Big Business groups apparently asking Obama to replace acting chair Nord!!!

[Former_Member]

Here is the link for the letter sent to Obama 1-30-09.


http://consumerist.com/5143226/consumer-groups-to-obama-please-put-someone-with-a-brain-in-charge-of...

We need to follow this deveopment and email President Obama with our concerns. The Chairperson apparently has a lot of power over what may ultimately happen with regards to the CPSIA implementation. This law needs to be rewritten to protect the small business and not leave it up to one person's interpretation. That is just wrong. I have encouraged my congressperson's to support Jim Demint of South Carolina to rewrite this law.

[Former_Member]

LovejoyCreations, that is absolutely THE WRONG letter to send to President Obama. It is written the by the very lobbying groups, Public Union, et al, that worked for the passage of the CPSIA in it the first place.

THIS IS THE LETTER TO EMAIL TO PRES. OBAMA, from The Etsy Action Kit, publ. on the Storque blog:


c. Contact The President:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/

The White House contact form only allows for up to 500 characters. Short version
below.

b. To Use on White House Contact Form:

"The economic crisis in our country is already devastating millions in this country. Under the CPSIA, even more small business owners will be driven out of business. Mandatory 3rd party lead testing and certification is cost prohibitive for small Ma and Pa businesses. The premise of self-reliance and entrepreneurship on which this country was founded is in jeopardy. I urge you to delay, amend, or repeal the CPSIA. Please truly protect your fellow Americans and their children. Thanks."

I emailed the White House last week. I urge all those who want this egregrious law repealed/significantly rewritten in a genuinely equitable manner to write asap.

Don't be complacent. The PROPOSED stay in testing/certification mandates are only proposals and can be overturned if Public Union and the other deep-pocketed groups in favor of CPSIA in present form sue to overturn, if approved.

I don't think we can sell untested, already safe items until the commentary period has passed. KathleenF says that would be the end of March. Still too long a period to be effectively unemployed.

Write to your senators and congressmen/women to support prompt rewrite of CPSIA.

[Former_Member]

I totally agree with you breadandroses!! These lobbying groups are trying to get someone in as chairperson that will do what they want which is enforce the CPSIA law as they lobbyed for it to be written and passed! We have got to write to President Obama and tell him our work-at-home side of the story like yesterday! Whoever gets in as chairperson will have huge, huge powers unless this law is rewritten and these issues are adressed! I am glad you see this huge moster rising up as well. Thanks for the clarification. I have written President Obama several times and will write again on this issue.

[Former_Member]

marking

[Former_Member]

My apologies, LovejoyCreations, just so much info to take in and only so much time to process, write letters and still try to figure out the new business plan (or lack thereof) caused by all of this madness.

Still seeking a definite answer - anyone! Do we have to wait until the end of March to resume selling items known to be safe but untested/uncertified? KathleenF mentioned this in another topic.

[Former_Member]

I like how they seem to backpedal. First, they say they want ALL items for the under-12 set tested, regardless of who produces it or what it is. Now, they're saying that we need common sense solutions, to help protect the libraries and small businesses.

[Former_Member]

i thought that's what the stay of implementation for the testing was for, to determine what's high risk, what's no risk, and to write the testing section of the law to better suit the needs of different industries... what is the deal with those big groups?

it's like, they think it'll be simple to just toss millions of items in the dump.

the law is still holding ALL MANUFACTURERS, big and small responsible for their items.



as it should.

so, let the testing iron out.

[Former_Member]

marking to read later. I'm trying to sew dang darn it!

I'm so sick of this!

[Former_Member]

This was not written by Big Business it is Big lawyers under the guise of Consumer Protection and Environmentalists that are behind this law and pushing it and want Nord fired.

