Safe Children v. Free Trade Accords

The latest horror stories about lead-laced toys imported from China may stir Congress to pass legislation providing overdue funding and enforcement authority to the beleagured Consumer Product Safety Commission. But testimony given at a House hearing Thursday raised the prospect that the World Trade Organization could overturn new laws designed to safeguard Americans from unsafe Barbies and other imports.

Lori Wallach, executive director of the D.C.-based advocacy group Public Citizen, testified to the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee that while U.S. law enforcement is part of the problem the "root cause is U.S. trade policies." Wallach noted that following the 2000 decision to grant China most favored nation trade status (which paved the way for China's entry into the WTO), more than 80 percent of all imported toys are now being made in China.

Wallach asserted that any serious efforts to regulate these toys and other Chinese products are likely to be challenged by China in the WTO court. So far the U.S. has lost 86 percent of all cases brought before the WTO; the majority of them were claims that America's consumer and environmental safeguards were too restrictive

Fellow witnesses amplified Wallach's testimony and argued that the United States, in addition to hiring more port inspectors, needs to find a way to ensure Chinese factories are manufacturing safe products.

"Chinese officials estimate that 50 percent of exported products do not even comply with Chinese laws," said Mary Teagarden, who is a professor at the Thunderbird School of Global Management, a top international business school, and has visited Chinese factories. "Their system relies on self-regulation and we found that this does not work."

For its part, toy industry has been sending out conflicting signals. At yesterday's hearing, toy company officials called for establishing better safety standards in China. Today, Mattel said that it was the company's own design flaws, not Chinese factories, that were responsible for unsafe toys. Whoever is to blame for hazardous toys, if Wallach and others are correct, the effort to make toys safe could end up sacrificed on the altar of free trade, with trade rules--that were backed by both the Clinton and Bush II administrations--trumping laws that protect kids.

Comments (49)

1. You know one irony....

   The WTO is an "international organization". The kind that many on the Left USED TO put their trust in. It has member-states, a democratic voting body, and enforceable rules that can even effect the United States "like any other country".

   All in all, on trade, the exact model of what many WANTED from the United Nations for years (even to today).

   Maybe, just maybe...this might put a little concern in the minds of those "one worlders" that not every "international deliberative body"....has anybody's best interests in mind???

   Posted by Mask at 09/21/2007 @ 4:54pm

2. here's an idea...

   stop spoiling your kids with too many toys. sure they'll cry and whine...thats what kids do.

   give a kid a stick and let 'em make it into a toy.

   but now we know...chinese manufactured products tend toward dangerous shoddiness (they are cheap - duh!). buy such products and expect shoddiness and danger.

   or stop buying the precious little brats every piece of plastic crap they whine for to shut them up. they will be better adults for it regardless...

   what ya need vs. what ya want...

   Posted by ibbleblibble at 09/21/2007 @ 5:03pm

3. here's an idea...

   stop spoiling your kids with too many toys. sure they'll cry and whine...thats what kids do.

   what ya need vs. what ya want...

   Posted by IBBLEBLIBBLE 09/21/2007 @ 5:03pm

   well put. at what age does someone stop being a kid?

   Posted by frosty zoom at 09/21/2007 @ 5:27pm

4. Posted by FROSTY ZOOM 09/21/2007 @ 5:27pm

   huh? oh, sorry...just chewing on some chinese plastic here...

   Posted by ibbleblibble at 09/21/2007 @ 5:38pm

5. and the more i chew on it...the more rebublicanism...makes cents...er sense...mmmm....lead....

   Posted by ibbleblibble at 09/21/2007 @ 5:44pm

6. and the more i chew on it...the more rebublicanism...makes cents...er sense...mmmm....lead....

   Posted by IBBLEBLIBBLE 09/21/2007 @ 5:44pm

   Now that you're republicanized, get out and market that stick idea, make lots of money, and be HAPPY!

   Posted by MATTMAN at 09/21/2007 @ 5:48pm

7. Posted by MATTMAN 09/21/2007 @ 5:48pm

   hey! get yer lead coated republican chawin' sticks right here! the more lead that gits in yer bloodstream, the more mr. bush makes sense!

   thanks matt...on my way to my first buzillion here...i'll make a killin'!

