[ACCEPTED] Do You Have Artistic License?

[Goolsbee]

Can't say I've ever submitted an issue before, but I don't think any current issues really touch on the topic of occupational licensing. I made the mistake of prematurely submitting something similar without soliciting feedback here, and didn't keep a separate copy.

#772: Do You Have Artistic License? [Goolsbee; ed:Caracasus]

The Issue
Disaster! The organizers of a charity dinner you are attending have been forced to cancel a scheduled stand-up routine by Jerry Fallon, famous comedian and headliner, because he has not renewed his entertainer’s license. During the commotion, several of the nation’s great and good also in attendance have come to your table to argue their positions on occupational licensing.

The Debate
1. “This shows why we must end licensing once and for all!” splutters Conan Kent, Chairman of the @@DEMONYMADJECTIVE@@ Freer Enterprise Committee. “I ask you, who do you think is best placed to decide who is qualified? Some stuffed shirt bureaucrat sitting in a comfy office in @@CAPITAL@@ or the employer? Leave it up to the free market to decide! If folks don’t think much of a plumber, electrician or doctor then they’ll vote with their @@CURRENCYPLURAL@@!”

2. “Don’t listen to this laissez-faire claptrap,” sneers consumer advocate @@RANDOMNAME@@, discreetly shoveling vol-au-vents into @@HIS@@ pocket. “Occupational licensing protects consumers from incompetence and harm. We should be expanding the scope of licensing! Just look at the shoddy workmanship on these table decorations!”

3. “My children’s babysitter doesn’t need a license to do a good job, but we obviously need to enforce certain standards for important professions where people’s lives are at stake - like doctors,” observes Dr. @@RANDOMNAME@@, President of the @@DEMONYMADJECTIVE@@ Medical Association. “The best way to protect the public and to keep out the riff-raff is to require a letter of recommendation to the licensing board from established and respected associations, such as mine.”

[title] Do You Have Artistic License?

[validity] Moderate to low economic freedom

[desc] A charity dinner you attended last night cancelled a scheduled standup routine by the famous comedian and headliner Jerry Fallon because he had not renewed his entertainer's license. After some commotion, a group of lobbyists in attendance came to you to argue their positions on occupational licensing.

[option]"This shows why we must end licensing once and for all," says @@RANDOMNAME@@, Chairman of @@DEMONYMPLURAL@@ for Free Enterprise. "It's not the government's place to act as the gatekeeper for any honest line of work. Leave it to the market to decide who is qualified to do these jobs, not bureaucrats in @@CAPITAL@@! Sure, some practitioners might perform shoddy work and do some harm, but the benefits surely outweigh the costs. Besides, that's what the courts are for!"
[effect]dentists routinely perform heart surgery

[option]"Don't listen to this laissez-faire claptrap," says @@RANDOMNAME@@, a consumer advocate. "Occupational licensing protects consumers from incompetence and harm. On that note, I saw a florist selling some dreadful flower arrangements; if anything, we should expand occupational licensing even more!"
[effect]unlicensed @@ANIMAL@@ groomers are regularly raided

[option]"There is a compromise, you know," whispers Dr. @@RANDOMNAME@@, President of the @@NAME@@ Medical Association. "My kids' babysitter doesn't need a license and does a fine enough job, but we most certainly need to enforce licensing requirements for some important professions, like doctors and engineers. The best way to protect the reputations of these professions is to require a recommendation to the licensing board from professional associations such as mine, with the happy consequence of reserving room for the best @@DEMONYMPLURAL@@, such as my children," he pauses, "or your nephews."
[effect]the lower classes are virtually locked out of many high-earning professions

[title] Do You Have the Fool's License?

[validity] Moderate to low economic freedom

[desc] A charity dinner you attended last night cancelled a scheduled standup routine by the famous comedian and headliner Jerry Fallon because he had not renewed his entertainer's license. After some commotion, a group of lobbyists in attendance came to you to argue their positions on occupational licensing.

[option]"This shows why we must end licensing once and for all," says @@RANDOMNAME@@, Chairman of @@DEMONYMPLURAL@@ for Free Enterprise. "It's not the government's place to act as the gatekeeper for any honest line of work. Leave it to the market to decide who is qualified to do these jobs, not bureaucrats in @@CAPITAL@@! Sure, some practitioners might perform shoddy work and do some harm, but the benefits surely outweigh the costs. Besides, that's what the courts are for!"
[effect]dentists routinely perform heart surgery

[option]"Don't listen to this laissez-faire claptrap," says @@RANDOMNAME@@, a consumer advocate. "Occupational licensing protects consumers from incompetence and harm. On that note, I saw a florist selling some dreadful flower arrangements; if anything, we should expand occupational licensing even more!"
[effect]unlicensed @@ANIMAL@@ groomers are regularly raided

[option]"There is a compromise, you know," whispers Dr. @@RANDOMNAME@@, President of the @@NAME@@ Medical Association. "My kids' babysitter doesn't need a license and does a fine enough job, but we most certainly need to enforce licensing requirements for some important professions, like doctors and engineers. The best way to protect the reputations of these professions is to require a recommendation to the licensing board from professional associations such as mine, with the happy consequence of reserving room for the best @@DEMONYMPLURAL@@, such as my children," he pauses, "or your nephews."
[effect]the lower classes are virtually locked out of many high-earning professions

[title] Do You Have the Fool's License?