Here is a link that states their position and lists some of them at the bottom:

http://www.consumersunion.org/pub/core_product_safety/009325.html

[Former_Member]

marking

[prettylittle]

"As a result, the agency has not properly addressed concerns being raised by small businesses, home crafters, thrift stores, book publishers, and libraries among others. These concerns involve, for example, establishing common-sense exclusions from lead testing for textiles and paper-based books that are proven to be lead-free, component part testing where appropriate for lead and phthalates, and clear guidance for thrift stores..."

Agreed.

"...This did not have to be the case. The CPSIA ALREADY INCLUDES MECHANISMS for solving these legitimate concerns raised by these groups in a manner that protects the public health. "

What are these mechanisms they speak of?? Really, I'd like to know how the CPSIA, the way it is written now, can solve these legitimate concerns of mine...

Anyone know what they're talking about?

[Former_Member]

Why would environmentalist want a landfill filling/pollution increasing law?

[JoyandWhimsy]

If you read all the people/organizations that signed that letter - maybe small business/crafters should send them letters too.

[Former_Member]

Wow, thanks for that link. The cost of testing is exagerated? What does that mean? I'd like to know are they getting their information in that regard? Seriously, I'd like to know? Did I miss something?

[Former_Member]

Those are the special groups that helped write this law, actually they had a previous version that they were pushing but when the China lead scare happened they took advantage of it (and articles in the New York Times and the Washington Post) to create this version, increasing the regulations even more. The groups seem to be comprised of a lot of lawyers (can you say get rich off of lawsuits).
I really believe that a lot of the groups that call themselves consumer advocates or environmental advocates are just people with other agenda's using the name because it get's them what they want, people (us) tend to respond to the name and we don't look any deeper.
That is the only explanation I can come up with for a so called Environmental group pushing this law.

[Former_Member]

marking. And, VintageEmbellishment, I think you and I are on the same wavelength about these groups... I'll be watching them a little more closely from now on because of this.

[Former_Member]

Waves to littlethingsboutique!

[Former_Member]

Thanks Vintage,
because environmentally, this thing is an environmental disaster... (REAL enviromentalist say "use things up" and "buy second hand" and recycle as much as possible.
REAL environmentalists see cottage industry as a great response to Big Industry... <a home based industry isn't going to be dumping toxins into their own water source, soil etc...>)

[Former_Member]

Vintage, I just admitted my 10 yr old wool coat was worn out, and let my parents buy me a new coat. (to wear till it falls to pieces)... have I thrown out the old coat? NOPE, it's got some sections where the wool is in Great shape, and I want to use the fabric for *something*... and I want to reuse the buttons too.

Don't know if that makes me an environmentalist or just cheap... (but yeah, I LOVED my old coat, it was just so awesome...even if the cuffs of the sleeves and the elbows are worn through..)

[Former_Member]

trinlayk, ditto! I have been a vintage dealer for over 20 years and one of the things I love about it is, if people use vintage items they don't end up in a landfill.
I have always said that vintage and antique dealers were the first "environmentalists".

[Former_Member]

Marking.

[Former_Member]

great analysis from here: RT: @curiouswork: How much safer does #cpsia make us? I crunched the numbers. http://tinyurl.com/cszynz

[Former_Member]

To trinlayk and Vintage: My parents taught me this when I was younger -- of course, *I* new better at the time. (I think it's an old, depression-era expression, but I could be wrong.) Now, I find myself saying it every day:

Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without!

*waves back to Vintage Embellishment*

[Former_Member]

this is a hijack

Trinlayk- I had an old coat i loved that was full of moth holes. I made it into a skirt, and patched the moth holes with heart shapes. I love that skirt!

Sorry for the hijack.

I'm reading these threads with great interest, even I don't sell children's items.

[Former_Member]

trinlayk, that is amazing information, only one child would have been kept from getting sick in 2008 under this law.
To me it means that CPSIA is not about protecting children, as that states, if they really wanted to protect children they would have a lead paint abatement program and protect thousands of children.

From now on if I hear the term "for the children" or to protect the children" my red flags are going up and I will pay close attention to what they are really doing!