Posted on 08/05/2010 11:07:58 AM PDT by markomalley
Nanny State-ism at its best. See the cute little girl running the lemonade stand. Where normal look at her and say "Awwww" Oregon's health inspector shut her down because she didn't have a license.
Yup. The health inspector made her cry.
Oregon Live has this absurd but true story:
It's hardly unusual to hear small-business owners gripe about licensing requirements or complain that heavy-handed regulations are driving them into the red.What is wrong with these people. Seriously?
So when Multnomah County shut down an enterprise last week for operating without a license, you might just sigh and say, there they go again.
Except this entrepreneur was a 7-year-old named Julie Murphy. Her business was a lemonade stand at the Last Thursday monthly art fair in Northeast Portland. The government regulation she violated? Failing to get a $120 temporary restaurant license.
Turns out that kids' lemonade stands -- those constants of summertime -- are supposed to get a permit in Oregon, particularly at big events that happen to be patrolled regularly by county health inspectors.
"I understand the reason behind what they're doing and it's a neighborhood event, and they're trying to generate revenue," said Jon Kawaguchi, environmental health supervisor for the Multnomah County Health Department. "But we still need to put the public's health first."
"Technically, any lemonade stand -- even one on your front lawn -- must be licensed under state law, said Eric Pippert, the food-borne illness prevention program manager for the state's public health division."How does one even say something like that with a straight face.
Wow, but look at all of the attention this girl is getting from this, too. There’s probably people trying to donate money to her, just because of all of the attention that this is getting. Controversy sells.
We can’t have children leaning capitalism! She might grow up and start her own business - yikes!
Capitalism isn’t permitted in a Socialist society, Comrade. Anyone that doesn’t want Socialism is obviously crazy and should be committed to a mental institution.
If I paid for a licensed and inspected vendor’s permit for a monthly public event like this and somebody dragged a table out and set up and started selling their wares, I would complain.
If they want to have public events and attract crowds and raise money for the neighborhood, then they have to ensure that the vendors come to bring the attractions that attract a crowd.
If they don’t license vendors and sell space, how are they going to have their event?
Or do you chest-thumping people here think neighborhood festivals just happen spontaneously?
On the positive side she's getting a firsthand lesson in big oppressive government.
What do you tell him?
Sad story. Then again, another Portland liberal begins her conversion to consveratism.
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