Have a garage sale, go to jail?

Not quite that bad, but if the story below is true, the potential is there:

Check with the CPSC before putting up that yard sale sign

In Minnesota, the coming of spring means the return of lawnmowers, motorcycles, brats on the grill, and the big American tradition of yard sales.  People do their spring cleaning, toss what’s unusable, and try to sell the rest to bargain-hunters.  Thanks to the new consumer product safety law, though, you now need to download a CPSC pamphlet and start researching each item on your driveway in case of recall:

Thinking of having a yard sale this weekend? Before you do, be sure to consult CSPC Publication #254 [PDF].

This handy 28-pager from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reminds the American people that, thanks to the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (which I have blogged about here and here), the government is totally in charge of your yard sale…

“This handbook will help sellers of used products identify types of potentially hazardous products that could harm children or others. CPSC’s laws and regulations apply to anyone who sells or distributes consumer products. This includes thrift stores, consignment stores, charities, and individuals holding yard sales and flea markets.”

Like Katherine Mangu-Ward at Reason, I find the inclusion of “individuals holding yard sales and flea markets” disconcerting and telling.  The CPSC has never aimed its regulatory sights at individuals and “flea markets” before now.  The CPSIA, about which I also have blogged on occasion, has already done enough damage to commercial thrift stores and small manufacturers who can’t afford the testing now required in the CPSIA.  At a time when we need entrepeneurs, the CPSIA squeezes them out of the market.

Now the CPSC wants to put the squeeze on yard sales.  They don’t threaten any action if you don’t follow their guidelines … yet.  But publishing a full-color, 28-page pamphlet that includes folks holding garage sales along with commercial sellers and resellers indicates a desire to go in that direction.

This is Government nannyism at its absolute worst.   What next?  FDA inspections for bake sales?  Already the local governments are interfering in them.

Flea markets, bake sales rummage sales, thrift stores, these are all parts of our community heritage of sharing and, well heck recycling.

Take the widget you don’t need.  Sell it, or perhaps donate it to let someone else sell for charity.

But no.  God forbid someone might buy that widget from you and be irresponsible with it, and of course it is your fault.

It’s ridiculous.  The government is intent on making our lives safe and sterile, whether we like it or not.

And they are choking out our communities to do it.

Trackposted to Blog @ MoreWhat.com, Rosemary’s Thoughts, third world county, Allie is Wired, Nuke Gingrich, Woman Honor Thyself, The World According to Carl, The Pink Flamingo, CORSARI D’ITALIA, and Right Voices, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.