Big new technological advancements ?

[SJWhiteley]

I never mentioned forcing, I said incentivising. That said it would, of course, be your tax dollars paying for the incentives.

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The problem with government incentives is that they really don't have the effect one would think - i will concede that you didn't say 'forcing' that was my word, but it ultimately is the only effective 'incentive' the government has: you have to make something an offense. The reason it has to go this far is because the cost is extortionately high.

It's also why we see 'incentive by law' applied to manufacturers and service providers. Two examples: it is not illegal to use 100W light bulbs, but is illegal for retailers to sell them; it is not illegal to flush more than 1.6 gallons, but it is to sell such flushing systems. While some regulation is of a reasonable cost, the increasing regulation, even at such reasonable costs gradually burdens the consumer. Wile some would say the rich get richer and the poor get poorer, the actuality is that the poor, as a group, gets larger, without any of these riches going to the rich. Their riches are maintained because the added 'cost' burdens are not an equal percentage.

We are at a point where regulation is exercised for the sake of regulation - with the associated costs - with little to no gain. To come back on-point; you cannot regulate into place technological innovations.