   Posted by ibbleblibble at 09/21/2007 @ 6:04pm

8. IBBLE,

   "give a kid a stick and let 'em make it into a toy."

   Nice try...

   First, you must have them wear a helmut(govt approved), then they can't use it without a warning label that "when swung" it could hit someone causing injury, pregnant women are advised not go near a stick and children under 8 should not use without supervison of an adult...and even then, you may get sued...

   The stick, if domestic, must fit federal regulations during manufacturing, being union made, have health care included and be enviromentaly safe...disposing of said stick must be in a sanitary manner and the stick must NOT be made from endangered trees...stick can not, under any circumstances, be burned with open flame outside..

   The stick should not be used as a gun during play(you may be subject to losing custody of your children) and must not be used in games that require "winners and losers", and must be able to be used by wheeled chair kids and women(Islamic versions must be available on site) all OSHA regs must be posted and in Spanish..

   OH, YEAH...have fun...

   Posted by john maasch at 09/21/2007 @ 7:53pm

9. give a kid a stick and let 'em make it into a toy.---- Posted by IBBLEBLIBBLE 09/21/2007 @ 5:03pm

   Give a kid a stick, and he'll play for a day....

   Teach a kid to break off his own sticks, and he'll play for a life-time!

   (heheh)

   Posted by Mask at 09/21/2007 @ 8:06pm

10. Posted by JOHN MAASCH 09/21/2007 @ 7:53pm

    hey...i got some plans for a buzillion dollar idea...

    the fretful mother's best friend...the totally safe kiddie crash suit!

    made out of space age polymers and triple reinforced, the totally safe kiddie crash suit includes a built in fire extinguisher and up to an hour of breathable fresh air (depending on model). pouches inlude antihistimine for bee stings, a global sattelite geodesic locating system, plus remotely monitorable critical life support and monitoring. check johnny's pulse any time you can get on a computer! and the onboard minicam lets you see what your kid sees - all the time!

    by the tie johnny gets to college he'll either be so sick of you you'll never see him again, or so dependent on you you'll never get rid of him! or he'll accidentally step out in frnt of a steamroller one day cause he's been so overprotected his whole life he no longer has a lick of common sense in terms of self preservation and in that case...

    oh well!

    life - dangerous!

    Posted by ibbleblibble at 09/21/2007 @ 8:11pm

11. Posted by MASK 09/21/2007 @ 8:06pm | ignore this person

    give a kid a tree - and he'll fall out of it!

    Posted by ibbleblibble at 09/21/2007 @ 8:13pm

12. BTW, since this thread is completely degenerating....

    doesn't that "Chuck" show look completely awful, just from the banner headlines? Though the Ellen Barken/Cameron Diaz chick is kind of cute.

    Posted by Mask at 09/21/2007 @ 8:36pm

13. Posted by MASK 09/21/2007 @ 8:36pm

    yeah...i think nbc is overhyping it. that "on the side of the page" ad here is driving me nuts...first theres the hot blondie in her sexy cleavage body suit...then that dweeb looking guy, chuck, i guess...

    i better shut up...they pulled that swimsuit at the top of the page with the hot etnically ambiguous girl in the swimsuit after i made slightly lewd comments about it, but i'm sure i overimpute my importance, as usual...

    ah, solipsism...

    Posted by ibbleblibble at 09/21/2007 @ 8:43pm

14. mattel was apologizing to the chinese today...i dont get it.

    Posted by ibbleblibble at 09/21/2007 @ 8:45pm

15. kudos to rabbi waskow, by the way, on the main page.

    great piece...thats a cool rabbi...

    Posted by ibbleblibble at 09/21/2007 @ 8:48pm

16. Posted by IBBLEBLIBBLE 09/21/2007 @ 8:11pm

    Better of to have an abortion and avoid all the potential hazards, depression, insecurity, self esteem issues ...not to mention having health care or worse yet, having to out and actually work in order to eat..

    better to terminate....save legal fees.

    Posted by john maasch at 09/21/2007 @ 8:50pm

17. or.....

    Show the kid how to play with his "own" stick...doesn't even need friends...

