Congres 'of the Oniteb btaftRWutS - B -¢ng~ton, ,. r Ffth P 20515 c)-4q-7Y 9E-Rr/S7 o

Is your washing machine politically incorrect . _A

Is your washing machine politically incorrect? If so, the

government wants to replace it.

[A]n agreement between the Department of Energy and appliance6 O R 'J

manufacturers to mandate the new, "greener" standards starting in ' '

2004 has some consumers up in arms. They claim the governmenl ili l

doesn't have the right to dictate what type of washing machine a ', 4S_ 

citizen can buy. - f t~C°'

"Bureaucrats in Washington are trying to micro-manage the lives u 3 be

of American citizens," said James Plummer, a spokesperson for - A

Consumer Alert, an anti-regulation and pro-free-market

organization.

"They've gotten into our wallets," says Plummer. "Now they're into

our bathrooms with low-flow toilets. And now they're telling us

how to wash our clothes." [iA^ '~ ---i4: 

The new machines turn the washtub on its side, spinning clothes in 0

and out of a pool of water much smaller than what is used in toploading models.

But Plummer contends the new models will be significantly more : -I : | 

expensive than the older washers, and that consumers should have : : .. . ,. . E 

the option to buy the less-expensive machines. :

So what's the catch? _ _ f c

"It looks like it could cost anywhere between $200 to several i 1

hundred dollars more to buy these new washers, and that's just not

a choice consumers should be forced into making," said Plummer.

0SS

Well, critics say, if the new models are so good, whether you buy

one should be left up to the free market, not government mandates. O

[I]s the government taking the consumers to the cleaners? ,o

EE-RM-STD-98-440 COMMENT 73FFB .,. 

€ongrt~~'of tbe I1nfteb ~ta_RMlSTD-l8=44' 13 FF-B .j 

. ., Dla~ington, jB~ 20515 .E"E-r<.~S70 - ~ -4:4 04l~-

Is your washing machine politically in co 

Is your washing machine politically incorrect? If so, the 

government wants to replace it. 

••• 

[A]n agreement between the Department of Energy and "I-'~'U""""'" 

manufacturers to mandate the new, "greener" standards starting 

2004 has some consumers up in arms. They claim the 

doesn't have the right to dictate what type of washing machine a 

citizen can buy. 

"Bureaucrats in Washington are trying to micro-manage the lives 

of American citizens," said James Plummer, a spokesperson for 

I Consumer Alert, an anti-regulation and pro-free-market 

organization. 

"They've gotten into our wallets," says Plummer. "Now they're into 

our bathrooms with low-flow toilets. And now they're telling us 

how to wash our clothes." 

The new machines turn the washtub on its side, spinning clothes in 

and out of a pool of water much smaller than what is used in toploading models. 

• •• 

But Plummer contends the new models will be significantly more 

expensive than the older washers, and that consumers should have 

the option to buy the less-expensive machines . 

••• 

So what's the catch? 

"It looks like it could cost anywhere between $200 to several 

hundred dollars more to buy these new washers, and that's just not 

a choice consumers should be forced into making," said Plummer . 

••• 

Well, critics say, if the new models are so good, whether you buy 

one should be left up to the free market, not government mandates . 

••• 

[I]s the government taking the consumers to the cleaners? 

Spnn~;(Jn:(j t)'t' 

WORllfCOM 

, ~~ ~ 
FOXNews.com Poll Oj E13T3 - 7 3 P -4

EE-RM/STD-98.440 -# ^Fj

What matters to you the most: Clean clothes or a clean environment?

Answer %of Votes Voting %

1. . _.o .. _ _......._.... _L.__ L__..... 

Clean clothes L 86.3%L

| Clean environment 11.2%1 1

|NoI~ scientific a poll 2.5%.Not 

Not a scientific poll

Close Window

Please cosponsor HR 5613

to give our hard-working

American households an

opportunity to comment on

the midnight mandates!

1 of 1 11/3/00 5:27 PN

EE-RM-STD-98-440 COMMENT 73FFB

1 of 1 

·J 

EE-RM/STD-98-440 -4t 7317 r: ~ 

~ .~- (J L L RES lJ L ,T S , 

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.com -

II What matters to you the most: Clean clothes or a clean environment?! ............ " .................... -........... "." .......... , ......... _ ................... " ........... -..... "" ...... ~ .... ~.- .... --.-.y ... -.-....... ~ ............... ~ ........... " ......................... ~ ... " ............... -...... -.,,-.-.~.- ...... "' ............ ~.~ , ........ ".-" ..... " .. " ... ~ .... } 

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I~,~~s~re ___ ... __ ........ . ___ ~ L __ . ____ ~ ___ ~~.~.i [1____________ _ __ ........ ...1 

Not a scientific poll 

Close Window 

Please cosponsor HR 5613 

to give our hard-working 

American households an 

opportunity to comment on 

the midnight mandates! 

11/3/005:27 PM