Even Child Labor Laws Aren't Immune from State Assaults

A Missouri state senator wants to turn back the clock a hundred years and repeal child labor laws, letting children under 14 hold jobs with no restrictions on the number of hours or time of day worked.

Republican Sen. Jane Cunningham thinks the laws protecting children infringe on the right of parents. In fact, she doesn't even want the state's Division of Labor Standards to be able to inspect employers for child labor law violations.

Right now in Missouri, children under 14 aren't allowed to hold jobs, and 14- and 15-year-olds need work permits. Cunningham doesn't think that's fair.

She's almost, but not entirely alone, in her bizarre pursuit. U.S. Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) is also railing against child labor laws, claiming they're unconstitutional.

The irony? Lee claims it's the states' job to regulate child labor. "This may sound harsh, but it was designed to be a little bit harsh," Lee says, explaining his interpretation of the Constitution on YouTube. "Not because we like harshness for the sake of harshness, but because we like a clean division of power, so that everybody understands whose job it is to regulate what."