The Handmade Toy Alliance is getting a boost from Etsy, which makes sense, because Etsy gets such a boost from the army of craftspeople and small business owners whose livelihoods are still set to be snuffed out by the industrial-scale safety and testing regulations put in place as part of the CPSIA, the 2008 law strengthening lead standards in childrens' products.
I don't want to be lead-tainted charm bracelet about the whole thing, but I can't see how the political jiujitsu unfolds in such a way that a CPSIA amendment becomes a reality, unless it's tacked onto something else as an afterthought and never gets a politicized working over.
The only thing I could imagine is people calling and emailing their representatives. And sure enough, that's what the HTA is asking for:
Whether you are an Etsy shop owner or concerned citizen who does not want to see handcrafted toys and other children's products disappear forever, your voice is needed. You can help by continuing to call your state representatives, especially those who are on the Committee of Energy and Commerce, and let them know what will happen to your business (or businesses that you frequent) when the stay ends in February. In our current economic crisis, it is more important than ever that small businesses be allowed to remain in operation!CPSIA: Handmade Toy Alliance continues the fight [etsy.com via dt reader sara]
Handmade Toy Alliance [handmadetoyalliance.org]
