Do you want to know why no one cares?

[Former_Member]

I was doing some researching on Google and came across an interesting list of links relating to Nancy Nord (the head of the CPSC). Most were from websites demanding her resignation, because she dared to balk the CPSIA bill when it finally came out (smart lady). Even Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi called for her resignation at the time.

But what struck me most was the hoardes of regular citizens (like you and me) who were OUTRAGED at the idea that she would put "profits" over "children's safety". They'd organized mass efforts to get her fired too. Kind of like what we're doing...only on the opposite end.

Here's what one site had to say:
In a time of an unprecedented number of toy recalls, the Consumer Product Safety Commission needs to step up in order to protect America’s children this holiday season. But instead, Chairwoman Nancy Nord opposes the bill that would enable her to better protect consumers from unsafe products.

This fact should come at no surprise since Nord’s affiliations with manufacturers and sellers are more than apparent:

“Congress Watch: Since 2002, Nord and her predecessor, Hal Stratton, took trips to China, Spain, San Francisco, New Orleans and a golf resort in Hilton Head, S.C. – paid for by the toy industry, fireworks interests and manufacturers of products ranging from space heaters to disinfectants.”

We need to better protect America’s children from dangerous products. We need to give the CPSC more money and more authority to handle the threats that imported products pose. We need a CPSC Chairperson who is up to taking on this job. And we need a CPSC Chairperson who doesn’t favor the manufacturers who are putting unsafe toys on the market at a record pace.

Several members of Congress, like Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Senator Sherrod Brown, and Representative Dianna DeGette have called for Nord’s resignation.

Please join them in the efforts to keep our children safe. Ask Nancy Nord to step down as Chairwoman of the CPSC, and hire someone who is up to the task!
http://www.peopleoverprofits.org/c.ntJWJ8MPIqE/b.3570379/k.63A7/Nancy_Nord_Must_Step_Down/siteapps/a...
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Now, if you were just an "average" person who happened upon this "movement to get Nancy fired" wouldn't you feel offended by her supposed apathy too? I mean, HOW DARE SHE CARE MORE ABOUT MONEY THAN CHILDREN'S SAFETY???

Yet, to many of those same people, that is what OUR cause is sounding like too.

Just an idea of the kind of opposition we're up against.

[Former_Member]

so we're hopeless I guess......

[Former_Member]

No, not hopeless. But it's taken an ARMY of effort for our voices to be heard by even a few members of Congress. To us, the issue seems so simple. How could ANYONE want to put micro-producers out of business in these difficult economic times? Yet, outside of our "circle" the issue is actually much larger than that. They key is in finding ways to connect to people who are NOT in our shoes and have nothing to lose if we go under.

[Former_Member]

there's a nice dose of perspective for you.

this same site.. "people over profits"... i wonder how they would feel about running an article in our favor that explains the potential cultural damage that is about to occur while giants like walmart have a "safe toy" field day.

[Former_Member]

In every letter I've written about CPSIA, I have said that I thank Congress for looking out for the well being of our children. I do not think this law needs to be repealed, just revamped to allow for component testing instead of finished product. That way the suppliers we buy from could test and we could just pass the certifications down the line. I'm not saying that the law was a bad idea, just poorly written without the little people in mind. Our country was built on the backs of mom and pop businesses like ours, and our economy doesn't need this blow right now.

[Former_Member]

I never do this (intentionally hijack threads) , but I started a new thread here. There is some internal conflict going on....

http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6008585

Don't give up. ;)

[Former_Member]

point well made.

and, after looking through this horrible tidbit, i think we need to be careful and put extra emphasis on accuracy and truth, and explain our sources and reasoning in all our word-spreading.

at the moment, i feel like sending nord a note of apology for the times we've cursed her, and a cookie for all the crap she's dealt with over this.

[Former_Member]

After realizing that it really is *that* bad (I was kindof under a rock), I talked to my mom about it and she really listened, agreed, and said she would mobilize her "people".

So, a few more in our corner!!

[Former_Member]

they hear us, but they think we're saying... we want to not be regulated.

it's going to take a lot to drive home the "supplies are already lead free/compliant so 3rd party testing is redundant and financially impossible" message.


what we really need, i think, is to start getting suppliers on our side. which, contacting them and asking for documentation is going to get them to take notice.

we drive their business, too.


i think that the average joe public thinks we don't care about lead standards. the issue isn't really being heard.

it's falling into the void of "oh, you want to make toys with lead in them!"


far from the truth.

we need a new approach... vouch for our suppliers, and our own dedication to safety. a lot of us are mothers. my monkeys are plastic and metal free for a reason. i care about safety. and i use safe supplies.

i'm being punished for the crimes of people who are actually putting profit before safety.


and that's just wrong.

but, we are dealing with a fear driven cause... and fear is sometimes the hardest emotion to rationalize with.

[StudioYTE]

very interesting...

[Former_Member]

Thanks for the heads up, dmollison. I was actually trying to find Nord's email address and you saved me the trouble. =)

[Former_Member]

Thanks for the article, artistscs. It looks to me like Waxman, Rush, and the self appointed and annointed consumer groups who pushed this bill through to begin with didn't like the way Nord stood up to them, and so they started a campaign to demonize Nord and blame her for the mess their bill created- and it worked.

They're still trying it- that letter Waxman and Rush wrote to her is another example of redirecting our attention from them to somebody who didn't write it and can't change it, and will probably be replaced on the Commission (or at least outnumbered) in another couple of months anyway (as they well know). That's why I think it's really important not to let them pretend that it's all up to Norde. Only they can agree to change things, and we need to let them know that we expect them to do so.

[Former_Member]

She's one gutsy lady for refusing to quit. I know I wouldn't want her job. But, I hope she doesn't use the "unfairness" of it all as an excuse to do nothing.

[Former_Member]

I've thought about this, too. When an interested party - especially a financially-interested party - takes a stance in a political debate, it's usually automatically assumed that their position is motivated solely by money. So, in our case, consumer advocates will typically look at us as simply trying to weasel our way out of the law because we want to make money and simply don't care about what the law was meant to achieve.

It doesn't matter how loudly or how many times we say that we DO care about children... that we are parents ourselves... how we only want a law set up so that we can both comply with the law and still stay in business, etc. There is always a spin, and the spin against us is that we don't care about children's safety.

I think Blynken has it exactly right. The best way is to proceed with reason and accuracy. I have faith that reason will prevail here. I don't think it's necessarily going to be easy for us in the end, and we might have to deal with some regulations that tie up time and make it a bit harder for us in our businesses. But as long as we can continue with our businesses and make safe products for kids, I think most of us are completely willing to deal with these hurdles.

[KGarnerDesigns]

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