The WTO is part of the “New World Order”(not so new but repackaged) that globalists require. Why is it that Bush never files complaints with them? What will happen when there is “nationalitic blowback” ?

And Taters observation regarding the one toy tester-I did overlook that. Thank you Taters for including it.

As for the writer of this diary, I don’t think I would try to talk him/her out of voting for Hilary. I would probably feel very strongly about it too. I also believe that Hilary would do a good job as president if she is elected. I will vote for any Democrat, to keep the Republicans out of the White House.

One of the best books I have read during my lifetime is Hilary’s book, It Takes a Village to Raise a Child. After reading it, you can’t help but look at children differently, and how our society impacts on what kind of people they become. I also am not surpised at HRC’s support for the programs that have direct impact on the well being of the children of our society, and indeed the world.

I think there are several democratic candidates out there who would make good presidents. (I’m not setting the bar too high, am I???). I know we must elect a Democrat, but I don’t want to see the candidates, or their supporters trash other Dem or Independent cand. Why give added ammunition to the media for hype and BS??? I am sorry I live in Michigan, and that my primary vote will not count. So, I am just waiting to see who is chosen…

Just got back in town from family gatherings, and am starting to catch up with the blog entries… Had a great week and holiday, and miss the kids who are around the world tremendously, but talked to all of them and everyone is safe and well. I have been praying and hoping that all of you here would have a joyous and blessed holiday, which ever holiday you celebrate personally at this time of year… I also ask you to continue to remember those men and women who are or have served this Nation in its Military and Foreign services and who are away from their family and friends during this time. and above all, I pray for Peace for our World, and all its peoples… May God’s Richest Blessings be on ALL of you. Marlene

And the CPSC is run by a woman who’s not an expert in consumer safety, but a former executive.

And Nancy Nord flies on junkets paid for by those she’s supposed to regulate. She has turned down money from congress for more personnel and for better enforcement tools.
Years ago when Dan Aykroyd brilliantly portrayed sleazy toymaker Irwin Mainway, I thought it was a funny skit. Who knew it would be so prescient of “the market will take care of it” philosophy of current regulatory standards.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8Bpk5vixuY

Did you see this?

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/23/us/23toys.html?hp

Susan,
Even Scaife funded Joseph Farah’s whacked out World NutNet Daily (A home to such reasoned folk as Coulter,Savage & Corsi, among others)is on the side of the consumer and is expressing a degree of disgust in regards to the influx of lead (and worse)tainted toys via China. And even if it’s xenophobic, it has done some investigation on the matter. Not to mention even a drunken blind hog can occasionally stumble up on an acorn.

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=59309

And from what I understand,lead ingested by infants and toddlers can lead to an IQ. An example was given as 40-50 points on a SAT.

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/business/july-dec07/toys_12-20.html

I’d love to see some powerful legislation get through that gives the FDA, Agriculture, and CPSC a lot of money to hire and train inspectors. Since we can’t get decent inspections in countries like China, we have to have inspectors at the ports to grab every item — at least one per shipment, ideally — and test them. It’d be very, very expensive.

As Leslie pointed out recently, we have problems with products made here but at least we would be able to swoop down on those companies and every plant, and oversee them.

I keep finding things to worry about, it seems. My cats love any wet cat food with fish in it. But I fear that the fish all comes from those horribly polluted fish farms and waters in China — just because that fish is so much cheaper. I’ve promised myself I’m going to call one of the pet food companies this coming week, and ask them if they’ll reveal to me where the fish come from. In the meantime, I’ve got the cats eating organic canned food that is turkey and chicken only, and thankfully they love it. Their favorite brands: Innova/Evo, Evanger’s, and By Nature Organics, all of which are canned in Illinois — and which I buy by the case from Amazon, at great savings, even with the shipping. And I’ve got the UPS drivers trained to knock, give me time to get to the door, and put the package on my sofa.

Btw, my daughter’s C’mas present to me was a new comforter with a beautiful cover — which I needed badly. It’s so soft and fluffy. The cats, snort, love it. And she made sure it was made in the U.S.A. — Sealy brand. She’s become an expert at finding goods made in the U.S., which can be very tough to find.

Probably most voters are looking at the candidates for what each might or might not do for them personally.

I need to think about that — truly interesting, Charles.

Let’s use me as an example. My rational, ideal side always brings up the Supreme Court first: That we need to protect the Court by nominating a Democrat who can win and who knows how to get a Supreme Court nominee confirmed (which takes a lot of experience with the entire process). My very PERSONAL side always goes here first: Social Security. I am truly terrified that if we elect a Republican because we’ve nominated a Democrat who’lll prove easy to beat, my future income and health care will be shredded by a Republican president who’ll privatize and decimate Social Security reserves.

Just an additional thought: MarkJay, a username, is an academic of some note. This is but one of his “diaries,” as they’re called at MyDD and DailyKos. I should have made it more clear in the post, but if you click on his username in the first sentence, you’ll see all the stories he’s written at MyDD:
http://markjay.mydd.com/
— he’s got all kinds of topics there, including universal health care, and even one on autism.

(I’ve gone blank on his username at DailyKos, or I’d give the link to those diaries.)

There’s an important lesson in there for all politicians. Your supporters aren’t giving you their time and money because you have an impressive resume or because you’re a nice person or because you belong to a particular party. They’re there because you did or they expect you to do something of great personal importance.