Washington’s got another bright idea that most Americans don’t like.

Just 18% of adults think it’s the government’s job to tell Americans what kind of light bulb they use, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Seventy-two percent (72%) say it’s none of the government’s business, and 10% are not sure.

The federal government under an energy bill passed in 2007 is requiring consumers to dump incandescent bulbs, the ones we’ve used for well over a century, for more expensive fluorescent ones. The plan is scheduled to go into effect over the next 10 years in the name of great energy efficiency.

Eighty-three percent (83%) of Republicans and 78% of adults not affiliated with either major political party say it’s not the government’s role to make Americans change their light bulbs. Among Democrats, 58% share that view, but 29% say it is the government’s job.

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When asked who would do a better job of providing quality products for consumers, only 23% of Americans say government planners and managers. Fifty-nine percent (59%) have more confidence in companies hoping to make a profit. Nineteen percent (19%) aren’t sure.

Men have more faith in the private sector than women. Sixty-eight percent (68%) of those who work for a private company say businesses motivated by potential profit will do a better job of coming up with quality consumer products. Just 45% of government employees agree.

Seventy-four percent (74%) of Republicans and 67% of unaffiliateds give the edge to private companies, while Democrats are almost evenly divided over which would do a better job.

Nearly half of Americans (49%) agree, however, that they need to make major cutbacks in their lifestyle to save the environment. Thirty-six percent (36%) disagree, and 15% are undecided.

This marks a significant change from early May when 42% supported major lifestyle changes to better the environment but 44% were opposed.

Sixty-eight percent (68%) of Democrats agree that Americans need to make major changes in lifestyle to help the environment, but 55% of Republicans don’t believe such changes are necessary. Unaffiliated adults are closely divided over the question.

Most Americans (53%) say they have followed news reports about the government-mandated light bulb switch at least somewhat closely, with 21% who have followed it very closely. Only 13% say they haven’t followed news about the change at all.

Voters have consistently said that finding new sources of energy is more important than reducing the amount of energy Americans now consume.

But only 17% of voters rank the development of new sources of energy as the most important of four priorities President Obama listed in a speech shortly after taking office.

Americans have mixed feelings about the climate change bill now before the Senate that will have a major impact on U.S. energy use. Forty-two percent (42%) say it will hurt the U.S. economy, while 19% say it will help.

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