David Roberts
Writer of the Substack Sparks From Culture; zealous fan of my family, my Shih Tzu, all things Substack, NYC (lifelong resident); forty year career in finance, n...
“The fact that it fails in legislatures to me is evidence of the need for it. Utilities can exercise their influence in legislatures sufficient to fight off bills that have 80% public support, which is evidence that they have too much political power right there.”
Volts · Climate & Energy · November 2026
Context
They were discussing Michigan's ballot measure banning utilities from political spending, which passed with over 80% of the vote after similar bills died in state legislatures. Roberts took that as the argument for the ban.
Transcript
changes in state legislatures. So. Yeah,
why don't I turn on the lights so Judge shouldn't pay for somebody else's political contributions? Same reason as every, you know, that's ridiculous.
Yes. And the fact that it fails in legislatures to me is just like evidence of the need for it, right? Like utilities can exercise their influence in legislatures sufficient to fight off bills that have 80% public support as sort of like evidence that they have too much political power right there.
Yeah.
So good job, Michigan. Colorado.
Colorado.
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