're suing for MORE regulation? by unixisc · · Score: 1

      Nobody has to have 50. They can, if they like, drop the states w/ the most stringent requirements, and build something that meets the law everywhere else. So if Acme determines that it misses the mark in CA, NY & IL, but meets it everwhere else, they manufacture the product along w/ a disclaimer that it's not for sale in those 3 states. Then it's up to the customer to decide whether or not he can live w/ that restriction. If he can, he just happily goes on in Lewisville, KY and not bother what Cuomo or Brown do in Albany or Sacramento. Yeah, they'd have to write off the populations of those 3 states, but that would be the calculations that they'd have to make.

    12. Re:Wait, they're suing for MORE regulation? by TemporalBeing · · Score: 1

      No industry wants 50+ regulations to follow. They're always lobbying for superseding regulations at the highest possible level. Shitty regulations if possible, the less the better. However, the important part is there is only one Federal agency to lobby or take over.

      And yet that's already the case as CA has some of the strictest regulations, so most all manufacturers build to the CA standards when it comes to the environment, or they run two lines - one for CA and one for the rest of the USA.

      --
      Truth is like the sun. You can shut it out for a time, but it ain't goin' away. - Elvis Presley (source: imdb.com)
    13. Re:Wait, they're suing for MORE regulation? by pnutjam · · Score: 1

      Yeah, they can, but they don't want to. There are plenty of examples.
      It's also not a given that one state will let them skip their regulatory review if they are building to the standards of a stricter state.

  3. Re:Good to know by jfdavis668 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Good plan. I wish I had bought some gas cans before federal regulations ruined those, too.

  4. The Prisoner's Dilemma by rsilvergun · · Score: 4, Insightful

    and the Tragedy of the Commons would like to respectfully disagree.

    --
    Hi! I make Firefox Plug-ins. Check 'em out @ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/youtube-mp3-podcaster/
    1. Re:The Prisoner's Dilemma by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      What commons. If these states feel that their citizens should only have access to more efficient appliances they can affect their own regulations.

    2. Re:The Prisoner's Dilemma by PopeRatzo · · Score: 1

      What commons. If these states feel that their citizens should only have access to more efficient appliances they can affect their own regulations.

      Yes, because energy doesn't cross state lines.

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
    3. Re:The Prisoner's Dilemma by PopeRatzo · · Score: 1

      We only open that connection if we need to transfer power to either Mexico or onto the eastern and western power grid.

      Only?

      And I don't know if you've ever visited Galveston, but if you go there, you can watch an endless parade of tanker ships carrying oil out to sea. I doubt they're sailing to Dallas.

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
    4. Re:The Prisoner's Dilemma by peragrin · · Score: 2

      The mNority of those tankers are heading to Europe where oil is better sold

      The keystone Pipeline? Yes the tar oil from Canada sucks for American useage but is great for Europe. Every drop is to go to Europe.

      --
      i thought once I was found, but it was only a dream.
    5. Re:The Prisoner's Dilemma by PopeRatzo · · Score: 2, Funny

      Yes, we have our own power grid. We produce all our own power. We do not need Washington to tell us how to create and distribute it.

      I live in Texas. Right in the energy corridor. And I'm pretty sure you'd need someone to tell you how to tie your shoes in the morning if it's not in the Bible.

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
    6. Re:The Prisoner's Dilemma by rholtzjr · · Score: 2

      Wow. For someone who lives in Texas and they do not know this AND in the energy corridor? Here BTW, I have lived in Texas all my life. And please leave God out of this, he did have the decency to create you [/sarcasm] (I am agnostic).

      The whole discussion was about publishing efficiency requirements for appliance sold to the public. Pretty sure that applies to power (electricity) consumption, not power sources (oil/gas/coal) which are commodities that could create electricity. Plus all this tankers are most likely offloading oil to the refineries to be shipped out through all means of transportation, so yes, they could be bound for Dallas after refining. But I am sure we also export some petroleum products now as well after they broke the OPEC stranglehold.

      Soooooo, what were you saying about shoelaces? You are still using those antiquated fasteners? Mine use velcro.

    7. Re:The Prisoner's Dilemma by TemporalBeing · · Score: 1

      What commons. If these states feel that their citizens should only have access to more efficient appliances they can affect their own regulations.

      Yes, because energy doesn't cross state lines.