[desc] A charity dinner you attended last night cancelled a scheduled standup routine by the famous comedian and headliner Jerry Fallon because he had not renewed his entertainer's license. After some commotion, a group of lobbyists in attendance came to you to argue their positions on occupational licensing.

[option]"This shows why we must end licensing once and for all," says @@RANDOMNAME@@, Chairman of @@DEMONYMPLURAL@@ for Free Enterprise. "Leave it to the market to decide who is qualified to do these jobs, not bureaucrats in @@CAPITAL@@!"
[effect]dentists routinely perform heart surgery

[option]"Don't listen to this laissez-faire claptrap," says @@RANDOMNAME@@, a consumer advocate. "Occupational licensing protects consumers from incompetence and harm. On that note, I saw a florist selling some dreadful flower arrangements; if anything, we should expand occupational licensing even more!"
[effect]unlicensed @@ANIMAL@@ groomers are regularly raided

[option]"There is a compromise, you know," whispers Dr. @@RANDOMNAME@@, President of the @@NAME@@ Medical Association. "My kids' babysitter doesn't need a license and does a fine enough job, but we most certainly need to enforce licensing requirements for some important professions, like doctors and engineers. The best way to protect the reputations of these professions is to require a recommendation to the licensing board from professional associations such as mine, with the happy consequence of reserving room for the best @@DEMONYMPLURAL@@, such as my children," he pauses, "or your nephews."
[effect]the lower classes are virtually locked out of many high-earning professions

[title] Do You Have the Fool's License?

[desc] A charity dinner you attended last night cancelled a scheduled standup routine by the famous comedian and headliner Jerry Fallon because he had not renewed his entertainer's license. After some commotion, a group of lobbyists in attendance came to you to argue their positions on occupational licensing.

[option]"This shows why we must end licensing once and for all," says @@RANDOMNAME@@, Chairman of @@DEMONYMPLURAL@@ for Free Enterprise. "Leave it to the market to decide who is qualified to do these jobs, not bureaucrats in @@CAPITAL@@!"
[effect]dentists routinely perform heart surgery

[option]"Don't listen to this laissez-faire claptrap," says @@RANDOMNAME@@, a consumer advocate. "Occupational licensing protects consumers from incompetent tradesmen and professionals who would harm them. On that note, I saw a florist selling some dreadful flower arrangements; if anything, we should expand occupational licensing even more!"
[effect]prospective @@ANIMAL@@ groomers require training through increasingly competitive apprenticeships

[option]"There is a compromise, you know," whispers Dr. @@RANDOMNAME@@, President of the @@NAME@@ Medical Association. "My kids' babysitter doesn't need a license and does a fine enough job, but we most certainly need to maintain licensing requirements for some important professions, like doctors and engineers. The best way to protect the reputations of these professions is to require a recommendation to the licensing board from professional associations such as mine, with the happy consequence of reserving room for the best @@DEMONYMPLURAL@@, such as my children," he pauses, "or your nephews."
[effect]the lower classes are virtually locked out of many high-earning professions

[title] To License A Gardener

[desc] Occupational licensing has grown to more occupations than ever before, concerning many citizens.

[option]"End licensing once and for all," says @@RANDOMNAME@@, Chairman of @@DEMONYMPLURAL@@ for Free Enterprise. "Leave it to the market to decide who is qualified to do these jobs, not bureaucrats in @@CAPITAL@@!"
[effect]dentists routinely perform heart surgery

[option]"Nonsense," says Sir Mumphrey Appletree, Permanent Secretary of the Administration of Bureaucratic Affairs. "The occupational licensing regime protects public confidence in @@NAME@@'s most important professions, and the licensing boards give us somewhere to put the more troublesome members of the civil service. Thinking about it, I was rather miffed when a florist tried to sell me a most dreadful arrangement; we should expand the licensing regime some more, I say."
[effect]@@ANIMAL@@ groomers require extensive training through increasingly rare apprenticeship programs

[option]"There is a compromise, you know," says Dr. @@RANDOMNAME@@, President of the @@NAME@@ Medical Association. "My kids' babysitter doesn't need a license and does a fine enough job, but we most certainly need to maintain licensing requirements for some important professions, like doctors and engineers. The best way to protect the reputations of these professions is to require a recommendation to the licensing board from professional associations such as mine, with the happy consequence of reserving room for the best @@DEMONYMPLURAL@@, such as your nephews."
[effect]the lower classes are virtually locked out of high-earning professions

[Frieden-und Freudenland]

Very nice issue for a first trial, congrats!

