Never ceases to amaze me that our wonderful Federal Imperialist government would want to "mandate" changes in business practices that would cost companies money but, as usual, won't do anything to alleviate the problems that cause companies to outsource in the first place - namely taxes. fees and meaningless regulations. This thread has touched a nerve with me also 'cause of the social by-word of the year - Windfall profits. Somehow, $1 a toy profit doesn't sound like a "windfall" to me. That number may be wrong but its probable not far off. Its amazing to me that the same people that complain about "windfall profits" of companies are the same people that complain about the economy. Well, sorry to say folks but the economy can't grow when you all are begging the Government to interfere with a company's ability to make money.

Until the government ends the way it sucks the lifeblood out of companies, this problem won't end. With increasing costs in manufacturing, its only gonna get worse. This generation of consumers ought to be trying to get the government monkey off the back of our economy, but they're too busy trying to increase its influence. Wanna talk about a price increase? I've even talked to someone who complains incessantly about the economy but he wants our Government to pass a law prohibiting US Companies from outsourcing.

 

...that sucks.


But I love the last quote in the article:

For her twin sons' birthday next month, McMorow will be avoiding traditional toys and looking at playswings or a sand box. "Nothing they can chew on or swallow," she said.

So children cant swallow sand? And what if the fall off the swing set (WTF is a playswing?) Your kids arent safe. Get over it.

 

Sand also houses an insane amount of bacteria and other possible pathogens.


I just get pissed off that a company that should be conducting their own QC checks on the safety of their product decides not to in effort to maximize profits, and keep investors happy. Then when they screw up they simply pass their liability on to the consumer rather than absorbing it internally (through reduction of executive wages, etc). Then they go on to tell the consumer that safer toys cost more because of added checks, but these checks should have been going on anyways. So, now in the end the end consumer gets hit with a ten percent surcharge. To me it is a total screwjob, and shows the only ones who are held accountable ever are the consumers.

 

10% isn't bad, since minimum wage is going up almost 40% I'm sure major toystores will have to raise prices too.