[BC] State licensing: Pro's and Con's

[Barry Mishkind]

At 01:12 PM 5/21/2005, Cowboy wrote
>  Methinks any attempt at state licensing a bad idea, such as they way
>  it is now illegal in Minnisota to plug in an extension telephone without
>  a state license, in any commercial facility.

         Most licenses ... not all ... most licenses are
         sort of a lobbied effort to accomplish the same
         as a union closed shop environment.

> > 1. Keep unqualified individuals out of the profession.
>
>  I know many "licensed" engineers who couldn't engineer their way
>  out of a paper bag.

         You mean like the "six week wonders" who
         used to adjust common point current by
         detuning the transmitter?

         Or the guy who wired the "hot" side of the
         AC to the rack frame?

> > 3. Employers/clients would have to hire licensed engineers.
>
>  Keeping ME largely unemployed.
>  I can not afford the time, if the money, to get 50 licenses !

         Or any engineer who gets tired of
         his employer screaming at him to
         ignore GEP ... and ends up having
         to move out of state....

> > 4. If the engineer is asked to do something stupid or illegal, he/she can
> > say, "sorry, but I could lose my license if I did that."
>
>  He can say something very similar now, if he will.

         But it really carries little weight. Without
         documentation, the FCC will do nothing,
         and even with documentation, the engineer
         may well find himself blacklisted in the
         days of consolidation......

> > 5. Engineers would regulate their own profession.
>
>  Tried, and failed.

         Tried?

> > 6. Licensed professionals make more money than unlicensed ones.
>
>  Ya think ?
>  I know what I made last year.
>  I doubt a license would help any.

         "... This is our budget for an engineer.
         Corporate says we can't spend any more."

>  Largely, I would personally oppose this thought

         [state licenses]

>, because it would put
>  nearly all broadcast consulting engineers out of buisness, and we would be
>  replaced by "licensed" but far less experienced and uninformed individuals.

         ... or roving bands of tv repairmen.