I think you should be using @@NAME@@ instead of @@NATION@@.

Is there a specific reason you chose "To License a Gardener" as your title?

Similarly, perhaps I don't get the joke, but is there also a specific reason you chose "Sir Mumphrey Appletree" as the name of the speaker in Option 2?

[Goolsbee]

I think you should be using @@NAME@@ instead of @@NATION@@.

Whoops, corrected.

Is there a specific reason you chose "To License a Gardener" as your title?

I wanted a title that emphasizes the ridiculous reach of occupational licensing.

Similarly, perhaps I don't get the joke, but is there also a specific reason you chose "Sir Mumphrey Appletree" as the name of the speaker in Option 2?

It's a reference to the BBC's Yes Minister and its deuteragonist Sir Humphrey Appleby.

[Candlewhisper Archive]

A fellow fan!

You might enjoy issue 696, "No, Minister", which includes Jem Hacker, Brian Butcher and Humphrey Pearby.

Of course, the downside is that I've "used up" that reference, so we probably wouldn't use it again.

Good first draft though, will take a closer look at it later.

[Caracasus]

A fellow fan!

You might enjoy issue 696, "No, Minister", which includes Jem Hacker, Brian Butcher and Humphrey Pearby.

Of course, the downside is that I've "used up" that reference, so we probably wouldn't use it again.

Good first draft though, will take a closer look at it later.

Though I love both Yes Minister and its spiritual successor The Thick of It, I find I simply can't watch too much of it anymore. Seems a little too close to reality some days...

As for the issue. My first thought is this. You need to make sure that you show, and don't tell in your initial description. Think about an event, possibly involving you (the leader of the country) that could have prompted it. Don't tell my my citizens are concerned and that this is a problem, show me!

I like the gardener premise, so how could that be worked in?

[Australian rePublic]

Hello and welcome to Got Issues! It's always nice to see a new writer!

This is brilliant for a first draft

You might want to explain what you mean by occupational licensing

[Frieden-und Freudenland]

How about this?

Issue Title Proposal: Do You Have the Fool's Licence?

Description: when you went to a comedy club last night with your advisors to attend the stand-up show of the famous comedian Russell Brandy (or any name you can think of) after a hectic day of work, you learned that the show was cancelled, because Mr. Brandy did not have a licence to work as a comedian. One of your advisors brings it to your attention that occupational licensing has grown to too many occupations and it might be time for regulation.

P.S. I use "fool" in the sense of "jester" here of course. In Shakespeare's plays you can sometimes see the fools (the court jesters) say very bold things, even subtly insult the royals, because they have the Fool's Licence to do so. That's why I picked a comedian here.

You could also try it with "poet's licence" perhaps, for a heightened comic effect. A poet could be barred from writing or reciting poems, because s/he does not have a licence, etc.

[Goolsbee]

You might want to explain what you mean by occupational licensing

Some governments require a license to pursue certain trades or professions or offer certain services to the public. Most governments have reasonable occupational licensing laws, such as for electricians, doctors and lawyers. In an extreme example, the State of Louisiana requires retail florists to have a license from the state in order to do business. Or are you saying that the description should help the reader understand occupational licensing?

How about this?

Issue Title Proposal: Do You Have the Fool's Licence?

Description: when you went to a comedy club last night with your advisors to attend the stand-up show of the famous comedian Russell Brandy (or any name you can think of) after a hectic day of work, you learned that the show was cancelled, because Mr. Brandy did not have a licence to work as a comedian. One of your advisors brings it to your attention that occupational licensing has grown to too many occupations and it might be time for regulation.

P.S. I use "fool" in the sense of "jester" here of course. In Shakespeare's plays you can sometimes see the fools (the court jesters) say very bold things, even subtly insult the royals, because they have the Fool's Licence to do so. That's why I picked a comedian here.

You could also try it with "poet's licence" perhaps, for a heightened comic effect. A poet could be barred from writing or reciting poems, because s/he does not have a licence, etc.

This is brilliant.

[Trotterdam]

[option]"End licensing once and for all," says @@RANDOMNAME@@, Chairman of @@DEMONYMPLURAL@@ for Free Enterprise. "Leave it to the market to decide who is qualified to do these jobs, not bureaucrats in @@CAPITAL@@!"

In many cases, the free market will ask for a license. Businesses aren't keen on hiring people for important jobs who can't demonstrate that they have the relevant training.

