National Bankruptcy Day: Five Things I'll Miss

Dana of Whimsical Walney requested that in commemoration of today, National Bankruptcy Day, all bloggers list five things they'll miss now that CPSIA has put them in jeopardy. Here's my list.

1. Thrift Store Pants. Sonshine has a reputation for rapidly tearing out the knees of his pants. It is such a formidable reputation that new pants still in the bag, on finding out that they are destined for Sonshine's drawer, will rip out their own knees in despair. We haven't had to buy him a pair of shorts in years; we just finish the job he started and add a hem. New pants seem to last no longer than used pants, so there was never much point in buying him new ones. I guess now that thrift stores won't be carrying anything with metal parts like rivets and snaps, we'll have to buy him new ones.
2. Adorable Cloth Diapers. I have to admit I've always leaned toward the sterile, bleachable, venerable white cloth diaper. But my kids prefer the cute ones with duckies and dogs and such. Knuckles is always asking for his "animals" diaper covers. If I had the money right now, I'd be demoting his worn-out, fraying hand-me-down "butt rags" and getting him some nicer WAHM-made diapers-- before they become completely unavailable.
   
3. Trading For Stuff. I'm known on Etsy as a "trading slut"-- I'll trade with anyone. When I get something I think Princess would like, I give it to her. When we do craft shows or farmer's markets, I let her negotiate a trade of her own, usually for a cute little toy or some children's jewelry. Too bad those things will be too much of a liability to even bring to craft shows.
   
4. Cottage Industry. Harnessing the part-time power of people who can't hold down traditional jobs improves our nation's productivity-- and as we know, increasing productivity means increasing wealth. Complicated, expensive regulations like CPSIA drive out cottage industry. I don't know about you, but I rather liked that my great-grandparents had chosen the wealthiest nation in the world in which to raise their progeny. With wealth come luxuries like medical care for non-life-threatening conditions like autism, and food buying options for conditions like food allergies.
   
5. Government I Could Believe In. I used to think that while government would bumble around, it would eventually come to something approximating a good solution. I used to think that while Democrats and Republicans disagreed on how to make our country a land of liberty, they both shared the same goal. I no longer believe that. Oh, I still believe they share the same goal-- I just think the goal is to preen themselves and get invitations to all the best Washington parties. They talk a good game at re-election time, but between elections they don't give a flying fig newton about peons like you and me.