Missourians Could Soon Be Fined For Not Using Electricity

In an effort to pry hard-earned money out of every Americans' hands, Missouri state government could ok a new fee that will punish those who don't use enough electricity:

Some Missouri residents and businesses soon could see a new charge on their electric bills, a fee for using less energy. Though it might seem illogical, the new energy efficiency charge has support from utilities, most lawmakers, the governor, environmentalists and even the state's official utility consumer advocate. The charge covers the cost of utilities, efforts to promote energy efficiency, and cut power use.

I have two comments. First, doesn't this fly in the face of environmentalists, an important part of the Democrats' hardcore, "Earth Hour-loving" base. It's hard to believe that Gov. Jay Nixon and the Dems in the legislature would risk upsetting them.

Secondly, this is eerily similar to a recent story out of the Communist country of China where the local Hubei province fines its citizens for not smoking. What is the reason they gave to justify such a gross violation of their rights? They said that it was necessary to help the economy. That is the same that they are saying in Missouri, now.

Let's hope that those in power in the Show-Me State remember that they are in the United States not Communist China before this ridiculous fee is enacted.

This is a regressive fee because those that are more likely use less electricity in an effort to save money would be the poor not the rich. Therefore, the poor are the ones that will take the full brunt of this new fee. Is this more change that I can believe in?