CPSIA: How pissed should I be?

[thehefner]

I need some perspective from politically-minded folks to gauge just how fucking furious I should be in regards to the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA), which could/will not only ban children under twelve from libraries, but--as it affects resale of "children's" projects, which includes games, toys, books, and comics of whatever stripe fits anyone's definition of "for kids"--could/will severely impact resale markets in places like the Goodwill, used book stores, eBay, etc?

So what think you, folks with perspective and more understanding than me? Tempest in a teapot, something already being rectified by sane minds, or a serious "write to your fucking Congressman/Senator/Justice League representative yesterday" situation?

Comments

[fragmentedsky.livejournal.com]

What? WHAT??

[holli.livejournal.com]

Never mind secondhand: as written, CPSIA effectively wipes out American handcrafts: any home makers of toys and children's clothes are barred from the market. As are indie operations with small product runs. This hamhanded attempt to protect kids from Chinese mass production will, if not stopped, kill American makers' businesses.

[musyc]

You should be pissed and seriously so. It not only affects resale, it affects anyone with a home business. All those Etsy sellers and "lovingly made by hand" people? Screwed, if their products are marketed for children.

[fragmentedsky.livejournal.com]

I feel the need to come back and comment again. I mean really, WHAT?? Are they on DRUGS??

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

Which is why I'm posting this here in the first place, because if it's all true and really happening, it all seems too unreal to believe. Like, "No, no, this can't be for real. No way. That'd be FUCKING RIDICULOUS."

[demonfafa.livejournal.com]

It's a damned if you do, damned if you don't kind of scenario: You don't want lead contaminates in toys or books, but you don't want to put such stringent rules on people who don't deserve it.

I worked for Trial Lawyers for 2 1/2 years and lead in toys is serious business, but since our government does everything either incompetantly or completely hardcore with no in between, I'm not surprised at this act.

As for a solution, I'd just say get the rods out of regulators' asses.

[holli.livejournal.com]

Well, regulating mass-produced imported toys is kind of a different endeavor than regulating small-run or one-off American-made toys. Applying one piece of legislation to both is just a bad idea; American makers aren't allowed to make lead-laced products anyway, and frankly I'm not sure how some of them *could*-- how do you get lead into a homemade stuffed animal?

[demonfafa.livejournal.com]

how do you get lead into a homemade stuffed animal?

Shoot it a lot.

[swimpenguin.livejournal.com]

Thank you for posting this, its crazy, crazy stuff :(

[darkestnova.livejournal.com]

You should be angry, but not too angry. We've been over this down here already, and have come to the conclusion that the implimentation won't be nearly as far reaching as we're all imagining it. And I'd say more about it, but it's far too late at night to be witty.

Now stop pissing off Techie. She bangs on my keyboard like a six year old when she's frustrated with you.

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

Uh oh. What'd I do?

[darkestnova.livejournal.com]

"He's married to the rose petals!" BANG. "The rose petals don't work!" SLAM.

It's not really about the rose petals. What she wants is for you to listen to her, and accept that the Techie is always right, automatically, about everything, simply because she is she. If you can't do that, then if you ever get married you'll be known in the emergency room as "that guy who keeps getting vases thrown at his head."

Eh, I'm only making fun of her because she's too sicky to fight back.

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

Well, the rose petals are kinda important to the first show, dang it! They're a potent image, and when they're not in my mouth, making it look like I have a chunk of human flesh in there, they can be quite effective! ;p

Oh come now, you'd be making fun of her just as hard when she's feeling okay. I just wish I could be there with popcorn.