The Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) has created an example of regulate first and explain why later. In October they proposed new regulations to outlaw strings of bulbs, lighted lawn figures and similar items that would be declared as hazardous. The red tape deals with certifying wire sizes, fuses, and tensile strength of all “seasonal decorative lighting products.”That's right, the Fed.Gov is fixin' to regulate your Christmas lights.
This includes Christmas tree lights, lighted wreaths, menorahs, outdoor strands, lawn figures of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, or Santa or Rudolph or Frosty the Snowman. Yes, Kwanzaa, too. CPSC is an equal opportunity Scrooge. The agency estimates that their proposed regulations will impact 100 million items per year with a market value of $500 million.
So what is CPSC’s justification for adding red tape to the red, green, blue, yellow, white and other colored displays? They report 250 deaths from fires or electrocutions by Christmas lights. That’s not 250 deaths per year; it’s 250 deaths since 1980. They had to add together 33 years of statistics to misportray danger.If the Republicans were smart (they're not), they would cut the headcount budget of the CPSC by 20%, with the political fight over this starting up in, say, November 2015. Let the Administration fight Christmas.
That averages seven deaths per year in our country of about 320 million people. The worst single year, CPSC reports, had 13 deaths. But most (80 percent) of those deaths were back in the 1980s and 1990s. Since then, deaths have declined annually. In 2013, there was one single death attributed to fire or shock from Christmas lights. One. That also was the average from 2008 through 2013: One death per year.
Then again, this would require a GOP that had two brain cells to rub together.
Not trying to be a dink or anything BP - but I'll just throw this out there...
ReplyDeleteThis year I flipped. All my Christmas light strings and cords were a-tangle, with burnouts everywhere - and me with a day or two running around to get replacements and make repairs...so I said 'F*** it!' and I threw the lot in the garbage in a fit of rage! I told the wife she could do anything she wanted - but no lights!
So we put up tons of green boughs and pine decorations, red ribbons and only one small string up in the apple tree out front...and I'll be damned if our place wasn't the best looking one on the street! It was like looking at a young Ingrid Bergman in a well tailored outfit amidst a gaggle of buffalo-butted Detroit city whores! The contrast was striking!
I'm gonna do it again next year - and to hell with the Christmas lights.
It would take a GOP that wasn't working for the other side.
ReplyDeleteMy google-fu is bad today --
ReplyDeleteI was unable to find a single news report about an electrocution caused by christmas lights.
I found several about electrocutions while putting-up christmas lights, but all of these contained a phrase such as "when his aluminum ladder came in contact with the overhead high-voltage power line"
Sigh... Can't legislate, they regulate...
ReplyDeleteNixon did it first. Along with shifting daylight savings time, he asked the country to not use Christmas lights as part of energy savings, 1973 I think.
ReplyDeletenanny state controlling your holidays, for your benefit of course ....
ReplyDeleteThe market is driving us to replace old lights with LED strings....cheaper now and last long and no frustration with half strands out for no reason. Hence no reason for govt interference except govt interference.
ReplyDeleteCut their budgets without remorse.
'tis true; we need the fed.gov to save us from Cheap Chinese Christmas Lights Which Work Underwater....
ReplyDeletehttp://englishdiffer.blogspot.com/2014/12/who-knew.html
"Then again, this would require a GOP that had two brain cells to rub together."
ReplyDeleteI'd be happy with a GOP that had two balls.
Not If the Republicans were smart (they're not), they would cut the headcount budget of the CPSC by 20%,
ReplyDeleteIf the Republicans were smart (they're not), they would cut the headcount budget of the CPSC by 80%
Show me one thing that needs the amount of regulation they produce.
You guys complain too much. If this goes through, all we have to do is go back to tying lit candles to our trees.
ReplyDeleteYou think that's ridiculous? You ain't seen nothin' yet.
ReplyDelete