Category: Regulations

Sand Lot Baseball

On By scottpetersenIn Regulations, Sand lot baseballLeave a comment

[A repeat from June 7, 2013] When I was a kid, I played sand lot baseball. We would get 15 to 20 guys on any given Saturday morning in the park by Sunset School.  Two of the older boys (age 12 or 13) would pick the teams. “Meyer” “Shutt” “Kaspari” “Wilkes” “Knox” “Barsi” “Hodson” and so on. “Petersen” was usually one of the last picked.  But no hard feelings. And the game would begin.  Boys ran the game. There were no adult coaches or overseers. When a kid slid into second base and the tag was close, 10 year old boys would decide “safe” or “out.” Sometimes there would be an argument. A shove. Then it was back to baseball. It worked like a charm. . . . Regulations were not needed.  We made the rules as we went along. . . . . and they were fair.    

Government, however, is different.  We are one of the most regulated and heavily-taxed countries in the world.  And it’s getting worse.  Layers and layers of government, laws, ordinances, regulations, policies and such.   And there is a tax on everything.   Government grows incrementally.  Counties.  Cities.  Districts.  Municipalities.  Townships.  School districts (13,506 in the U.S. with 852 of them in Illinois alone).  Each with its own rules.  Regulations.   Employees.  Whereas it used to be that (not long ago) 1 out of 15 of those employed in America were government workers. Today it is 1 out of 4.6 (Bureau of Labor Statistics).   And many earn more than they would in the private sector.  The government does not trust its citizens to play sand lot baseball.   It seems like the government wants to regulate our lives and make decisions for us.   And government grows.  With more employees.  More taxes.  Sound cynical?  If you disagree, call me – I have a bridge in Brooklyn that I’d like to sell you . . . . .

Regulations

On By scottpetersenIn RegulationsLeave a comment

There are times when “government” (at some level) needs to step in and “regulate” businesses, banks, products and such. But from my perspective, a lot of “regulation” is uncalled for, counter-productive and downright destructive. I think back to when I worked at our family business – Chicago Paper Tube & Can Company. “CPT” as we called it – was small. With about 20 employees.

One day the Chicago Fire Department fire inspector came in to check things out. He did a “tsk tsk” and said that we needed to have “aisle markers” – to identify the route one might take to get to an exit in case of emergency. If we didn’t do it within 30 days, there would be a daily fine. So we did it.

Months later, a representative from Illinois OSHA came in. He did a “tsk tsk” and said our aisle markers were inappropriate. He said they needed to be widened by a few inches. We told him that the fire inspector had given the okay to the ones we had. He laughed – “I don’t care what he told you. You change them or we will fine you.” So we changed.

Probably a year later, the federal OSHA inspector came in. Hands on his hips he declared that the aisle markers were all wrong. They had to be of a defined distance. Made of elevated tape protrusions. And of a certain – yellow – Pantone color. We told him that the Illinois OSHA inspector had approved what was there. His eyes narrowed and he spat “if you don’t change it, we will fine you on a daily basis.”

What is a business to do – when regulations at cross-purposes are enforced? What about stupid regulations? Some people believe it is government’s job to impose layer after layer after layer of regulation until businesses are snuffed out, employees laid off and companies leave the city or state for more hospitable climates. Or just die. This is precisely what is happening today in some states today. Stifling – out of control (often unnecessary) – regulation. Can there be too much regulation? What should businesses do when they are regulated out of existence? What should employees do when they are laid off? If you’re a big fan of regulations and government controls – let me know your thoughts.