Licensing & Permits - Where Will It Stop?

[OldGuy43]

Woke up this morning and while drinking my first cup of coffee got to thinking about licenses. First, let's look at the meaning of the word;

License, from the Latin root licentia, meaning an unwarranted freedom.

So, when you apply and are issued a "license" by a governmental agency you are essentially bribing the issuing agency to allow you to do something that you have no right to do? Makes you go, "Hmmmm."

Let's start with the one that most of us have or at least had, a marriage license. If you were married in a traditional Christian ceremony it probably began with these words, "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today in the sight of God and in the presence of this company..." or words to that effect. If you're Jewish or Muslim, as I understand it there are still references to the deity.

Now that being the case the way I see it, a marriage is a contract between two people and their deity. That means that you need the government's permission to make a pact with god? That ain't right!

Moving on, let's take another common one, the drivers license. Knew an elderly gentleman once who, after failing his exam for the 5th time was told that until he passed he wouldn't be able to operate a motor vehicle. It was at that point that the examiner said, "So, I guess we'll be seeing you next week?" The old fella responded, "Nope, I give up." Shocked, the examiner said, "But you can't drive without a license!" The look on the examiner's face when the old man said, "Heck-fire sonny, I was drivin' before folks had to have a license. I still know how!" was priceless. Probably true, too. The old guy had never(!) had an accident in his life.

I grew up in a union state, but Texas is a right-to-work state. When you mention unions hereabouts what you usually hear is, "I don't want to pay somebody to work. kThe funny thing is that instead of paying a union that has a teaching program you pay the great state of Texas for a license to work and get nothing back. here's a (I'm sure by-no-means all inclusive) list of some of the things that are licensed by the the state:

Air Conditioning and Refrigeration
Architectural Barriers
Auctioneers
Barbering
Boiler Safety
Combative Sports
Cosmetologists
Electricians
Elevator / Escalator Safety
For-Profit Legal Services
Identity Recovery Service Contract Providers
Industrialized Housing and Buildings
Licensed Breeders
Licensed Court Interpreters
Loss Damage Waivers
Polygraph Examiners
Property Tax Consultants
Property Tax Professionals
Service Contract Providers
Staff Leasing Services
Temporary Common Worker Providers
Tow Trucks, Operators and VSFs
Used Auto Parts Recyclers
Vehicle Protection Product Warrantors
Water Well Drillers and Pump Installers
Weather Modification

I invite your attention to "VSF" on the list. I had a hard time finding out just what that was. It stands for Vehicle Storage Facility, and such a thing is defined as an area that will be used to store 10 or more vehicles per year for any period of time, ie. a parking lot. That ain't right!

The one that I found just plain funny is last on the list, "Weather Modification". Yep, just what it sounds like, RAIN MAKERS are licensed by the state of Texas. Interestingly "Licensed Breeders" is limited to those who breed cats and/or dogs. Say what?

And this doesn't begin to touch on the permits and licenses required by other governmental bodies. Permits to build a chicken coop, a play or tree house, a fence or put up a sign advertising your business just to name a few.

This has gotten completely out of hand!

 

[Chickie'sMomaInNH]

over here we have to have plumbers licensed. they also have to be licensed to do any gas fittings and work with that stuff. home owners are not supposed to do any of that stuff themselves anymore. it seems a few years ago someone who installed their own gas tank did it wrong and blew up their house. unfortunately their child was in the house when it happened. i suppose i can understand when it is a dangerous job to make sure the person is qualified by going through the courses and 'licensed' to do the job as a sign they are keeping up with changing trends and regulations involved. electrical work is the same now. if you go to sell your house and there is any unlicensed changes done that a permit wasn't applied for, it can affect the sale of your house. :/

we have a friend that is a licensed master plumber so i get to hear about all the stuff he has to go through each year just to keep his licenses in this stuff. he has a lot of construction friends that have helped us out with house stuff.

 

[897tgigvib]

Ole guy, some of those need to and should be licensed, when it comes to real safety, the electricians, the gas line installers, house inspectors. Lawyers should be forced to pass an extremely rigorous test to make sure they know right from wrong. Most of them would fail the first few times of course...lol! And yea, I feel better knowing elevators and escalators are taken care of by folks who pass a test...

