BEYOND LUDICROUS

Government overreach is intruding into our private home kitchens.  In Virginia, for example, if you make some chicken noodle soup for your neighbors who are suffering from a bad cold or the flu, and they pay you for the ingredients, the food inspectors are going to make you get a food handler's permit and have regular inspections of your kitchen.  It is likely the city and/or county is going to require you to get a business license.  

In Arlington, government inspectors recently shut down a home-based soup maker, even though no customer complaints had been registered. 

The next step?  If you grow tomatoes and give some to your friends and neighbors, you're going to need a food grower's license.  If you invite your friends and neighbors over for a free dinner, you're going to have to have a food handler's training and certificate. If you allow your friend or neighbor to use your bathroom, you're going to have to have it inspected.  If you're friend or neighbor is in a wheelchair, you'll have to put in a ramp and lower the bathroom sink so they can get to it.  

If your neighbor has a child and the neighbor is in the hospital for surgery and asks you to babysit for a day or two, you're going to have to have a background check, get a license and take some state-mandated training.  If you drive them to the hospital or pick them up after the surgery, you'll need a public transit carrier's license.  If you have a dog or a cat, you'll need a livestock permit.  If you have a fish tank with tropical fish, you'll need a seafood permit.  If you snore at night, you have to pay a noise abatement tax.  

And we allow them to do these things to us? 

That's MY AMERICAN OPINION, respectfully submitted.