    Posted by john maasch at 09/21/2007 @ 8:51pm

18. Posted by JOHN MAASCH 09/21/2007 @ 8:51pm

    lol...reminds of an old joke...

    Posted by ibbleblibble at 09/21/2007 @ 9:25pm

19. Posted by IBBLEBLIBBLE 09/21/2007 @ 8:43pm

    IBB, you SOB...DAMN! You were the one who ruined that bathing suit babe?!?!?

    Crap!

    (heheh)

    Posted by Mask at 09/21/2007 @ 9:30pm

20. Posted by MASK 09/21/2007 @ 9:30pm

    sorry man...she was hot like obamagurl...i always found myself scrolling up to stare dumbly for a few seconds...just a simple pleasure of life...

    some femenazi must have gotten onto that...lol...

    Posted by ibbleblibble at 09/21/2007 @ 9:34pm

21. speaking of obamagurl...what happened to mad max blumenthal? guess they got a new crop of interns...

    i liked mad max blumenthal...struck a chord in me...

    Posted by ibbleblibble at 09/21/2007 @ 9:37pm

22. Posted by IBBLEBLIBBLE 09/21/2007 @ 9:37pm

    Probably getting ready to ambush a Giuliani rally...corner some Religious Right types and ask them questions "about Bill Clinton"...that are actually things from Rudy's life.

    Not "Triumph the Insult Comic Dog meets the Star Wars nerds"...but close.

    heheh

    Posted by Mask at 09/21/2007 @ 9:46pm

23. Posted by MASK 09/21/2007 @ 9:46pm |

    i think stewart or colbert should get a hold of mad max...

    i really think he got into some hot water for the obamagurl thing...lol...it was sooooo obnoxious....lol...i loved it.

    Posted by ibbleblibble at 09/21/2007 @ 10:05pm

24. Better of to have an abortion and avoid all the potential hazards, depression, insecurity, self esteem issues ...not to mention having health care or worse yet, having to out and actually work in order to eat..

    better to terminate....save legal fees.

    Posted by JOHN MAASCH 09/21/2007 @ 8:50pm

    speachless

    Posted by frosty zoom at 09/21/2007 @ 11:25pm

25. Posted by FROSTY ZOOM 09/21/2007 @ 11:25pm

    i told you maasch was cool...really...

    but kinda, sorta, back to the thread...

    its absolutely amazing the volume of plastic crap people buy their kids...kid gets new plastic crap...kid progressively breaks it within one day to one month...plastic crap ends up in biohazard plastic crap pile while kid is busy breaking newly acquired plastic crap...

    absurd! and the kid aint any happier...just wants more plastic crap...to break...

    Posted by ibbleblibble at 09/21/2007 @ 11:49pm

26. Posted by IBBLEBLIBBLE 09/21/2007 @ 11:49pm |

    the point i was trying to make earlier before you started eating plastic, is that it's not just the toys being bought for kids.

    it's everybody.

    stuff. stuff. stuff.

    people drive 23 minutes to go to sprawl-mart to save $1.45 on something they don't need and the gas costs them twice as much 'cause the chinese are buying it all.

    it's not just the kids.

    and think of the quality of product that is being sent to moldavia or managua.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 09/21/2007 @ 11:55pm

27. Posted by FROSTY ZOOM 09/21/2007 @ 11:55pm

    yeah...i used to wonder why the costa ricans, despite having such a low per capita income, seem to nonetheless, have a fair amount of stuff...

    its because they dont break all their stuff, throw it out then buy replacement stuff. when your shoe blows out...you take it to a cobbler...when your tv is on the fritz - get it fixed...

    but these days here its like even poor people have become...archivers and caretakers of tons of useless plastic crap...

    insane...

    Posted by ibbleblibble at 09/22/2007 @ 12:06am

28. it is insane

    and finite

    how can we grow and grow like the borg in this finite planet?

    BTW a most impressive output today!

    i've been a busy wasp, so i haven't read much.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 09/22/2007 @ 12:09am

29. and the crap gets filtered down.

    everybody i see says "oh, well let's get another one"

    another planet?

