Dear List, I hate government - there is little good that comes from it. One aspect to testing and licensing by government is that it closes off opportunity. I am a "retired" or just "tired" general insurance broker. For fifteen years I looked after people's home, auto, and business insurance - and hated almost every moment of it. The companies were always looking for the grey areas and how little they could pay on a claim, and the clients always felt that they were being ripped off. - Maybe they were! When the stress of the job got so bad that I was advised by my doctor to get out or else, I tried to decide what a guy with an American BA in music could do in Ontario, Canada. When I had graduated, Ontario wouldn't accept my teachers certificate (they will now) and I was up to the hilt in debt and ended up in the insurance business. After some thought, I decided possibly I could tune a piano. I ordered Randy Potter's course and realized there's a lot more to this than tuning. If there had been some government regulation requiring that I meet some government testing I could not have been able to make the switch, because in Ontario at the time you couldn't be an insurance agent part time and do something on the side. It was all or nothing. And being licensed and tested in the insurance business is absolutely no guarantee of proper ethics or caring for the insured's concerns. I say down with all such restrictive laws. You succeed in this business if you give people good service and piano care. Government workers are a good example of how many times slothfulness is well paid by simply passing requirements. I guess that explains why I am still an Associate member. I have been a victim of government regulation in the past and do not want that to happen to the piano business. Meeting standards or being licensed does not guarantee good or honest work - only good old integrity does that - and that is earned one person at a time. I joined the guild to obtain education and help. I have received both in abundance. But I have no desire to be an RPT just to put it on my business card and look more important and give the government some reason to "regulate" the piano business to "protect" the public. Nor do I want to deny some other frustrated guy in whatever field of the great opportunity there is to enjoy life by doing something he enjoys. Minimum standards do not always guarantee standards - neither does licensing in my humble opinion. Boy - this ought to offend someone out there. Sorry - just one man's political opinion from somewhat bitter experience. Paul Plumb, B.Mus., Plumb Pianos
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