Let the Deregulation of America Start in the Barbershop

   The deregulation of America could start in the barbershop. We could rebel, you know, against government regulation and over governance. We could say we've had enough. The better part of the populace, I would guess, agrees America is over regulated.
   Yet nothing is ever done to turn the tide of regulations.
   A war begins with a single bullet. On April 12, 1861, Lt. Henry S. Farley fired a single mortar round from Fort Johnson and the Civil War was on. Even so, if a state were to line up a list of regulations it wanted to take out, the barber's license could be the first to go.
   Did you know all 50 states require barber licenses? Oh, I guess I would want to study the issue a little bit more before I fully called for legalizing non-licensed barbering. (Doesn't the pledge of allegiance says something about, liberty, justice and the freedom to barber for all?) Off top, barbering does seem a good place to start the revolt against the government sticking its nose into places it doesn't need to.
   I bought a barber's clipper the other day. My thought was this: If the attachments dictate how far the blade is from the head when I cut, how could I go wrong? The cut is going to be even. It doesn't matter whether I have a barber's license or not, the cut is going to be even.
   A couple days later, I ran into someone cutting a friend's hair. I almost laughed thinking how what he was doing was illegal. Tell me -- because I truly do not know -- why we require barbers to be licensed?
   I've run for public office before, and might well run again. I wonder, if I were elected, if I would have the courage to file a bill deregulating the barbering industry. Oh, I would want to study it, first, to make sure there isn't good reason for licensing, but it does seem at least a lot of the regulation could be done away with. If we keep some in place, at least do away with some. Perhaps, say that if a barber is using the clippers and attachments, then no license is required.
   With barber's licenses required in all 50 states, I imagine filing a bill against licensing would stir up a lot of opposition. Would I have the courage to file, anyway? And, would I be doing in my own political career if I did so?
   Or, is this just common sense, waiting for someone to shout it out?