Arguing for the abolition of the Consumer Product Safety Commission?

[Knightskye]

There's this person who thinks that without the CPSC, children would be choking on magnets and small parts on toys.

What are some reasons it should be abolished, besides saving taxpayers money? And what would the alternative be, since "there couldn't be nothing!"?

[muzzled dogg]

self-governing private certification board that puts its stamp on toys

buy the certified toys or dont

[trey4sports]

self-governing private certification board that puts its stamp on toys

buy the certified toys or dont


X2

[lucynuts]

Better yet get a bunch of small private organizations competing with each other with varieties of different standards for various consumers. Privatize this area, let competition exist in the market, and allow for free entry this idea which was once alive and rich in this country is now dead or dying and could or should be instilled again. Even the first fire departments started by Benjamin Franklin required building owners to have a badge on the outside of the building that was paid for on an annual basis by the owner(s), it allowed for competition and followed the logical rules of the market where firms are allowed to compete. It's simple and easy and we once had it, bring it back, bring back the Free Market!!!

[tangent4ronpaul]

A consumer report type of thing would be much better, as would some sort of certification.

CPSC has done a huge amount of damage through asinine regulations driving up costs and going a long way to kill hobbies and amateur communities. Before CPSC:

Chemistry sets had glass, flame and "fun" chemicals. Now they have plastic, no flame and 1/10th strength boring chemicals.

They are in an ongoing war to drive hobby/homeschool and pyrotechnic chemical suppliers out of business and thus destroy these hobbies / communities.

They now have their very own SWAT team for enforcement.

I suspect they are the ones that were behind getting ingredients removed from the labels of cleaning products, and related things.

Like all government agencies, they want to grow - more money, more authority, more staff - more power. They long ago crossed the line from doing a useful service to being the problem.

If I ever got to be dictator, I'd abolish the FED, the IRS, BATFE and CPSC - in that order! Then go looking for other worthless agencies to go after.

-t

[Kalifornia]

the tort courts do a pretty good job of scaring the toy companies shitless. imagine. fear of bankruptcy keeps people in line,and when it doesnt, the offending company gets sued into obivion. .

[Kotin]

please take the FDA while your at it!!!

[coyote_sprit]

A lot of free range meats and dairy products have independent certifications that compete if you will and are are tested by consumers for continuity of claims. The toy industry(and several other industries at that) could work with a similar system.

[lucius]

There's this person who thinks that without the CPSC, children would be choking on magnets and small parts on toys.

What are some reasons it should be abolished, besides saving taxpayers money? And what would the alternative be, since "there couldn't be nothing!"?

The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is an independent agency of the United States government created in 1972 through the Consumer Product Safety Act to protect "against unreasonable risks of injuries associated with consumer products."

As others have already pointed out, the free-market would provide a much more viable/robust/transparent service without 'having to rob paul to pay for a bunch of useless washington DC peters', ie. forced wealth redistribution to grow the state--but I don't think you will gain much traction if they are part of the, 'please save me from myself leviathan', already inculcated crowd.

As a side note, I would initially tell this person that it is critical for all people to know, especially parents, how to clear an airway in a child. One night, when my infant daughter was sick, she aspirated in her sleep. By the time I woke-up, I was holding her, her air-way already been cleared and I had the taste of little kid puke in my mouth. Thankfully, when young, I was a lifeguard and latter as part of an industrial accident first responder team...this is the tack I would take with say 'jane six-pack soccer mom'.

[fj45lvr]

#1 --- it is UNCONSTITUTIONAL

#2 it is a "mini-dictatorship" unto itself (look no further than their control of consumer fireworks...they are making regulations affecting the performance of them without ANY basis (since like guns, all fireworks are dangerous)

Gov. Agencies with their "administrative rules" are the worst type of TYRANNTS.