Dont Rationalize the Lye LiesBy Heather Callaghan Firstly, do you really think the republicrats of this world lie awake at night, wringing their hands for your health and safety? Do they care for the small guy? Every past example screams NO! And do you know of any bloated handmade soap empires? Any artisanal soap kings that should be dethroned? No, only corporate soaps, many of which are made by pharma companies. We know what this Act is really about eroding the ability to make your own soap and ending a humble side income. Just like other predecessors with safety in the title, it means the complete opposite here. The Personal Care Products Safety Act (S. 1014) will punish artisan soapmakers with annual fees, registrations, licenses, inspections and a requirement for detailed information on everything. One could see where if soap craftspeople were hung out to dry, it would affect not only them, but those with chemical sensitivities and allergies, developing children, those with skin diseases and disorders, websites like ETSY, local events that sell booths, and.farmers, nuns and monks? Yes. Farmers use personal body care such as from extra goats milk to supplement their often abysmal income. It wouldnt be worth doing if this act goes through which specifically targets income from homemade body care. Farm-to-Consumer-Legal-Defense-Fund to address some rationalizations with a Facebook status update. Perhaps people were trying to find some reassurance and go whew! theres hope. Commenters brought up an exemption for makers bringing under $100,000 (but it never stops there!). FTCLDF mentioned the plight of farmers, but also pointed out that its $100,000 in GROSS sales. Which is really nothing if you consider someone trying to support a family with an additional income, and that gross does not factor anything else.They use the FSMA and Tester Hagan Amendment as just one of many examples where the government has a proclivity for ignoring their exemptions. And, Just because it currently has this floor, doesnt mean that they wont arbitrarily change it or get rid of it all together. Think about the small operations that supply health food stores? Gone. It truly is a war on small business; make that micro biz, individual-to-individual. What this act essentially does is makes sure that a profit is not possible. At all. Someone must either keep way under the mark (because remember supply/labor expenses dont count with gross sales amounts) or take a huge hit and risk being utterly in the red. In other words, it wouldnt even be worth it to try. Once again there is no legitimate need for this act. We are talking about non-consumable goods not used as drugs or medicine. Elephant in the room the government is forcing people to use carcinogenic, endocrine-disrupting, petro-chemical store junk. One commenter said she would have to drop soapmaking if the act goes through. She adds, the market is only free for those who make millions and can get corporate welfare. And why should that be? If this is rationalized through, it wont stop at the $100,000 gross sales mark, especially if its under the guise of safety. Isnt it funny how something can be deemed safe for the right price? Back to nuns and monks. The non-religious might wish to rationalize and ask how this affects them. Yet it would be hard to deny that nuns, monks, and other disciples view charity as an action, whereas others have too many limitations and obligations. They practice and master old trade skills like shoemaking, candle and soapmaking to be more independent from consumer needs and further their charity. Soapmaking used to be a way to supplement the convents and monasteries. However, what most people dont realize is that the product proceeds must now go support mandatory health care under Obamacare.See: If you like your nun soap, you cant keep your nun soapSo what now of making a supplemental craft into a commercial entity, but without the corporate breaks? This just goes to show that if you want to escape the madness of the system, you cant even run to a convent to do so. Fortunately, it doesnt take much effort to contact your reps. TheHandmade Cosmetics Alliancemade an easy form to follow, although its always good if you can use your own words. As an aside, the HCA reminds the reps of the political incorrectness of disempowering predominantly female workers; 300,000 of which are members of HCA. Contact Congress. If we let this happen, then we cannot also say, theres always a way to get by in this world, use your talents, use your passion, start a side business! Not if we let them get snuffed out in increments. The goal for America, if we let it, is austerity and toxicity. In a word: dependency. Heather Callaghan is a natural health blogger and food freedom activist. You can see her work atNaturalBlaze.com and selfnewsPost.com. Like at Facebook. Recent posts byHeather Callaghan: Very good article Heather. Theres been a severe drought concerning glycerine based soaps, to the point that its almost impossible to find now. All you can find now are tallow based soaps which are disgusting. I was thinking it was because of the glycerines potential for explosives. The regulations would be the final nail. Crony capitalism at its best!! Thank you! And how odd 