      You do realize that in the USA most Energy Efficiency standards are done to CA Regulations as CA has the strictest regulations of all 50 states; things that don't meet CA regulations typically have a label saying "not for sale in CA". So yes, States with stricter standards can make it happen for the others or even just within their own borders.

      --
      Truth is like the sun. You can shut it out for a time, but it ain't goin' away. - Elvis Presley (source: imdb.com)
  5. Re: Good to know by moosehooey · · Score: 4, Informative

    The new ones with "automatic" spouts leak all over the fucking place... The regular old kind are much better.

  6. Re:Good to know by baker_tony · · Score: 2, Insightful

    You must be fucked off Obama took all your guns too.

  7. ... for a year? by moosehooey · · Score: 1

    So it saves enough energy to run 19 million households for a year... And then what happens? These fucking reporters don't know the difference between power and energy. This is fucking high school physics...

    1. Re:... for a year? by skids · · Score: 2

      Yeah bad journalism. Journalists should stick to "households powered per year". FWIW this is over a 30 year product lifecycle, so it's 600kish households baseline, or about 0.5% of households in the country. That's actually fairly significant.

      Of course relying on "households powered per year" means eventually we'll have powered more households than we have, since the majority of energy consumption is transportation and industrial.

  8. Re:Good to know by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Idk about OP, but I have plenty of guns in my closet. Obama didn't change that.

  9. Consider the Sec't of Energy by beep54 · · Score: 4, Informative

    Since this is Rick Perry, well known here in Texas for basically doing nothing, this is no surprise. Perry also could not remember that this was a dep't he wanted to get rid. He later demonstrated that in fact, he had no idea what the thing did.

    1. Re:Consider the Sec't of Energy by rholtzjr · · Score: 1

      Because Texas has its own power grid and does not sell energy on the open market which would require federal regulation. So yea, from this states perspective, what does the DoE do?

    2. Re:Consider the Sec't of Energy by h33t+l4x0r · · Score: 1

      I can't help thinking this is some kind of strategy. Hire people who are so bad at their jobs, that when you eventually fire them you look like a hero.

    3. Re:Consider the Sec't of Energy by nedlohs · · Score: 1

      Manages the entire US nuclear weapons stockpile. Which doesn't seem like something you just want to get rid of on a whim without bothering to check first.

    4. Re:Consider the Sec't of Energy by nedlohs · · Score: 1

      So it changes from getting rid of the DoE to moving the things the DoE does to other government departments. Achieving nothing.

      Being selective about what to keep requires knowing what the department actually does, the lack of which is the entire point.

    5. Re:Consider the Sec't of Energy by rholtzjr · · Score: 1

      I thought Hillary did that for us with the Russian Uranium sale.

    6. Re:Consider the Sec't of Energy by rholtzjr · · Score: 1

      Yea, kinda like training your H1B replacements, huh.

    7. Re:Consider the Sec't of Energy by nedlohs · · Score: 1

      You thought wrong, I'm guessing you are used to that though.

  10. Re:Maybe if the Senate Dems hadn't dragged their f by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Hilarious. The GOP controls the Presidency, the House, the Senate, and has a Supreme Court stacked in their favor... Yet all they can do is blame the Democrats. How about using your party's monopoly of government to actually accomplish something, instead of whining all the time?

  11. Re: Strategy by PopeRatzo · · Score: 1

    This is right from the alinsky playbook, and was reported as their strategy ack in November. Raise fake criminal charges, then file massive amounts of frivolous suits.

    Can you tell us where in the "alinsky playbook" that strategy exists?

    Here's a PDF of the entire Rules for Radicals. Please enlighten us.

    https://chisineu.files.wordpre...

    --
    You are welcome on my lawn.
  12. Cowards by zerofoo · · Score: 1

    Instead of implementing these standards at the state level and taking responsibility for the consequences - they want the Federal government to impose these standards and ALL states so they can simply pass the blame on to the Federal government.

    These states know if they implement these standards within their borders they will suffer economic consequences - so they want all states to suffer equally at the hands of the Federal government.

    1. Re:Cowards by Atryn · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Wow, that reflects a terrible understanding of Game Theory... Player A and Player B (or in this case Players 1-50) know that if they both act the outcome is better for both of them, but if either of them acts first, they lose and the other wins.

      Combine this problem with the dilemma to business of 50 different state standards across countless different product characteristics and the damage that does to economies of scale...