    Posted by frosty zoom at 09/22/2007 @ 12:10am

30. Ahhhahhahhahh

    She came from Planet Claire I knew she came from there She drove a PLASTIC CROQUET SET Faster than her friend's could get

    Planet Claire has cheap air All the trees are dead No one ever tries there No one has a head

    Ahhhahhhahhahh

    Some say we're from Mars Or one of the seven stars That shine at 3:30 in the morning WELL WE'RE NOT

    Ahhhahhhahhahhahhahh

    Posted by frosty zoom at 09/22/2007 @ 12:15am

31. BTW a most impressive output today!

    i've been a busy wasp, so i haven't read much.

    Posted by FROSTY ZOOM 09/22/2007 @ 12:09am

    i'm going into hiberNATION in a week or two. about to get real busy, posting here too much...sick of pontificating...pretty much got "it" outa my system...

    but i like to disappear from time to time...gotta stay a step ahead of the illuminati...or the gnomes of zurich...

    Posted by ibbleblibble at 09/22/2007 @ 12:17am

32. Posted by IBBLEBLIBBLE 09/22/2007 @ 12:17am

    been thinking of a news vacation, too.

    sometimes i think i'm just here driving my fellow humans insane.

    but my playing is getting way better because of this.

    got my neurons firing real quick.

    and after so much typing, my fingers are dancing well, as well.

    i hope my clakkety-clakk hasn't (isn't) been in vain.

    i know sometimes i'm cdn this or that, and youse (gringos) have your problems that you're trying to hammer out.

    i try not to get in the way, but i've discovered writing makes me feel goode.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 09/22/2007 @ 12:29am

33. BTW who is "randy anne"?

    i think i may know her.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 09/22/2007 @ 12:37am

34. Posted by FROSTY ZOOM 09/22/2007 @ 12:37am

    she's a self absorbed, greedy, heinous bitch...

    Posted by ibbleblibble at 09/22/2007 @ 12:44am

35. she's a self absorbed, greedy, heinous bitch...

    Posted by IBBLEBLIBBLE 09/22/2007 @ 12:44am

    does she make toys?

    Posted by frosty zoom at 09/22/2007 @ 12:46am

36. i know let's replace the plastic with stuff made from ice-nine. that should finish us off real fast.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 09/22/2007 @ 12:53am

37. Posted by FROSTY ZOOM 09/22/2007 @ 12:53am |

    pissants!

    nite frosty...

    Posted by ibbleblibble at 09/22/2007 @ 01:02am

38. its origin is with pismire, a 14th-century word for ant. [en.wikipedia.org]

    nightly.........

    Posted by frosty zoom at 09/22/2007 @ 01:11am

39. BLAKE: Lori Wallach, executive director of the D.C.-based advocacy group Public Citizen, testified....the "root cause is U.S. trade policies."...that following the 2000 decision....more than 80 percent of all imported toys are now being made in China.

    the effort to make toys safe could end up sacrificed on the altar of free trade, with trade rules--that were backed by both the Clinton and Bush II administrations--trumping laws that protect kids.

    Sorry, Ms. Wallach is mistaken! The "root cause" isn't trade policies...It's a combination of simple economics and the toy companies failure to exercise quality control. The problem maybe focused on China today, but it could just as easily be Mexico, Guatemala or Thailand where production costs for No-Tech products are just flat out dirt-cheap. Point is, even before 2000, most toy manufacturing had already left the US....anybody remember when Toys R Us was still supreme (my two kids grew up in their stores) and as Wal-Mart moved heavily into toys, what happened? Point is, cheap toys have been around for a couple of decades!

    The big toy companies (Mattel, Hasbro, etc.) SHOULD extensively test the products sold w/their labels....and when they don't and problems result, they are PUNISHED by the marketplace w/expensive RECALLS and stock value drops!

    There is another issue not directly related to toys....the simple reality of more children killed/maimed everyday due to adult negligence, like leaving them in hot cars or backing cars over them! A million cribs are being recalled over (I believe) 3 dead infants/toddlers....doesn't seem overly dangerous. I don't know....NOT saying that a better/safer design is not in order for future versions! Seems the money `lost' due to a massive recall, could be better `spent' by donating $10 million to some children's foundation that will save far more than 3 or 4 kids' lives.

    sorry, I can't help it....cost/benefits just run through my veins!

