Sunday, July 24, 2011

CPSIA - Not to State the Obvious, but the Debt Ceiling Fiasco Imperils ECADA

Among the many reasons for despondency at this time of national gridlock is that the Washington national debt standoff likely signifies the demise of ECADA (the pending CPSIA Amendment).  A week from this Friday is the last work day before Congress' all-important summer recess.  [As you know, Congress needs its R&R.]  The CPSIA will remain unamended unless a bill moves through Congress by then. 

You don't need to be a seasoned Washington vet to see that Congress ground to a halt while the national debt food fight is going on.  With the likely pressure of world market volatility, U.S. credit rating downgrades and other homegrown massive financial calamities, and you have a recipe for Congress' attention being somewhere besides the CPSIA.  With the President and his minions playing the market manipulation card (Daley and Geithner were dispatched to the Sunday talk shows to spread their gloomy prediction of market cracks on Monday), the ability of Congress to focus on its actual work is just about nil now.  Mine certainly is, too.

It will be the ultimate irony if the debate over the size of our government is what wins day for an engorged CPSC focusing on fake health crises as directed by the CPSIA.  Victory to Rachel Weintraub, Henry Waxman and Bob Adler all because our national leaders can't decide how much to spend beyond our national means?  Three years of fighting may end up on the rocks, simply because of bad timing.

If ECADA does not become law before August 14, the 100 ppm lead standard will be retroactive, the THIRD such scr*wing imposed on us by the soulless bureaucrats at the CPSC since August 2008.  Oh yes, I know, they have no choice.  Woe is me, they feel so badly about it, but what can you do???

Tell that to our employees, our suppliers, our dealers and the millions of families, schools and teachers who depend on our company and its products.  Hey Dems, why not finish the job with a big tax increase, too?! 

Stay tuned.

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