My experience with CFL's is anything but positive. As others have noted, they put out less light than advertised and the light produced has a yellowish tinge. They cost more and despite the claims seem to burn out as least as quickly as the GE Reveal bulbs I replaced. Like Ritchie, I'm stocking up on the old bulbs.

The primary reason that CFL's are not made in this country is not cost, but environmental. The EPA would never approve such a plant just as they do not approve plants that recycle electronic hardware. Out government seems to be OK with increasing pollution so long as we can export it and not have to measure it here.