Your government at work

Evidently, in response to the rash of poisoned products coming here from (mostly) China, our government is choosing to require any product sold to children (clothing, toys) be certified to be lead-free and free of some other poisons as well.

Let it be noted, of course, that this writer is in fact opposed to putting lead and other poisons in toys, clothing, and even food. What's appalling about this move, though, is that a great portion of the law seems to be addressed to retailers, and there is no exemption for used items.

Keep in mind here that the actual problem noted was new products coming from China, not used items from anywhere. It would have made sense to tell importers (not retailers) that containers from China would be kept in the port until testing was done--and Wal-Mart and Target, primary retailers of toys that can be melted into bullets, would have (rightly) taken it on the chin.

Instead, each retailer is required to certify its products. In other words, a regulation that should have been directed at new imports (and thus Bentonville) has been diverted to draw a bead directly on small retailers and the resale industry. Wal-Mart and Target would pay the same amount on huge shipments that smaller competitors would pay on tiny lots, and the destruction of resale and small vendors would be a huge benefit for the big players.

One wonders if it would be interesting to track their political donations through the cycle of this law's writing. The CPSC has "clarified" how they will enforce this, but count on big players to "nudge" them to enforce the law as vigorously as possible.