[Goolsbee]

I've added a second draft incorporating some suggestions from the thread and eliminating the Yes Minister reference.

[Frieden-und Freudenland]

Great, I love the new draft, and I also like the way you have rendered my wordy suggestion into a witty and succinct description.

I find the effect line of option 2 a bit too direct. It could possibly be more subtle.

Actually, one consequence of requiring licenses for every petty job is that you will also need institutions/training courses that will grant these licenses, right? So this could give rise to many weird occupational schools being opened all across the country.

For example, I am not sure whether hotel maids or janitors need a licence to do what they are doing. Maybe you could use that.

So the effect line would be something like:

"hotel maids in @@NAME@@ have to pass a pillow-fluffing exam to get a licence."

or

"janitors in @@NAME@@ have to attend a floor-mopping school to get a licence."

or something like that.

[Goolsbee]

I changed the second option's effect line and changed the option text a bit.

[USS Monitor]

Haven't read the earlier drafts, but the current one looks pretty good.

[Goolsbee]

Revised the text of the first option and added a validity condition.

[Candlewhisper Archive]

Yeah, really good. I'm sure we'd tweak it prior to publication, but looks very solid.

I'd probably suggest though that the title should be "Artistic License".

[Goolsbee]

Retitled and submitted. Thanks for the feedback!

[Goolsbee]

The issue was accepted on the 15th. Thanks for the feedback, everyone!

[Fauxia]

The issue was accepted on the 15th. Thanks for the feedback, everyone!

Congrats! I recently received it with one of my nations!

Oh hey, my 100th post!

[Australian rePublic]

Congragulations!

[Caracasus]

The issue was accepted on the 15th. Thanks for the feedback, everyone!

A solid premise, a well written issue and constructive criticism/feedback from the community was taken on board. I enjoyed editing this one. First of many I hope!

This may entertain you all. It turns out that we cannot produce an issue more ridiculous than what real life throws up - even when we try!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-40679075

[Frieden-und Freudenland]

The issue was accepted on the 15th. Thanks for the feedback, everyone!

A solid premise, a well written issue and constructive criticism/feedback from the community was taken on board. I enjoyed editing this one. First of many I hope!

This may entertain you all. It turns out that we cannot produce an issue more ridiculous than what real life throws up - even when we try!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-40679075

Haha, this is nothing. Turkey beats you all!

http://www.birgun.net/haber-detay/polic ... 70701.html

FYI, this is a random T-shirt sold by a Turkish clothing company (similar to Banana Republic, I could say) and they were found in all their stores. One of the Gulenists tried for having taken part in last year's coup attempt wore one of those T-shirts when he attended a court hearing, and now everyone who happens to be wearing the same T-shirt is rounded up by the police.

------------------

Btw, I also loved this issue. Congratulations on its publication!

[Candlewhisper Archive]

Aw man, now I want one of those T-shirts, just to show solidarity. I mean, I'm not gonna wear it to Turkey, because I'm not THAT brave, but it'd be a fun thing to own.

[Frieden-und Freudenland]

Aw man, now I want one of those T-shirts, just to show solidarity. I mean, I'm not gonna wear it to Turkey, because I'm not THAT brave, but it'd be a fun thing to own.

I think, if these days pass and we can see better days, those T-shirts might end up having historical value. Procuring one now could make you rich in the future.

But you can't buy them now. The clothing company was afraid and they stopped manufacturing those T-shirts. They are no longer sold in their website. I think they will destroy their stocks, too.

I wonder what is next?

"The Gulenists have been found to be wearing shoes, so we will arrest everyone who is not walking around barefoot and try them for treason"?

[Caracasus]

A solid premise, a well written issue and constructive criticism/feedback from the community was taken on board. I enjoyed editing this one. First of many I hope!

This may entertain you all. It turns out that we cannot produce an issue more ridiculous than what real life throws up - even when we try!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-40679075

Haha, this is nothing. Turkey beats you all!

http://www.birgun.net/haber-detay/polic ... 70701.html

FYI, this is a random T-shirt sold by a Turkish clothing company (similar to Banana Republic, I could say) and they were found in all their stores. One of the Gulenists tried for having taken part in last year's coup attempt wore one of those T-shirts when he attended a court hearing, and now everyone who happens to be wearing the same T-shirt is rounded up by the police.

------------------

Btw, I also loved this issue. Congratulations on its publication!

Wow. You see, if someone posted the whole T-shirt thing as an issue I think I'd probably tell them it was too silly to be an issue and while we aim for satire and exaggeration that would be taking it too far...

[Tinhampton]

I wonder what is next?

"The Gulenists have been found to be wearing shoes, so we will arrest everyone who is not walking around barefoot and try them for treason"?

We already have the option to implement the Foot Tax (or at least an option referencing it), if you want something that ridiculous...?