      There are good reasons for product standards. The commercial sector tends to address the ones that collectively are good for profits (often via operational efficiencies of standardization, mass production and compatibility). They don't tend to address the ones that are collectively good for purely social reasons, like the environment, product safety, public health, etc. - especially when any subset acting alone lose the market... That's where government plays a good role!

      --
      Come play Moral Decay!
  13. Re: Strategy by Bodhammer · · Score: 1
    --
    "I say we take off, nuke the site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure."
  14. The Usual Suspects. by Templer421 · · Score: 1

    No one else gives a crap!

  15. Re:Good to know by sconeu · · Score: 2

    You, sir, have fallen into the Chasm of Sar.

    --
    General Relativity: Space-time tells matter where to go; Matter tells space-time what shape to be.
  16. Profit for everyone, why legislate? by misnohmer · · Score: 1

    Ok, I see "save businesses and consumers billions of dollars", so everybody wins, nobody loses, right? So why exactly does this need to be legislated? If the business making the product saves billions, the consumers save billions, why do you have to enforce this profit making by all with laws? Even if the manufacturer doesn't save billions, why wouldn't consumers choose to buy the product that will net cost less? Or is it "it will save consumers billions, but cost them few more billions?".

    1. Re:Profit for everyone, why legislate? by gurps_npc · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Answers to your questions:

      1) To prevent Fraud. It's a regulation on what you have to do to say "Energy Efficient". If you don't regulate, than some businesses will reduce power by 1% and say "Buy our 'Green' product." and paint their 1% lower item greeen. The reason to legislate is to stop businesses from lying and claiming things like "No reasonable person would think VitaminWater TM had vitamins in it."

      2) To ensure uniformity. Don't want 5 different businesses using made up terms like "Green", "Lite", "Low Power", "Energy GOOD", and what not, forcing the consumer to research what each thing does.

      3) Because despite what libertarians think, the government has a better success rate than business. The problem is that governments failures are public and stick around way too long (Afghanistan, Vietnam, Veterans Healthcare - note all three are MILITARY failures),, while the business failures tend to fade away like New Coke, Colgate TV dinners, and the Delorean (all of which died in less than 4 years)

      --
      excitingthingstodo.blogspot.com
    2. Re:Profit for everyone, why legislate? by skids · · Score: 1

      Because a large cohort of "businesspeople" are complete sleazeballs.

    3. Re:Profit for everyone, why legislate? by misnohmer · · Score: 1

      If it really saved money to the manufacturer, why would the manufacturer cheat? You need to legislate that they have to save money? And if it saved money to the consumers, why would consumers buy a more expensive product? There are laws in place preventing false advertising, so no need for more laws there And as far as legislating the definition of terms, sure, no problem there but how far do you go? You'll tell me I cannot paint the air conditioner green and call it green because someone somewhere may think it saves energy? I know California like legislating everything, which is why you can't swing a dead cat there without seeing a warning about how there are materials around you that are known to cause cancer - so completely meaningless since the warnings is in every single business. So why don't doesn't California just legislate the redefinition of the word green as "not a color" but "uses less than x energy" and get it over with, rather than expecting the federal government to do it? The other states can just copy their legislation. Hey, new source of revenue! Ticket anyone trying to sell a green SUV ;-)

    4. Re:Profit for everyone, why legislate? by misnohmer · · Score: 1

      Ans sleazeballs don't like saving money so you have to force them?

    5. Re:Profit for everyone, why legislate? by gurps_npc · · Score: 1

      Manufacturers cheat for several reason, one of which is some are as crazy as you, so they would rather violate the spirit of regulations if they can't be punished for it, even if ti costs them money. Others are simply too stupid to do what's best, or thought they came up with a better plan. But most importantly, without a FEDERAL REGULATION, they would have to spend their own money to research what would be cheating. They don't want to do that, especially as the Fed has already done it once, no need for every corporation to repeat the same work.

      Second of all, the fraud laws are hellish to enforce, mainly because the companies pay high priced lawyers to skate around the fraud. It's a lot harder to skate around a simple, clear regulation. It is a lot easier to prove disobedience to a regulation than it is to prove deception.

