The Consequenses of Restrcting Power Generation

Please read my letter below written to the Philadelphia Inquirer. I attempted to convince my state senator to vote against Act 129, but "the great man"--Dominic Peliggi--refused to see me. Instead his sycophantic chief of staff spent an hour with me trying to talk around the issue. Finally he told me the truth, that no politician can vote against any piece of legislation, no matter how bad it may be for us citizens, if it wraps itself in environmentalism. By the way, Senator Peliggi's chief of staff is a revolving door lobbyist, working a few years for our largest utility--PECO--and a few years for some politician. I am certain that PECO is in cahoots with the legislature. PECO will be allowed to raise rates to compensate for its reduced revenue from selling less power. All utilities in America are regulated by public utility commissions, which make them nothing more than arms of the government--just another way to fleece us and control us. If we citizens do not reduce our power consumption in line with Act 129, what are the likely consequences? The only alternatives are penalty rates and periodic shutoffs of power. Already PECO is proposing a program whereby we citizens would "allow" it to shut off our power during peak demand. Just think about it. What free market business purposefully rations its goods to consumers? State regulation of utilities turns the producer/consumer relationship on its head. Instead of the producer trying to meet the needs of consumers, we consumers must adapt our lifestyles to the wishes of the producers...in this case a politically controlled utility monopoly. Just another nail in the coffin of our freedoms.

Patrick Barron

To: Editor Philadelphia Inquirer
Sent: Friday, July 03, 2009 8:24 AM
Subject: The Consequences of Restricting Power Generation

Re: "Peco rolls out a bold proposal", 2July09

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/business/20090702_Peco_proposal_seeks_to_slash_power_consumption.html

Dear Sirs:
Act 129, which mandates that Pennsylvania utilities REDUCE! power generation in ever greater percentages in the next four years is but one more example of the attack by radical environmentalists upon modernity. Government has no moral authority to deny the citizens of Pennsylvania all of the power that we desire and are willing to purchase. The consequences of this foolish and dangerous law are not hard to predict--lower profitability for Pennsylvania businesses, fewer new businesses choosing to locate in Pennsylvania, the flight of some existing businesses from the commonwealth, lower wages for Pennsylvania workers, fewer job opportunities for Pennsylvania workers, the flight of "the best and brightest" from the commonwealth, higher costs and lower standard of living for Pennsylvania residents, lower property values for those seeking to sell their homes and move to more economically hospitable states...I could go on and on. This law should be repealed forthwith.

Patrick Barron
20 McMullan Farm Lane
West Chester, PA 19382
Phone: 610-793-3605
www.patrickbarron.blogspot.com/