Guest post from AoSHQ commentator “ChemJeff.”
Look, this is how these “voluntary” “pilot programs” work.
First, the pilot program is started by a bunch of lefty do-gooders who sign up all of their friends. Due to heavy selection bias, the pilot program is deemed a “success”. Then the program becomes available to the wider public, but on a “voluntary” basis. But there are incentives and kickbacks and rebates and all sorts of gimmicks to get people to sign up.
So the LIV types go ahead and sign up because they just want free/cheap shit. Then the program is deemed an even bigger success due to all of the demand for the program. Then people are charged for NOT signing up for the “wildly successful” program (cf. California). So the people on the fence begrudgingly sign up because they don’t want to have to pay extra.
Then, the last step is to make it mandatory. Because already a majority of people are signed up on their own free will, so that is like democracy in action, right? Plus it’s good for the children and the puppies and the manatees and all that. Plus you’ll save ALL THIS MONEY! And it will work exactly as planned!!! So those who opposed this stupid idea from the beginning are forced into the position of reactionary throwbacks who are “resisting progress”.
No, just no. It is best not to go down this path in the first place. The slippery slope is real. Every little step down the slope justifies taking the next step, until we are at the mercy of centralized planners dictating to us when we can and cannot use our electrical appliances.
