California Trying To Ban Big Screen Televisions

By Douglas V. Gibbs

California regulators would like to pass legislation that would ban big-screen televisions under the premise that they are too energy-hungry. The idea is that in the mythical battle to save the planet, by reducing greenhouse emissions, banning televisions larger than 40" could help the fight against global warming. One wonders, however, if this is more about regulating energy use, or eliminating the freedom to have the television one desires. One also wonders if this is about regulating energy use, or about regulating entertainment.

Whatever the reason, a ban on large screen televisions won't go over well with the American people (especially those who enjoy their sports).

Would that mean that stadiums, with their jumbo-trons, could be next?

I see a ban such as this as an attack on the liberty of American citizens. Why not allow consumers to use their consumerism to decide whether they are willing to buy smaller televisions for the sake of the planet? And if people, like me, wish to keep their big televisions, and have the opinion that the "save the planet" scare is a great big hoax, we should have the freedom to do so - right?

Consumerism is the best regulatory agency there is. Through the free market the consumer can decide if the larger televisions should be phased out by their spending habits. Isn't that the best way to allow the people to rule? Besides, if you think about it, if government is limiting what can be on the market, aren't they in turn then limiting industry innovation?

If in California big screen televisions are in fact banned, the proposal would not begin phasing out televisions that exceed maximum energy-consumption standards until January of 2011.

I only wonder that if these people are successful, and large screen TVs are banned, if an illegal television black market will emerge. Would coyotes abandon transporting illegals across the border (since it is easy enough to cross without them anyway) and begin smuggling big televisions across the Mexican border? Will black market bidding on big-screen televisions become a reality?

Of course I say those things in jest, but I think there may be a bit of truth in the last paragraph, should these insane legislators succeed in taking away televisions exceeding their energy-consumption standards (likely to be televisions exceeding 40").

-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary

California appears poised to be first to ban power-guzzling big-screen TVs - Los Angeles Times

State considers ban on big screen TVs - Orange County Register

Who Should Decide the Size of Your TV? - The American, The Journal of the American Enterprise Institute

California Wants to Ban Your Big Screen TV - Reason Foundation