GraniteGrok

In their 1975 album, “Wish You Were Here,” Pink Floyd sang of an all-knowing machine:

“Welcome my son, welcome to the machine. Where have you been? It's alright we know where you've been. You've been in the pipeline, filling in time…”

More recently, the band Velvet Revolver (featuring Slash of Guns n Roses fame on guitar) paid homage to the big machine:

“It's a big machine, it's a big machine. We're all slaves to a big machine. It's a big machine, it's a big machine. We're all slaves to a big machine. All tied up to a big machine.”

And of course, there is the band simply named, “Rage Against the Machine.” No need to describe it. Just rage. At the machine.

Does anybody remember how uptight everybody got over certain over-generalized parts of the Patriot Act passed in the wake of the September 11 attacks? The naysayers breathlessly announced, “They’re gonna look at peoples’ library cards and records!” Recall the privacy advocates warning, “They’re sharing phone records with the government! I know it’s for suspected terrorists, after judicial review, but still…” To them, George Bush and Dick Cheney were spying on EVERYBODY. To listen to them talk, there was to be found a government listening post on every corner. Welcome to the machine!

This week, to much fanfare and little dissent, the Obama Administration announced it was unleashing another round of government “stimulus” dough in the name of financing the so-called “smart-grid.” Heralding the 3.4 billion dollar program, President Obama called it

“the largest single energy grid modernization investment in U.S. history, funding a broad range of technologies that will spur the nation’s transition to a smarter, stronger, more efficient and reliable electric system.  The end result will promote energy-saving choices for consumers, increase efficiency, and foster the growth of renewable energy sources like wind and solar.”

At the center of this new program, ostensibly in the name of helping the economy, is the move towards “smart meters.”

Says Obama, apparently now an expert on energy matters,

“Most of the projects that are receiving grants involve the installation of what are known as smart meters -- devices that will have a direct benefit for consumers who want to save money on their electric bills.”

Think about that for a moment—has Obama ever done or proposed ANYTHING that won’t cost you more money? Or doesn’t involve you having to make do with LESS of something you presently enjoy or use? Don’t forget- that 3.4 billion dollar handout is coming from someplace, and it isn’t Obama’s pocket. At some point, this is simply more money borrowed from communist China that our children and their children’s children will be on the hook to repay. But I digress…

Back to the smart meters. What—you don’t know what that is? Who better to explain that the President himself, speaking in Florida touting the latest government foray into areas previously tended to by private industry:

“Now, let me explain what's going on with these smart meters.  Smart meters will allow you to actually monitor how much energy your family is using by the month, by the week, by the day, or even by the hour.  So coupled with other technologies, this is going to help you manage your electricity use and your budget at the same time, allowing you to conserve electricity during times when prices are highest, like hot summer days.”

Sounds great, right? Who doesn’t want to be able to maximize their energy dollars?

The devil, as always, is in the details. You see, a smart meter provides for two-way communication in order to make all this happen. It will track and monitor usage, and allow all these wonderful adjustments to be made remotely—as in by someone outside your home. This will allow users, say proponents of these devices, to be provided with feedback that can be used to help conserve and reduce consumption.

Another great feature, in addition to monitoring how much energy is consumed, and at what times of the day and particular use patterns, the smart meter can be used to throttle back (restrict) electricity at certain times under specific conditions.

“But Doug, really. None of this sounds all that bad. I WANT to save on energy!” Yes, indeed you do. And so do I. The problem is the fact the government is funding it. And not just ANY government, mind you… We’re talking about a government headed by Barack Obama- a president who has been inserting government into nearly every industry and facet of life here in America in the belief that only it can save us from all challenges placed before us.

Think about it for a minute… We have a government that dictates and regulates what kind of toilets we crap in, what kind of light bulbs we can put in our homes, and what our vehicles must look and perform like. NOW we’re going to let them install electric meters in our homes that can be controlled from afar?! Where do you suppose THAT will all end up?

“Welcome my son, welcome to the machine. What did you dream? It's alright we told you what to dream.”