Thanks for the ping, adding some pings & a BTTT!
This is one thing that really gets me, my husband got laid off 6 weeks ago, and it is the beginning of “yard sale” season here. In an effort to try to bring in more money I was going to start collecting things around the house that my children had grown out of, and other various items that were “collecting dust” (toys, books, knick-knacks, etc...). I guess that idea may be a bad one now — like I can afford to risk THOUSANDS in possible fines???
These new regulations are just one more way our overstepping Federal Government has made being self-sufficient that much harder. When your family find themselves in need at an inopportune time you will suddenly realize that almost EVERYTHING charity wise is connected in one way or another to the government. Any REAL help (besides enough for a few meals through a church or neighborhood pantry, for instance) is ALL administered through the government and in some cases you are basically handing over a great many decisions and personal freedoms in agreeing to accept gov’t help (like food stamps, or gov’t subsidized health care programs). Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad for the sake of those like us who only need TEMPORARY help that these things are there, but the fact that I need to go to the GOVERNMENT/SOCIAL SEVICES to get help really bothers me.
It would be so ideal if the members of a community could come together WITHOUT the government and provide essential services to those in trouble within the community. There would also be WAY more accountability, and WAY less fraud. (People committing fraud and using the system as a “way of life” are the ones that have made it so hard for family’s like my own to seek TEMPORARY HELP. It’s as if they WANT you on the rolls for a LONG TIME — Just like my husband’s unemployment waives his job search requirements as he’s been termed a “temporary Lay-off” (in which ‘temporary’ is basically just a way for his company to deny him his accrued vacation pay).
[Note: my husband isn’t waiting around he’s applied, or at least inquired to every shop in person within a reasonable area, and he has used the phone book to inquire to places out of typical driving range and such. We’ve gotten a good “bite” — details on that at the bottome of my post]
Sorry for the little rant there...
Back to the yard sale stuff: Besides, what am I to do with these things now — I can’t sell them, and if I give them to a thrift store, IIRC they need to send the stuff to be tested before THEY can sell it, and usually the stuff will end up in the GARBAGE because charities like the Salvation Army can’t afford testing fees and such! (Maybe that’s an issue to bring up with enviro-liberals about this law — so much trash will be accumulated in our landfills as a result of this law).
I know creative people can “get around” these laws, and I don’t see garage/tag/yard sales to end... If anything seeing a neighbor fined for holding a garage sale would be one more thing that would wake America up.
In fact, I may just hold that garage sale after all in an act of “civil disobedience”. I will follow all my STATE and LOCAL regulations (don’t think we need a permit, but I’ll check, etc...). I’m right off a busy street, so chances are I’ll have a good sized “crowd of witnesses” if I hold it on the right weekend. Then if the Feds decide to come and try to fine me, or arrest me at least I’ll have witnesses as I said, and the ability to REALLY raise a big ‘ol stink about these regulations and how it hurts the average American — I’ve got a great angle seeing as how I’ve got four kids and a “temporarily laid-off” husband, too. They’d look like the jerks they really are for fining someone in my situation, frankly. (I’ve also got medical issues at the moment that would work to my defense and show them as cruel and heartless.)
I’m envisioning a rather funny scenario at the moment — Many communities hold “neighborhood garage sale” weekends and such and widely advertise them. Do you think the Feds are going to send their Black SUVs and folks with printed windbreakers, or your typical “Men in Black” to descend on these neighborhoods and fine all the homeowners en masse?
It’s the ENFORCEMENT of these laws that will immediately cause people to see what an incredible JOKE this is...
[As for that job “bite” — Thanks be to God, my husband has a walk-through for a job tomorrow and may be working again by next Monday! So hopefully my garage sale plan, and seeking gov’t based assistance at this point WON’T be necessary after all — Prayers are greatly appreciated!]
Prayers going out for you & your family.
hideous horror abounds from D.C. and wherever the oligarchy scum zap their orders to puppets like OThuga traitor in chief.
Like I said previously, I'm not a yard sale person. But why should I make demands on what other people enjoy?
Our dog barks, which no doubt irritates my neighbors. But she lets strangers know we are protected. In this day and age, that's not a bad idea.
The more I have thought of this entire Obama administration, the more I believe they are insane. I mean that sincerely.
America -- a great idea, didn't last.
Ping about garage sales