...but then these other things...

Licensing cat and dog breeders? That one is questionable, but it is a good idea to make sure they are not doing the unethical things, like having a kitten or puppy factory, putting out too many of them, or not taking care of them right. That one should be an easy license to get, and they should be subject to an annual unannounced checkup, only to ensure the animals are cared for right, they are not overpopulated, in good health, fed right, decent cleanliness practices. If left on their own, there sure would be unscrupulous folks doing all kinds of wrong.

Maybe barbers and cosmetologists could have a tiered licensing. A basic safety license good for 10 years, pass a good hands on safety test. Don't want a barber cutting an ear off or poking an eye, or a cosmetologist letting hair dye in some lady's eyes. Or the better ones could pass a quality test every few years if they'd like to.

But kids tree forts? I don't know about that. On the other hand, when I was a kid, some years earlier someone made a tree fort WAAAAAAAAAAAAYYY the heck up an Oak that my little brother, being all fearless, climbed up to, and then could not get back down. Luckily Carl Schenk, the botany author nowadays, was home from college and we went to go get him. He got a bunch of mountain climbing ropes to get my brother down. Maybe tree forts could just be looked at by any fireman or policeman to decide it's safety. Have fun kids, but use bigger nails for those steps, and I'll throw ya in the klink house if you fall down out of it!

Naw, licensing should just be for safety, and much easier to get in general...

 

[dickiebird]

I drove for years without a drivers license, that never effected the way I drove.
I did discover my license expired and was reexamined, passed the written with 100% but they claimed they did not score the driving portion. Just pass or fail, I passed!!!!
I wire my own electrical, plumb my own gas and I'm willing to take the blame for any problems I make for myself.
To me most licensing is only a way for the "govmint" to TAX me, and I'm already TAXED TOO MUCH!!!!

THANX RICH

 

[Chickie'sMomaInNH]

yeah, i've never really understood why they want licenses for things that they don't really check up on. people will breed dogs or cats regardless if they are 'licensed' or not. if they don't bother to get them spayed/neutered then it's just a matter of time before the animals are having babies on their own.

 

[canesisters]

A parenting license would be a good thing.. sometimes, I think.
:/

And perhaps one for ownership of any sort of pet.

But then.... WHO would issue them? Who should decide what makes a good parent or pet owner? And who gets to test, inspect & enforce those licenses?

 

[thistlebloom]

A parenting license would be a good thing.. sometimes, I think.
:/

And perhaps one for ownership of any sort of pet.

But then.... WHO would issue them? Who should decide what makes a good parent or pet owner? And who gets to test, inspect & enforce those licenses?

Precisely.

 

[OldGuy43]

Admittedly I didn't try to verify any of these, but here are some examples of abuse of power through licenses and permits:

In California it is illegal to set a mousetrap without a hunting license.
In Florida it's illegal to skateboard without a license.
In Massachusetts it's illegal to wear a goatee with out a license.
In Nebraska it is illegal for a mother to give her daughter a perm without a state license.
In New York a license must be obtained for hanging cloths on a clothesline.
In Oklahoma women can't do their own hair with out being licensed by the state.
In Tamarack, Idaho it's illegal to purchase onions after dark except with a special permit from the sheriff.
In Missouri a man must have a permit to shave.
In Walden, New York you can't give someone a drink of water with out a permit.
In Oklahoma dogs must have a permit signed by the mayor in order to congregate in groups of three or more on private property.
In Beaverton, Oregon you must buy a $10 permit to install a burglar alarm.
In Hood River, Oregon juggling without a license is prohibited.
In Morrisville, Pennsylvania women need a permit to wear cosmetics.
In Texas you can't go bare foot without getting a special $5 permit.

I'm assuming that most of these aren't enforced, but...

 

[dickiebird]

"In Missouri a man must have a permit to shave."

I knew there was a reason for me not to shave!!!

THANX RICH

 

[OldGuy43]

"In Missouri a man must have a permit to shave."

I knew there was a reason for me not to shave!!!

THANX RICH

No problem.

O.G.43