      Thirdly, basically, what you suggested California do, and then foolishly suggested the other states blindly follow is EXACTLY what the federal government is required to do. I know you are paranoid enough to think they federal government is evil, but the STATES ARE ALWAYS WORSE THAN THE FED. States get stuck with second rate employees that can't get a job in the federal government. Local = corrupt. National = bigger labor pool, more reporters checking on them, more government checks and balances.

      Finally if we used your idea, then while most of the states would follow California, a bunch of idiot states would object, saying they don't follow libtards, and create their own standard.

      Even if their red state regulations were in fact better than California's, it wouldn't matter because there would be two sets of standards, forcing businesses that want to sell nationally to deal with TWICE the regulations.

      Why do you hate capitalism so much? Is Russia paying you to undermine our government?

      --
      excitingthingstodo.blogspot.com
  17. Re:Hey states! Do it yourself! by Pseudonym · · Score: 5, Informative

    If there's one thing I've learned in my 25 years in the software business, it's that common standards are better than mutually incompatible competing "standards".

    It really doesn't matter who does it, as long as it happens.

    There's no revenue in telling people that they can't buy stuff so they throw a fit in the hope to find enough judges that think they can pass laws from the bench.

    I know, it's hard to RTFA, but let's be clear on what's happening here.

    The DoE is legally required to have published the standards by now. It hasn't done so. This is not "pass[ing] laws from the bench". This enforcing laws already passed by the legislature.

    If you don't like this, campaign to get the law changed. Be angry all you like, but be angry at the right target.

    --
    sub f{($f)=@_;print"$f(q{$f});";}f(q{sub f{($f)=@_;print"$f(q{$f});";}f});
  18. Re:Good to know by by+(1706743) · · Score: 4, Informative

    Except that, at least in some cases, the price and life-cycle cost of refrigerators and AC goes down with energy-efficient standards. In particular, look at the kinks in figure 1.

    But of course the senior author on this paper was involved in a pretty big scandal so maybe we shouldn't take the results too seriously. But at least he responded to the allegations.

  19. Re: Maybe if the Senate Dems hadn't dragged their by ChrisMaple · · Score: 1

    Government shutdowns are an unfunny joke. Employees get a paid vacation, and only a select few government services are actually cut - those services chosen to make the most people angry. It's a farce designed to apply political pressure; noisy fools scaring cowardly politicians.

    --
    Contribute to civilization: ari.aynrand.org/donate
  20. No Standing, it isn't a law by bongey · · Score: 1

    Obama executive orders are NOT law, get over it. The states have no standing because what they are arguing is NOT US law, it is just what Obama declared.

  21. Re:Hey states! Do it yourself! by jader3rd · · Score: 1

    You want efficiency standards on consumer items? Publish and enforce them yourself.

    Let's say your a small company, doing will in the local scene and want to expand to neighboring states. It's not so fun to learn that they would have different standards which make your product illegal. It works a lot better for common markets to have the same standards.

  22. Re:Hey states! Do it yourself! by Frank+Burly · · Score: 1

    Energy efficiency standards are an interstate problem, because pollution is an interstate problem. Money may flow into the state with the least regulation, but pollution will certainly seep out.

    Also, slavery was not eliminated by letting the states do what they want, actually a very strong central government had to do that.

    What modern civilizations were you studying?

  23. Re: Hey states! Do it yourself! by that+this+is+not+und · · Score: 1

    My air compressor doesn't have to interoperate with yours. The efficiency of my window air conditioner does not affect the efficiency of yours. Analogies to software standards of interoperability are laughably irrelevant.

  24. Re: Hey states! Do it yourself! by Pseudonym · · Score: 1

    My high school history textbook doesn't have to interoperate with yours, either, but for some reason most publishers are only producing ones that satisfy the needs of Texas politicians as opposed to actual history education.

    --
    sub f{($f)=@_;print"$f(q{$f});";}f(q{sub f{($f)=@_;print"$f(q{$f});";}f});
  25. Re:and yet... by skids · · Score: 3, Interesting

    The antidote for corruption and abuse of the legislative system is anti-corruption enforcement. Not anarchy.

    Of course if we had it, Trump would have been in jail decades ago, so I'm not holding my breath for any progress there.

  26. Re:Nonexistent Standards Equals by skids · · Score: 3, Informative

    Wrong. DOE standards updates are required by the Energy Policy and Conservation Act and Energy Policy Acts

      42 USCS 6201.
      42 USCS 13456.
      42 USCS 16103.
      42 USCS 6322.

  27. Re:and yet... by BlueStrat · · Score: 1

    The antidote for corruption and abuse of the legislative system is anti-corruption enforcement. Not anarchy.

