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Hope and change--and children's books

By: Michael Barone
Senior Political Analyst
08/06/09 3:54 PM EDT

One of the unanticipated effects of the 2008 Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act is that you won’t be able to buy children’s books published before 1985. Among those lamenting that fact are the Atlantic’s Megan McArdle, overlawyereed.com’s Walter Olson and radio talk show host/Orange County lawyer Hugh Hewitt. Olson and Hewitt have been all over this story.

How did Congress come to ban pre-1985 children’s books? Well, it’s simple. The CPSIA banned all products aimed at children under 12 which contain even trace amounts of lead. Children’s books printed before 1978. Books printed before 1985 may have been printed with lead in their pigments.

Never mind that those trace amounts have never been shown to injure anyone.  Never mind that 11-year-olds, for example, are not in the habit of gnawing their books, chipping off the print and swallowing it. The CPSIA gives the Consumer Product Safety Commission no leeway to employ common sense; it just bans.

And also, as a payoff to Democrats’ trial lawyer paymasters, it provides for enforcement not only by the CPSC but also by state attorneys general and by trial lawyers. Thrift shops and used book stores stocking pre-1985 children’s books could be sued out of existence by your state’s Eliot Spitzer or by your local (insert name of recently jailed trial lawyer). Who wants to take that chance?

Congress so far has refused to revisit the issue, and stores are pulping perfectly wonderful old children’s books. This is hope and change?

 



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Reader Comments

All comments on this page are subject to our Terms of Use and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Examiner or its staff. Comment box is limited to 250 words.

Shanghaied

Aug 6, 2009

From the same wonderful people who ruined our flush toilets and gave us poison light bulbs.

 

JS Huntlands

Aug 7, 2009

Set in today’s day and time, Me and My Best Friend is about a young boy, his faithful companion and their exciting adventures.

Henry and Liam are the best of friends and they do everything together. They can run and play all day long. But when Henry the puppy gets tired and tries to take a nap, three-year-old Liam keeps waking him, wanting him to play some more. Will Henry get any rest?

Get your children involved with this beautifully illustrated book. Your child will love to match up words and pictures, and find Liam, who keeps hiding in his bedroom. Perfect for the young reader!




About the Author

J.S. Huntlands is the author of Nick Twisted Minds and is currently working on more books in this series, as well as 23 more books in the Me and My Best Friend series. Huntlands is a full-time writer, as well as a mom to a wonderful four-year-old boy. This book is dedicated to her son in hopes that he never forgets his best friend.

 

lwrc06

Aug 7, 2009

Wow. this is the first I've heard of it.

 

Craig

Aug 8, 2009

Pre-1985 children's books don't promote homosexuality or socialism, so maybe this was the intent of the bill.

 

teach2002

Aug 13, 2009

This is news to me! Some of the best lessons are those that have been proven over time and incorporate literature. It is sad that I may not be able to get these books for my students. Just to put you at ease, I normally do not let my students eat their books.

 

Leah DiMarco

Sep 5, 2009

The books that you will find in new bookstores and on Amazon dot com have been printed after 1985. They are not banning 'titles' only the paper that contains the lead. You will still be able to find new printings (lead-free) of all popular books, most books have multiple printings.
I really don't see a problem here.

 

Nagrom

Sep 9, 2009

Leah - The idea is that a lot of titles, which many of us treasure from our childhoods, are no longer in print. As we start having kids, and little nieces and nephews we'd like to share our treasured childhood memories with, finding some of those books means turning to older copies - Which are no, apparently, illegal.

 


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