Topic: So You Think You Can Be a Hair Braider?

[Pandora]

I have to admit most NPR shows are, to put it gently, not to my liking.

However, they are now exposing the lunacy of occupational licensing, and I commend them for this audio segment and article.

Click here or below to listen (4 minutes):

They rightly note that members of many professional organizations are simply using occupational licensing to fight off honest competition—even to the point of banning hair braiding without a license. The gall of these people is astounding.

    “Why It’s Illegal To Braid Hair Without A License”

    Jestina Clayton learned how to braid hair as a girl growing up in Sierra Leone. When she was 18, she moved to America. Got married, had a couple kids, went to college.

    When she graduated from college, she found that the pay from an entry-level office job would barely cover the cost of child care. So she decided to work from her home in Utah and start a hair-braiding business.

    She found a little niche, braiding the hair of adopted African children. To find new business, she posted an ad on a local Web site.

    Then, one day, she got an email from a stranger. “It is illegal in the state of Utah to do any form of extensions without a valid cosmetology license,” the e-mail read. “Please delete your ad, or you will be reported.”

Read the entire article here.

Expanded piece here.  Yes.  I know it's the NY Times -- think broken clock.

The Republican majority in NC's legislature recently passed new licensing laws on a whole slew of occupations.  NOT HELPING, PEOPLE!

[Libertas]

Yeah, NPR will get their panties in a twist over hair-braiding becuase, well, who gets their hair braided?  Let's get PO'd about everything and strip the books of 90% of the BS causing all the problems!

[EW1(SG)]

Licensure requirements are one way for established businesses to limit competition.

Think "crony capitalism."

So yes, NPR and the NYT are going to be upset when one of their oxen is gored, but crony capitalism is wrong no matter which side it comes from.

[IronDioPriest]

Licensure requirements are one way for established businesses to limit competition.

Think "crony capitalism."

It's also just a blatant method of controlling the marketplace and making sure government receives the firstfruits of any labor. Government uses licensing and regulation to make itself a primary consideration when taking entrepreneurial risk.

Before you can deal with anything else, you must deal with compliance, which sets the stage for your business relationship with government from the word "go". That's a major reason why in this economic climate, so many entrepreneurs are saying, "not now".

[EW1(SG)]

Licensure requirements are one way for established businesses to limit competition.

Think "crony capitalism."

It's also just a blatant method of controlling the marketplace and making sure government receives the firstfruits of any labor. Government uses licensing and regulation to make itself a primary consideration when taking entrepreneurial risk.

Before you can deal with anything else, you must deal with compliance, which sets the stage for your business relationship with government from the word "go". That's a major reason why in this economic climate, so many entrepreneurs are saying, "not now".

Ayup.

[Pandora]

Licensure requirements are one way for established businesses to limit competition.

Think "crony capitalism."

It's also just a blatant method of controlling the marketplace and making sure government receives the firstfruits of any labor. Government uses licensing and regulation to make itself a primary consideration when taking entrepreneurial risk.

Before you can deal with anything else, you must deal with compliance, which sets the stage for your business relationship with government from the word "go". That's a major reason why in this economic climate, so many entrepreneurs are saying, "not now".

Or "not ever".  That is THE main reason I never went into business for myself; I couldn't imagine having to kowtow to all the damn rules and regulations and stay reasonably sane.

Not that long ago, the county fingered -- for the State -- a local woman holding jewelry making classes in her home.  Not ADA-compliant as regards ramp/special bathroom/etc.

[Libertas]

Nothing will change until bureaucrats and politicians on the wrong side of liberty start suffering from a mass outbreak of lead poisoning...but I personally don't know anything about that of course.