    Not that I advocate for anarchy, but I find your stark cognitive-dissonance absolutely breathtaking in expecting the government, the one that you, yourself, said was corrupt and the legislative system abused, to actually enforce the laws (that they're already breaking!) on themselves!!

    Bravo, sir! A stunning display!

    Strat

    --
    Progressivism (aka US 'Liberalism'): Ideas so good they need a police/surveillance-state to enforce.
  28. Re:Hey states! Do it yourself! by BlueStrat · · Score: 1

    Let's say your a small company, doing will in the local scene and want to expand to neighboring states. It's not so fun to learn that they would have different standards which make your product illegal. It works a lot better for common markets to have the same standards.

    Nothing stops the States from forming some sort of commission in order to harmonize standards between each other where needed. The Feds could even provide various resources, guidance, experts, and data to help.

    On average, the more local the law/regulation is, the more efficient, low-impact, and cost-effective it is, and so more people will be inclined to participate, raising compliance and therefor better-fulfilling the initial goals of the law/regulation.

    Strat

    --
    Progressivism (aka US 'Liberalism'): Ideas so good they need a police/surveillance-state to enforce.
  29. Re:Nonexistent Standards Equals by BlueStrat · · Score: 1

    Wrong. DOE standards updates are required by the Energy Policy and Conservation Act and Energy Policy Acts

    And?

    What recourse do the courts have if the Executive Branch simply ignores/stonewalls them? Remember, the Executive Branch enforces laws, not the Judicial Branch.

    There *is* precedent set by Andrew Jackson:

    "John Marshall has made his decision, now let him enforce it." -- Andrew Jackson on Worcester v. Georgia

    That's not even taking into account law/decision-flouting and stonewalling by relatively-recent past administrations.

    Strat

    --
    Progressivism (aka US 'Liberalism'): Ideas so good they need a police/surveillance-state to enforce.
  30. Re:Hey states! Do it yourself! by Altrag · · Score: 1

    I've seen the danger of an overly powerful central government ... The cities are handing over their authority to a central government ...

    I've seen the danger of an overly powerful central government ... The neighborhoods are handing over their authority to a central government ...

    I'm not necessarily trying to disagree with this logic, but I've always been curious why Americans think that the state level should be the ones with the power? Why is the fed worse? And if we agree that the fed is worse, then why is the city level not better? What's special about the state level, beyond purely "because America did it that way so 'Murca!"?

  31. Re:Nonexistent Standards Equals by Altrag · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Yep. The whole "checks and balances" plan kind of falls flat when Congress is more interested in covering the president's ass than being an independent branch as the constitution intended.

  32. Re:Hey states! Do it yourself! by Pseudonym · · Score: 2

    The GSM network that most countries use doesn't count?

    --
    sub f{($f)=@_;print"$f(q{$f});";}f(q{sub f{($f)=@_;print"$f(q{$f});";}f});
  33. Re:Good to know by gtall · · Score: 1

    nah, he stole all their bullets...at least that was the conspiracy "theory" floating about 1 or 2 years before the election. I wonder what he did with them all...

  34. Re:Hey states! Do it yourself! by thegarbz · · Score: 1

    Publish and enforce them yourself.

    Nothing bad has ever come from having 11 different set of standards each applying to a very small portion of the population.

    But sure you could do that, then maybe you'll look to what your colleagues across the Atlantic did. They determined that it was madness and all formed a union of sorts in Europe.

    You could have the same. You could form a Union. A Union of States ... In America! Imagine that, the "United States of America".

  35. No one got hired by MoarSauce123 · · Score: 2

    To this day Trump still has to hire thousands of appointees that work in the various departments. No wonder why no work gets done when nobody is there to run the shops. Worst case is the department of finance, inept Mnuchin is the only one in the management and leadership level. It clearly showed in the various international meetings where he was unprepared and totally clueless. Given that Trump's only agenda is to destroy government, he is doing a fine job. His plan on creating an oligarchy of the top1% is on target. Thanks to all those morons who voted this idiot into office. Did you get your mining jobs back already?

