The New York Times has an op-ed on CPSIA. As you might have guessed, it is wrong. Ignorant and wrong.
As I covered previously, the regulations were delayed over concerns that the testing requirements were too expensive for small crafters, micro- and small-businesses, and resellers, many of whom would end up being driven out of business.
According to the NYT, the delay was a mistake, the concerns were merely “needless fears,” and President Obama should replace the chairwoman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission with someone who loves toys, or something like that.
Unfortunately, the commission has yet to implement important aspects of the new law. The delay has caused confusion and allowed opponents to foment needless fears that the law could injure smaller enterprises like libraries, resale shops and handmade toy businesses. [Emphasis mine - CT]
Interesting that the Times claims the delay caused confusion. It was actually the regulations themselves that caused the confusion, resulting in untold amounts of old books, toys, and clothes to be thrown into landfills.
The truth is, the way this bill is written, it will injure smaller enterprises.
Last time I checked, the problem toys that prompted this legislation were not coming from granny’s Etsy shop, but from large multi-national corporations. Regulate them. Inspect products coming into our country from countries like China, at the manufacturer’s expense. Do not pass broadly sweeping regulations that treat multi-million dollar companies the same at the at-home mom knitting teddy bears to sell online.
Or will that cause too much confusion for the New York Times?
Hat tip: Overlawyered, also posting on this.
February 22nd, 2009 at 1:31 pm
The idea IS to hurt small businesses. Who lobbies for this stuff? (behind the scenes) It’s like the old sixties quote: “We’re going to DESTROY the small business people in order to SAVE them.” Shit. What next, get rid of all those paintings that were done with lead based paints? Health Art, yeah. A good NEW YORKER cartoon would be a group of people in front of some masterpiece at MOMA, and the health freak from Vermont (wearing a Save Our Family Farms button) saying: “Is this Masterpiece organic?”
We’re gonna regulate ourselves into Hell. Then, I guess, we can ask the Devil if he has a Burning Permit. Jesus. Save us from the Safety Conspiracy. I’ll bet Hillary’s over there giving the Chinese all the new business for kiddies books. Hope they include Chinese lessons.
Thank you, Charity, for being on this story. Where’s the OUTRAGE from the Left? Oh, that’s right, I forgot–they’re taking that new ’safe’ pill for ‘anger management’ called Yuppie See/Yuppie Do. Well, I hope some government genius is going to ‘recycle’ all this lead, ammo’s getting expensive. God–what’s the next Pentagon budget gonna look like?
February 25th, 2009 at 3:25 pm
OK–This one’s for you, Charity:
Yuppies Take Over The Afterlife
(a country-western tune)
Well we all know how
the yuppie scum
have regulated
us to death
from cigarettes
to small businesses
it’s a wonder
there’s anything left
they say it’s about
the environment
but it’s really
about their lifestyles
so when they die they’re
all going down to Hell
and bug the Devil
for a while
They’ll ask him:
Hey Mr. Devil do you have
a burning permit?
we formed
an activist committee
to have a Vigil
at the Bottomless Pit
we’re gonna organize
some change down here
our petition will tell you
all about it
but to start off
Mr. Devil
can we see
your burning permit?
then they started
networking
with the Demons
the Devil he was
marginalized
they got Hitler
and Mao and Stalin
and all those other
dictator guys
to help put up
some fancy condos
a jogging path
a co-op
and a fitness gym
it was too much
for the Devil
they yuppied
the Hell outta Him
Hey Mr. Devil
let’s see
your burning permit
all that smoke you’re making
is bad for our health
we think it’s time
for you to quit
we’re having us a rally
we’re gonna march
and pitch
a yuppie fit
til you give up and move
to someplace else
where nobody
gives a shit
Well the Devil
he couldn’t take it
so he sent
all the yuppies
up to God
and when they all
got up to Heaven
they gave God
a wink and a nod
they said hey God
we all need a hug
we need some spring water
and iPods
and while we’re at it
we’d like to know
just what exactly
is your job?
Hey God
show us
where it’s written
that you were chosen
to run all this?
we’ve been through
all this stuff
a million times
just ask the average
American working stiff
so we need to make
some changes here
just for everybody’s benefit
and to start off God
can you show us
who signed
your God permit?
Etc…………
Peter Buknatski
Montpelier, VT.