Solar-powered US Congressman

Despite only being in office for a year, Rep Thomas Massie (R -Ky) is one of the most activist members of Congress. He lives off the grid back in his home State, and defies categorization on the left-right political spectrum.

“My house is solar powered,” he explains. “I tell Republicans, you can hate the subsidies – I hate the subsidies too – but you can’t hate solar panels. These are rocks that make electricity, so they are incapable of receiving your hate.” Representing Kentucky’s 4th district, which runs from the northern tip of the state from Ashland west past Covington, Massie holds a B.A. and an M.A. in engineering rom MIT, founded SensAble Technologies, a computer-modeling company based in Massachusetts, and served as county executive for Lewis County, Kentucky. A member of House committees on Oversight and Government Reform, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Science, Space, and Technology, he personally built his old, off-the-grid Kentucky home (even planing the trees that become its timber) and has decked it out with solar panels and off-the-grid energy sources.

He is a fierce supporter of new technologies and the opportunities they create for people to live innovative, creative lives. And Massie is a staunch defender of privacy from unwarranted state surveillance. Though the interview was conducted in late May, before the scope of NSA and other forms of government snooping on citizens became public knowledge, Massie was adamant about building a firewall against the surveillance state, telling Reason, “Just because we have a new type technology – like the internet or drones for instance – it doesn’t mean that all our Constitutional rights need to go away.”

Massie is professionally and ideologically tight with Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and he is part of a growing cadre of self-consciously libertarian Republicans in Washington. Still, he wants more company: “We need reinforcements up here. The good news when I came to Congress is that it’s not just Justin Amash and me, there are half a dozen, perhaps a dozen depending on where you draw the line, of libertarian leaning constitutional conservatives in Congress. We need more.”

In the film, Massie sat down with ReasonTV’s Nick Gillespie to discuss government surveillance (2:36), marijuana and industrial hemp legalization (15:05), why the fiscal cliff deal was like a turd sandwich (11:30), taking Paul Krugman’s economics class at MIT, (24:19), being an insurgent within the Republican Party (30:47), the IRS scandal (5:47), and why the Tea Party should stick to economics (37:51).

powkey Portable Power Station 350W, 260Wh/70,000mAh Backup Lithium Battery, 110V Pure Sine Wave Power Bank with 2 AC Outlets, Portable Generator for Outdoors Camping Travel Hunting Emergency

Now retrieving the rating.

$192.98 (as of April 24, 2024 13:58 GMT +01:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)

🔌【Multiple Charging Ports】: 2* Pure Sine Wave AC outlets (110V 350W ), 2* USB-A ports (5V, 3.1A total),1* USB-C port , 2* DC Outputs(12V 8A; 24V 3A) and 1* 12V DC car port to charge your devices, and 1 * 10W wireless charging pad are also equipped. 🔋... read more

Amazon Visa

Now retrieving the rating.

$23.00 (as of April 24, 2024 13:58 GMT +01:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)

3% Back at Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market* 2% Back at restaurants, gas stations, and drugstores* 1% Back on all other purchases* No annual fees* No foreign transaction fees*

200W Portable Power Station, Powkey 120Wh/33,000mAh Power Bank with AC Outlet, 110V 6 Outputs Solar Generator External Battery Pack with LED Light for Home Use and Outdoor Camping

Now retrieving the rating.

31% Off $149.99 $102.99 (as of April 24, 2024 13:58 GMT +01:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)

120WH CAPACITY: The power station has a power capacity of 120Wh/33,000mAh which the camping power supply can power most electronic devices efficiently. It can fully charge mobile phone 10+ times, the laptop 2 times, the CPAP machine 3 hours (the time... read more

Anker Power Bank Power Station 60,000mAh,Portable Outdoor Generator 87W with Smart Digital Display, Retractable Auto Lighting and SOS Mode, Home Backup(PowerCore Reserve 192Wh) for Travel, Camping

Now retrieving the rating.

$149.99 (as of April 24, 2024 13:58 GMT +01:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)

1. Sustainable Power Anywhere: Harness the sun's energy with solar panel compatibility for eco-conscious charging on-the-go. This Anker power station is ideal for maintaining your devices powered while you're out and about. 2. Safety in Your Pocket: ... read more

Foldable Solar Panel Charger 60W with 18V DC Output (11 Connectors) for 100W~350W Portable Power Stations Jackery/Rockpals/Flashfish/Enginstar, Portable Solar Generator for Outdoor Camping Van RV Trip

Now retrieving the rating.

$98.99 (as of April 24, 2024 13:58 GMT +01:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)

HIGH CONVERSION EFFICIENCY: With a 22% high conversion efficiency of this 60W mono crystalline solar panel, it’s able to produce electricity in low light outdoor environment (Recommend > 40000Lux) to charge your devices in shorter time. 4 OUTPUT PORT... read more