The Political Orphanage Why You Need a License for Everything
13 snips
May 7, 2025 
Rebecca Allensworth, Associate Dean of Research at Vanderbilt Law, dives into the complex world of licensing regulation. She humorously critiques the absurdity of licensing exams, highlighting how they can stifle competition. The discussion reveals the struggles with self-regulation in sectors like healthcare and law enforcement, raising concerns about public safety. Allensworth argues for the need to reform licensing systems, advocating for greater transparency and focus on consumer access, especially for marginalized workers.
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Segway Tour Guide Licensing Racket
- Andrew Heaton's story as a Segway tour guide reveals licensing as a protectionist tool rather than safety measure.
- The licensing test content was irrelevant, designed to create barriers, benefiting existing professionals.
Scope of Licensing in U.S.
- 20% of U.S. workforce is covered by professional licensing overcoming unions and minimum wage.
- Licensing is the most significant labor regulatory system impacting tens of millions of workers.
Licensing Boards as Guilds
- Licensing boards act like medieval guilds, dominated by current professionals who set entry rules.
- Boards protect their own, often resulting in easy treatment of misconduct within the profession.
