The following was written by Convention of States Action President Mark Meckler and was originally published on SelfGovern.com.
I founded Citizens for Self-Governance, because I believe that our nation was created by people who, in Thomas Jefferson’s words, were “free and who mean to remain so.” They weren’t about to give up their liberties to an overbearing government. After all, they revolted against a king to earn the right to live free. The government was necessary only to protect the citizens’ natural rights to life, liberty and property and was to act only in areas where the people intentionally granted authority.
In other words, America was designed to be a self-governing society, where decisions are made as close to home as possible.
But that’s not how things have worked out. The government has encroached into every area of life, so infiltrating our culture that we endlessly debate the policies our so-called leaders have decided for us…. Sometimes even down the most minute detail of life.
This was demonstrated most dramatically when a federally-associated entity suggested that people should keep their home thermostats at least at 78 degrees. The Hill has the details:
Energy Star, which works with the Environmental Protection Agency and the Energy Department to set efficiency benchmarks for appliances, electronics, building materials, lighting and other products, recommends that Americans program their thermostats to at least 78 degrees from 6 a.m.
The program then recommends temperatures be raised to at least 85 degrees from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., at which point it recommends again setting temperatures to at least 78 degrees.
Thermostats should be then be set at 82 degrees or above from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m, according to the program.
A spokesperson for the EPA said the Energy Star program recommends that people increase their air conditioning by seven degrees when they are not at home and by four degrees when they are sleeping, depending on what temperature makes them comfortable.
This, of course, made the internet absolutely melt.
Riley Gates tweeted, “I’ll take out a loan to pay my energy bill before I sit in my living room at 78 degrees.”
Nada Bokos asked, “No thermostat should be over 73! Also, why turn it up when you leave, does the dog really want it to be hot???”
Brian McNally wrote, “I’d honestly live in aisle 4 at my local freezing-cold Giant before I ever consented to 78 degrees while I’m home or 82 while I’m sleeping.”
Stef Sanjati wrote, “WHAT? 69 degrees when I’m home or RIOT. WHO CAN STAND 80+ DEGREES WHEN THEY’RE SLEEPING I WOULD MELT TO DEATH”
Christopher Ingraham wrote, “To give you a sense of how insane these temperature recs are, we keep tropical dart frogs in a vivarium in the house and if I let the thermostat get to 85 they will literally die.”
I love this silly controversy, because it shows that “who decides” is a much more important question than “what’s decided.” People instinctively react when the government attempts to encroach into personal matters where it has no business being.
We’re taking back the power the centralized government has unlawfully taken and restoring it to the citizens. According to the founders and the constitution, that is our God-given role.
After all, we revolted against a king to earn the right to live free. And that doesn’t mean we’re willing to sleep in an sweltering house just because the government advises it.
Want to get in on that fight? Then sign the Convention of States Petition below!
