When life hands you lemons.…
Once upon a time, putting up a summertime lemonade stand was the American way for kids to learn about hard work, good will, and entrepreneurship. Almost every kid had one, making some spendable profit selling the nectar.*
Some of the youngsters grew up to become Bill Gates and Steve Jobs and, well, lemonade’s one heck of a gateway drink.
But then, along came “progress” — that is, mandates and regulations slapped upon businesses. And the hordes of regulators required to enforce the morass of rules — “swarms of Officers.”
Soon lemonade stands were vanquished from our neighborhoods.
And America was made safe (at long last!) for … inane bureaucracy.
“Reports of kids’ lemonade stands being shut down for breaking local health or permitting laws have long left grown-ups feeling sour,” today’s Wall Street Journal informs. But the story also details how “a growing movement of adults is fighting back.”
So, when government policies hand you lemons, what do you do?
Make a map of all the lemonade stand clampdowns.
“I think the Constitution covers [lemonade stands] as written,” Dave Roland told the Journal, explaining the map he and his wife Jenifer have produced. “But if there’s any doubt about that, let’s get it fixed.” The Rolands run the Freedom Center in Missouri, but theirs is a regrettably national map.
Last month, the popular lemonade maker Country Time started “Legal-Ade,” pledging to come to the defense of any kid “busted” for trafficking in lemonade.
Seriously.
“When life gives you arcane laws,” the company’s video says, “make lemonade.”
Taste the Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.
* The profit was made possible largely by pushing their costs off onto their parents. But isn’t that sorta what parents are for? And good lessons were still learned.
2 replies on “Taking a (Lemonade) Stand”
Many years ago, when I was in a ““44 and over” softball league (I’m 74 now) I was on my way back home, which was 30 miles away, and after a full day of playing I was dead tired, and THIRSTY. My traffic route took me through a family neighborhood and low and behold I saw a very rare thing. A lone lemonade stand in front of a house. Wow! Just what I needed. I had to go around the block , because I was going too fast to stop abruptly, and parked. I was in a hurry to get home, but I had to stop at this stand. The boy behind the stand was alone and there was no one else that I could see around. I purchased a small cup of lemonade. Wow!! That was the best tasting lemonade I ever had. I wound up buying almost a gallon of the it. Yes, I could have stopped at any hamburger stand or 711 store, but whenever I see a kid running a lemonade stand I always turn around and throw my business his/her way. The product is 99% good (it’s homemade) and usually better than the commercial stuff. This is America, where taking a risk and setting up your own business is where its fundamental economic strength comes from. We are shooting ourselves in the foot if we allow government to interfere with children establishing businesses, unless of course it’s something that would in fact hurt the public. No one checks or sets standards for all those fruit stands run by illegal aliens or the little outdoor kitchens set up on the sidewalks of Hollywood that make and serve hot foods to passersby after a theatre performance, yet we harass our own kids with safety standards and, yes, even attempt to tax them on their profits. Good grief,Charlie Brown!!
I love to go back and look for VERY interesting articles. This is one.
YES, the long arm of government here to keep us safe. Just love the old adage, “hello, I am from the government and here to help you”.