  36. Re: Good to know by Nidi62 · · Score: 1

    Gotta fill up all those FEMA coffins from the Bush administration somehow

    --
    The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for it to be pitted against a slightly greater evil
  37. Re:lemme guess... They are Democrats? by MoarSauce123 · · Score: 1

    Democrats at least get that done...Republicans can't agree on anything in their utterly dysfunctional state. The Republicans have the majority in House and Senate plus the White House. If things do not get done there is really only one group to blame. Take a guess who that is!

  38. Re: Good to know by jfdavis668 · · Score: 1

    Yes, but they are scattered around in the leftover minefields. A bit of a high risk endeavor.

  39. Re: Good to know by arglebargle_xiv · · Score: 2

    It's OK, the mines are Italian :-).

  40. Re: He's been so busy by Stuarticus · · Score: 1

    "I forget the third one"

    --
    If you think someone isn't free to have a different definition of "freedom" you may be a tyrant.
  41. Re:Good to know by Gilgaron · · Score: 1

    It is infuriating how much spillage is caused by the modern can designs..

  42. Re: He's been so busy by nickersonm · · Score: 2

    DoE manages all nuclear weapons, nuclear materials handling and security, and nuclear weapons research as well. It's the direct descendant of the Atomic Energy Commission. We probably don't want to disband that.

  43. Re:Good to know by cayenne8 · · Score: 1

    You must be fucked off Obama took all your guns too.

    Well, it isn't like there wasn't a lack of effort on his and his administration's part to do just that....

    --
    Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
  44. Re:Maybe if the Senate Dems hadn't dragged their f by Translation+Error · · Score: 1

    Actually, I'd rather they just whine all the time instead of accomplishing things.

    --
    When someone says, "Any fool can see ..." they're usually exactly right.
  45. Re: He's been so busy by cayenne8 · · Score: 1

    DoE manages all nuclear weapons, nuclear materials handling and security, and nuclear weapons research as well. It's the direct descendant of the Atomic Energy Commission. We probably don't want to disband that.

    Well, then let's just whittle down their responsibilities and powers to JUST the nuclear oversight.

    And to re-enforce this move, maybe rename them back to the Atomic Energy Commission and just leave them at that.

    --
    Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
  46. Re: Strategy by cryptizard · · Score: 1

    Words that don't appear in that article: criminal, lawsuit, Alinsky. How does it answer the question at all?

  47. Re:Maybe if the Senate Dems hadn't dragged their f by cryptizard · · Score: 1
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

    Looks like there are a similar number of Ds and Rs on there...

  48. Re: Good to know by pnutjam · · Score: 1

    I have some with newer spouts that seal up automatically. I had a hell of a time pouring with them, it made a mess and got everywhere.
    Then I happened to see a demo of similar products. If you put the spout into the gas tank opening before you engage the release, it doesn't spill and it shuts off when you let go of the release, so no drip. I like it way better then the old ones. I just had to learn how to use it.

  49. Re:Hey states! Do it yourself! by pnutjam · · Score: 1

    Your describing the Common Core Education standards, and underestimating the depth of stupidity in America.

  50. The Energy Star program has problems by zerofoo · · Score: 1

    The program doesn't appear to do what it purports to do:

    https://hardware.slashdot.org/...

    This is a case where no government would be better than completely ineffective government.

  51. Re:Hey states! Do it yourself! by phlinn · · Score: 1

    I'm willing to bet that Trump will delay via executive order, like Obama did with parts of Obamacare, at which point the left will say "You can't do that!" and the right will pretend it's different when they do it.

    --
    "Pulling together is the aim of despotism and tyranny! Free men pull in all sorts of directions" -- Havelock Vetinari
  52. Re: Hey states! Do it yourself! by dcw3 · · Score: 1

    Yeah, but if the company has to make one AC unit for my state, and a slightly different one for your state, that will surely make them cheaper, right? Asshole.

    They don't have to do that now, so why should it change? Oh yeah, because we need to create more bureaucratic red tape.

    --
    Just another day in Paradise
  53. Re: Good to know by mpercy · · Score: 2

    Yep. I just unscrew the spout and use a funnel. Can be a bit hard to see into the tank to avoid overflow but you get used to it quickly. Way better than trying get those stupid spouts to actually cut on and off correctly without leaking all over the place through the sides of the anti-spill mechanisms.

    Oh, but one kid got burned from spilling gas...

