\n\n“And why should government officials be able to exercise such power and control? If they believe people are violating rules (whether wise rules or the ever-expanding web of stupid ones), let them prove their point in front of courts that might or might not uphold the charges. Does that sound more difficult? Good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It should never be easy to deprive people of their liberty or their means of making a living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But government officials want<\/em> to be able to punish people without jumping through hoops or risking push-back. They like<\/em> a permission society, in which offending the powerful can result in the revocation of grants of privilege without formality or delay. A system of privileges rather than rights puts everybody at risk of officials’ pleasures, if it doesn’t drive them underground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That’s good enough reason to get rid of licensing requirements.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n