Here are the broad strokes, Save Jerseyans:
John McKeon is one of the state legislature’s reliable liberal votes. Like most Leftist politicians, the LD27 Democrat Assemblyman’s belief in big government, the “common good” and environmental pseudo-science only runs as deep as his own self-interest. Specifically, his protracted legal battle against an easement impacting his multi-million dollar beach home.
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His latest crusade is rid New Jersey of the scourge of oversized packaging. Heavy sarcasm there, folks! I know it’s not always easy to pick up off of the page (or the screen as it were).
Here’s Matt Friedman of Politico last Thursday:
“To celebrate the birth of his first grandchild in June, Assemblymember John McKeon ordered a “Baby on Board” magnet for his daughter and son-in-law from Bed Bath & Beyond.
The package McKeon received in the mail went beyond not just beds and baths, but seemingly reason itself.
“This was a magnet you could have put in an envelope. And it came in a box with packing materials. The box was at least 20 times larger than what was in it,” McKeon (D-Essex) said in a phone interview. “Something paper thin, about the size of your hand, that was put in a box the size of about three shoeboxes put together.”
By contrast, McKeon said he ordered a Baby Yoda-themed Baby on Board sticker from another retailer and it came in an envelope, which he considered the appropriate packaging.”
McKeon’s official response to this phenomenon: he’s sponsoring a new bill (A-2235) to fine large retailers the use shipping boxes more than double the size of the product itself. The fines would range between $250 to $500 for each individual offense.
Amazing, McKeon also admitted to Friedman that he didn’t know why retailers used big boxes but said “I’m sure I’m going to learn.”
So let’s review:
Legislator sees something strange when he orders a baby gift from Bed Bath & Beyond. Without first consulting the industry (!), he imposes a potentially hugely-expensive new regulation on these businesses, one which could get passed onto the consumer. Shoot first, ask questions later. All in the name of saving the planet from oversized boxes?
There could be perfectly logical logistical explanations for retail packaging elections depending upon the circumstances.
What about fragile ships? These packages get dropped… a lot.
I also find it hard to believe that fixing this issue would have much of an impact on our planet’s lifespan; guys like McKeon are, after all, the same “pro-science” Democrats whose lockdowns we now KNOW didn’t work.
What’s so obnoxious here is the process, Save Jerseyans. Statist legislators peddling personal anecdotes and making stuff up on the fly to grab a headline or two (CBS also picked up McKeon’s story) while creating the illusion that they’re accomplishing something useful. It happens every day in Trenton, and it contributes to the lack of substantive process on REAL issues like property tax reform.
The sooner voters wise up to the scam? The sooner we get the kind of government that could actually make a true positive difference for the people of the Garden State.