    A real bad guy once wrote “The state must declare the child to be the most precious treasure of the people. As long as the government is perceived as working for the benefit of the children, the people will happily endure almost any curtailment of liberty and almost any deprivation.”

  54. Re:This isn't an episode of Captain Planet. by skids · · Score: 1

    If being efficient is cheaper, the successful businesses will trend towards that.

    This premise is wrong, and considering it is the linchpin of all your arguments, there's no use listening to you.

  55. Re:and yet... by skids · · Score: 1

    expecting the government, the one that you, yourself, said was corrupt and the legislative system abused, to actually enforce the laws

    I know we live in a culture of disposable crap, but with structures as big as government, it is more effective to fix the broken machine than suffer the process of replacing it.

    Also, it has happened before. Witness the Civil Service Reform Act.

  56. Re:Nonexistent Standards Equals by skids · · Score: 1

    No "And". Just that people post wrong shit on the internet, and other people trust some random idiot on the Internet because "hey, nobody would be stupid enough to think state AGs know whether or not the law they are suing under is in effect unless it was one of those bizarre but-true-things, right?" And that's how we end up with large swaths of the country living in alternative realities.

  57. Re: Good to know by TemporalBeing · · Score: 1

    It's OK, the mines are Italian :-).

    LOL - but so true.

    --
    Truth is like the sun. You can shut it out for a time, but it ain't goin' away. - Elvis Presley (source: imdb.com)
  58. Re: Good to know by TemporalBeing · · Score: 1

    I have some with newer spouts that seal up automatically. I had a hell of a time pouring with them, it made a mess and got everywhere. Then I happened to see a demo of similar products. If you put the spout into the gas tank opening before you engage the release, it doesn't spill and it shuts off when you let go of the release, so no drip. I like it way better then the old ones. I just had to learn how to use it.

    Try doing that on a small 2-cycle engine where the "engage and release" mechanism doesn't get triggered by the tank of the 2-cycle so you have to manually hold it open if you want to put gas into the 2-cycle engine.

    Or accessing the tank of a normal engine with the short 3" spout on a 5g can. Sure the engage and release mechanism works well, but you can't reach the tank with short spout.

    Honestly, all this crap on redesigning them to have (a) short spouts and (b) improper fluid flow since the air and fluid go through the same nozzle is jut ridiculous. Spilled far less with a proper gas can, longer nozzle, and separate air flow valve than I do with these crap cans where it's nearly guaranteed to get gas on the engine, surrounding surfaces, ground, etc. - even my hands and gloves.

    --
    Truth is like the sun. You can shut it out for a time, but it ain't goin' away. - Elvis Presley (source: imdb.com)
  59. Re:He's been so busy by TemporalBeing · · Score: 1

    After all, he claims that never has there been an administration that has gotten so much done. So much. Except for this.

    Easy answer: We don't think the regulation is good and therefore are abandoning it. It will never be published.

    You can't force the Executive to create a regulation. The Judiciary does *not* have that power. Congress does by making a statutory regulation in the form of Law. Judiciary can only say that the regulation is not within the Executive's ability to perform (it's illegal) for whatever reason. That is the separation of powers.

    Though I wouldn't be surprised if some liberal activist judge decided they could force the Executive to do something the Executive didn't want to do - but don't expect it to hold up at SCOTUS. This is one lawsuit the States should lose for very obvious reasons.

    --
    Truth is like the sun. You can shut it out for a time, but it ain't goin' away. - Elvis Presley (source: imdb.com)
  60. Re:and yet... by BlueStrat · · Score: 1

    ...it is more effective to fix the broken machine than suffer the process of replacing it.

    The problem is that too much auxiliary crap has been hooked into the machine, to the point that the original core is barely if at all visible and the machine tasked to purposes the machine was never designed for, and all this crap has taken on a life of it's own and infects any parts not already suborned.

    You'll never fix the machine, hell you'll never be actually able to get to the actual machine to do *anything* meaningful, until you un-crap-ify it first. It's much easier, faster, and takes less effort to change the course of a destroyer than an aircraft carrier.

    If you want a good, generally non-corrupt, responsive, and caring government, then that government must be small and weak enough for those in it to actually, truly, fear the anger of citizens.

    Strat

    --
    Progressivism (aka US 'Liberalism'): Ideas so good they need a police/surveillance-state to enforce.
  61. Re:and yet... by skids · · Score: 1

    I'd have bigger problems to worry about under a small weak government. Like having my life savings stolen by all the criminals.

