My e-mail was as follows:Dear Folks involved in consumer protection:
I think it is laudable that you want to protect our children from contaminants. But I think making every small business in the USA re-test parts, material, and other components that go into children's toys & clothing is not only totally unworkable, unenforceable, and totally silly, but it puts the burden of proof onto those who use the parts, not those who manufacture them. Companies in China will still be making money, small businesses and home crafters in the United States will become bankrupt.
I'm not sure what your thinking on this was, but I don't believe you followed through to the logical conclusion. I am afraid this society has become insanely litigious, fueled by wacky judges & juries who award damages to basically stupid people. I do not understand why the manufacturer of a swing set should be held responsible because the parents weren't watching their child and it fell off the swing. I do think the manufacturer should be held responsible for lead paint on the swing set. I suppose common sense is too much to ask for.
Manufacturers should be held responsible for their products, and provide test results and certification for those products. That should happen once. If we insist on importing things from China, the Chinese company should be made to pay for American laboratory tests to prove safety before their product is imported into this country. That certification should be passed on to the retailer, if it is a completed item, like a toy; or certification of component safety should be passed on to manufacturers who use the components in their toys or clothing.
It is the unscrupulous Chinese manufacturers who have caused this problem, they should be the ones to pay the cost to certify the safety of their manufactured goods. The United States has already lost too many jobs to China and other third world countries, now the people who are trying to make a living with a home business or small craft business will be the losers in this legislation. The small business in this country will have to bear the cost, when they have already borne the cost of losing jobs, inflation, the stock market crash, higher minimum wages, etc. Small business is still the backbone of this country, if you break it, we will all be the losers. Then perhaps the Chinese will just purchase us outright. And you thought the Communist threat was over. I do ask you to reconsider the impact of this legislation, and place the burden of proof where it truly belongs.
Thank you for your time.
I signed this with my complete name and address.
HOWEVER, AND I CAN'T STRESS THIS ENOUGH, the Consumer Product Safety Commission didn't pass the law, it just enforces the law. The only ones who can change it are our congressional representatives. Contact your Senators and Congresspeople, make them amend the law!!
Marji
My email was based purely from a personal feeling. If anyone is interested in writing here is a sample email and the email address
Here is a sample email for anyone that wants to copy it and email to the commision also the correct email addy
Sec102ComponentPartsTesting@cpsc.gov
Dear Secretary,
I, ______________, must express my opposition to the “Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008.” This bill criminalizes the artisians and home crafters of this country. This bill is not only affecting our fragile economy, this bill also affects the craft creativity of our American culture which includes quilting, embroidering, sewing and list goes on. Here, I want to cast my opposite opinion.
Sincerely Yours,