I’m guessing that we’re suddenly going to see a lot of toys with labels saying: “Not intended for children under 13,” similar to the choking hazard label, where you can hardly buy anything that’s labeled for under 3 and at times I’ve been hard pressed to find anything in the package that an elephant could choke on. That actually may be a nice unintended consequence in that maybe it will actually decrease toy marketing to children under 13. Not holding my breath or anything, but I could see that happening. Except that the companies who can afford to take out TV adds can afford the lab testing just fine. OK, never mind.

I don’t think we’re going to be able to stop this, though it’s definitely worth a try. I think cottage industry businesses should start trying to find the loopholes. I think a lot of adults will suddenly find that they really like playing with “formerly” children’s toys. No, this set of blocks isn’t for my 6-year-old. It’s for me to review my geometry–I’d forgotten what a rectangular prism was. I can’t help it if my 6-year-old keeps getting it off the shelf. Hey, these easy reader books at the library aren’t children’s books. They’re for adults who still struggle with reading. What? My eight year old can read them? I’ll be darned… wink wink nod nod… Smart libraries will just start shelving “children’s books” with the adult stuff and patrons will very quickly learn how to locate them, or just request them using online resources.

Maybe a lot of baby slings are going to be marketed to cat and guinea pig owners. Hey, it clearly says this is for your cat. I can’t help it if someone bought it for their baby without telling me. Cloth diapers? Hasn’t anyone seen a puppy dog in diapers right before he gets house trained? Baby clothes? They’re to dress that new line of porcelain dolls we adults can’t get enough of on our shelves. What? someone actually put it on a baby?

I think people who carry children’s products will be very quickly thinking up all kinds of “alternative” uses. The rest of us will buy them for what we need and use them as we wish anyway. Marketing will take on a whole new meaning.

That’s my hope, anyway.

But no, they had to use that as an excuse to persecute work at home moms and second hand businesses. I honestly believe the actual impact of CPSIA is exactly what was intended.

Chrissy is absolutely right: they do want to force us into a depression. Why? Because they want us crawling on our knees begging them for some relief. Then they can control us, which is what they really want.

I don’t expect letters to Congress are going to help much. Letters to Obama certainly won’t. The passage of the bailout bill proved to us they’re not listening. We have to figure out some way of resisting that is truly effective.

Any ideas?

My heart goes out to these small business owners that will be affected, as if the recession wasn’t enough of a hit on there sales I am sure! As if the unemployment rate wasn’t high enough already! Let’s put more people out of work, grrrrrr!

Seems like they want to force us into a depression! Just makes me feel ill…..