  62. Re:and yet... by BlueStrat · · Score: 1

    I'd have bigger problems to worry about under a small weak government. Like having my life savings stolen by all the criminals.

    No, you would not. Stop with the absolutism. Not every part of government gets equal resources and funding nor identical increases/decreases in them. If anything, being able to devote more resources to effective enforcement due to reductions in government spending in other areas plus a reduction in duplicative bureaucracy and the red-tape they engender would mean *more* criminals are caught quicker, and with lower overall costs.

    Now, that program to fund studies that put shrimp on tiny treadmills? Yeah, we can much better use that money elsewhere. Like government oversight and ethics enforcement. (I know, the shrimp-study is old, but it gets the point across and I don't have time to search for the latest ridiculous gov. program that you know are out there in droves)

    Strat

    --
    Progressivism (aka US 'Liberalism'): Ideas so good they need a police/surveillance-state to enforce.
  63. Re: Good to know by pnutjam · · Score: 1

    Mine have a relatively long nozzle, but I found them in dumpster so I have no idea if they are sold anywhere.
    Looks like they might have been recalled. I'll have to check; https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2...

  64. Re:Good to know by by+(1706743) · · Score: 1

    First off, compressors *are* used in refrigeration systems.

    Second, OP was essentially saying, "regulation ruins things," and I provided a counter-example which, although specific to certain types of devices, maybe -- just maybe -- applies to other devices, too.

    Do you think there's something magical about refrigeration systems that makes them the one thing in the universe that behaves backwards to the "regulation ruins things" concept?

  65. Re:and yet... by skids · · Score: 1

    Stop with the absolutism.

    Stop with the psychological projection.

    Personally I think a couple of grand to fill in some missing variables on the behavior of a food species is probably a good buy.

  66. Cali by JBMcB · · Score: 1

    And California would like to have a word with TotC and T.P.D.

    --
    My Other Computer Is A Data General Nova III.
  67. Re: Good to know by david_thornley · · Score: 1

    Etymology Man would like to note that that's the precise reason they're called "jerry cans", "Jerry" being a somewhat respectful slang term for "German" in the British Army, similar to "Charlie" in the Vietnam War.

    --
    "When you have eliminated the unacceptable, whatever is left, however improbable, must be the truthiness" - Holmes
  68. Re:He's been so busy by whit3 · · Score: 1

    After all, he claims that never has there been an administration that has gotten so much done. So much. Except for this.

    Easy answer: We don't think the regulation is good and therefore are abandoning it. It will never be published.

    That won't work, the Court knows better. The regulatory power of the DOE was given by Congress, with instructions on how to use it. The President, while he has power to appoint and administer, does NOT have a say in every regulation; Congress made those requirements. He also cannot direct a court to decide in his favor. The only president that approved DOE regulations, is the one that ratified the original enabling laws. If the DOE has inert or obstructive leaders, the donald could certainly fire them quickly, but the court can hold them in contempt also. The donald and his appointee at DOE are NOT in legal control of the DOE mission.

  69. Re: Good to know by arglebargle_xiv · · Score: 1

    It was actually quite disrespectful, originating in the term "jerry-built", because post WWI Germany was reduced to exporting shoddy products in order to try and recover from the financial black hole it was in.

  70. Re: Good to know by MercTech · · Score: 1

    Yeah, the cheap knock offs of the safety cans used at industrial sites leak and break very damned easily

    --
    NRRPT/RCT
  71. Re: Good to know by david_thornley · · Score: 1

    Yes, but in WWII the British Army respected the Germans, so "Jerry" was grudgingly respectful. Since the "Jerry cans" were good, they wouldn't be called "Kraut cans", which would be disrespectful. It's a case of differing meanings getting frozen in slang terms.

    --
    "When you have eliminated the unacceptable, whatever is left, however improbable, must be the truthiness" - Holmes
  72. Re:Maybe if the Senate Dems hadn't dragged their f by EmptyHead · · Score: 1

    "LOL Only because they learned it from the GOP which was named the "Party of No" for most of the Obama years. You reap what you sow!"

    "We need to get this bill passed so we can see what's in it!" - Nancy Pelosi
    "You can keep your doctor." - Barack Obama

    With governing like this, who wouldn't have obstructed some of the previous admin's efforts?!?