Reason 84937356575923 to Despise Big Government

We got our gas and electric bill today. It was over $250. And, we keep the temp pretty low. Not, like, 62 low - I do have little kids, you know - but we never set it above 68.

That 250 is for 5 weeks and the dumb furnace hasn't even been running very often. So you wanna know why it's as high as it is?

The gas and electric company gives each household a "baseline" useage. When you go over what THEY have deemed appropriate for your household, they increase the rate.

For example: Baseline is 20 hours. You pay .10/kwh (kilo watt hour) if you stay below 20. If you go over, they double it from the .10 to .20. No, wait. It gets better.

So, for the first 100-130% you go over, the rate is doubled. Then, if you go over by 130-200%, it is doubled again (from the already doubled rate). It keeps doubling every 100% after that.

Are you kidding me? Here's a novel idea: How about you just charge me for what I use? How about you don't try to back door regulate the people of this bass ackwards state.

And, who, by the way is the great and all mighty powerful being that decides what MY baseline is going to be?

But, why not? If you can legislate which light bulb I can use (And I'm stockpiling the super inefficient light bulbs by the way. You know, the normal ones that don't make you look like a blue acne queen. Yeah, and only the 100 watt ones too. So take that.) why not control the amount of light I can actually use in MY OWN home too? 

I suddenly feel the need to assemble and deliver some pipe bombs.