    Posted by Happy at 09/22/2007 @ 11:31am

40. Posted by HAPPY 09/22/2007 @ 11:31am

    yeah...i was thinking much the same...3 in a million? dont mean to diparage the pain of the families of those three, but...3 in a million?

    there IS an acceptable level of danger, legally speaking, in products...there MUST be. that ole death finds his way into even the safest, most secure bubble of safeness...

    and truly...how can we expect moronic parents who negligently raise their kids to use some common sense?

    less toys...more common sense and parenting...

    cruelty...handmaiden of kindness in this cruel world! (learn that one early - live much happier life...)

    Posted by ibbleblibble at 09/22/2007 @ 2:40pm

41. The problem maybe focused on China today, but it could just as easily be Mexico, Guatemala or Thailand where production costs for No-Tech products are just flat out dirt-cheap.

    by MR. HAPPY

    and, coming soon* to a (war-mart, freudian typo, this must remain) "wal-mart" near you:

    nigeria**

    *sooner or later (due to market forces, lack of skilled labour, greeed, etc.,)

    ** or the "next" place

    Posted by frosty zoom at 09/22/2007 @ 7:03pm

42. No-Tech products are just flat out dirt-cheap.

    by Mr. HAPPIER

    but we must ask ourselves, ¿at what "price"?

    in spanish they say "the lazy one works twice as hard"

    and we, europeans, (look at your arms, write a sentence), have been lazy for a long, long, time.

    sure we work, but we use more and more stuff so we'll have time to work, so, we use more and more stuff so we'll have time to work, so, we use more and more stuff so we'll have time to work, so, we use more and more stuff so we'll have time to work.

    work less, use less stuff.

    we are not borg.

    and because we need so much stuff in order to make more and more money (if time is money, does money equal time?),

    we want it cheap.

    but who pays the "price" for our laziness (yes! it slices, dices, chops, and grinds)

    right now, they do.

    not us.

    sure they get a job. but if we weren't,

    So Busy Being Lazy,

    they could get a better job.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 09/22/2007 @ 7:20pm

43. necesity - mother of invention

    sloth - the deadbeat baby daddy...

    Posted by ibbleblibble at 09/22/2007 @ 7:44pm

44. sorry, I can't help it....cost/benefits just run through my veins!

    Posted by HAPPY 09/22/2007 @ 11:31am

    by Mr. Happiest

    well that's good. SOMEBODY'S got to do the math.

    STUPORBOWL XLII FINAL RESULT--LIONS, 3,457.3; TITANS, 40 BELOW ZERO [azsuperbowl.com]

    see ¡YOU! in arizona [spoken like one of those footballish tv ads]

    (if DHS let's me in)

    now, can you, mr. shareholder, convince them to donate $10,000,000 dollars to help kids if they avoid lawsuits through thorough testing(h!)?

    excellent "ing"ing.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 09/22/2007 @ 7:46pm

45. sloth - the deadbeat baby daddy...

    Posted by IBBLEBLIBBLE 09/22/2007 @ 7:44pm

    actually, they seem like good parents [sloth-world.org]

    Posted by frosty zoom at 09/22/2007 @ 7:50pm

46. just a little slothful...

    Posted by ibbleblibble at 09/22/2007 @ 7:55pm

47. aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh [relaxation sound],

    life in sloth-world...............

    but,

    why can't we balance cost/benefits in balance,

    with kindness?

    Posted by frosty zoom at 09/22/2007 @ 7:55pm

48. just a little slothful...

    Posted by IBBLEBLIBBLE 09/22/2007 @ 7:55pm

    when she's pregnant.

    i.e full of sloth.

    slothless frosty must story time.

    slothless frosty threadeth sooneth.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 09/22/2007 @ 7:59pm

49. and so,

    the gluttonous sloth,

    climbs the plastic tree,

    complacently hanging

    in his topsy-turvy reality.

    a dead beat daddy,

    engendering a forest of vice,

    full of polypropylene plants

    that fit the decor "oh so nice"

    Posted by frosty zoom at 09/22/2007 @ 9:05pm