Texas - Last Bastion of Freedom Giving in To Collectivist Malcontents

Mike H Said: Tom,

Actually, its just the opposite, in my stance.

Its the established old-guard that is promoting this garbage. I am a free market, buyer beware, do your homework mentality, that believes anyone that wants to try their hand at the trade should be able to do so without intrusion from the government. I applaud the entrepreneurial spirit, and welcome the competition.

I cannot compete on price with the newbie. I will sell my company and my service and my history. If an upstart can convince a customer to part with their money over me, then kudos to them. I hope its successful for the customer, and if its not, then I hope they got what they paid for.

What I dont want is the inept government handing the upstart a piece of paper that will read to the ignorant as XYZ is just as qualified as HRI. Thats BS, and an injustice to the consumer.

Well said.

The people who built this great nation weren't afraid of competing.

TomB Said: Mike,

State licensing can be a good thing, if its truly enforced. I do speak from first hand experience.

California is a far friendly place to do business for the law-abiding types, whereas Colorado is a haven for the unscrupulous. Colorado is also a buyer beware environment, whereas a consumer in California is afforded some solice, in that a roofing company is generally a legit business that must adhere to certain minimum financial and business management abilities

I can understand and somewhat empathize, as It may not be so attractive to long-established businesses such as yourself.

Tom, your own words make my point. Colorado is a "haven for the unscrupulous" and yet it has far more regulations on roofing than Texas.

This thing is far more complicated than merely inviting government into our lives and wallets and hope they will run it better than they do their other entities. As an example: Perhaps you should consider that the Front Range of Colorado (Pueblo, Colorado Springs, Denver) is and has been for decades the #1 region for hailstorms in the U.S. Don't you think that has something to do with the fly-by-night? It does! They go where the work is.

I would imagine that Oklahoma City has a lot more regulations on roofers than 15 years ago - OKC has had a half dozen monster hailstorms in recent years. New regulations that follow are knee-jerk reactions by government workers who don't understand the problem. Those new regulations are pushed by local roofers who may understand the problem, but want regulations to help them protect their rice bowl because it's easier than educating their customers and selling.

These laws/statutes start out with good intentions but always end up harming the people they were intended to help. Let the market sort it out.

Clapping my hands gentlemen. I used to rant on this same subject till it almost killed me. Roofguy you seem extremely intelligent. Im very confident that if you continue on the track you are on you will find greater truths that will lead to a more peaceful understanding. I say confident but more like certain. These stages are not evidence of being lost but of being on the right track. In the end you will look back and laugh but at the same time be certain of how completely necessary each stage was. Just my 2 cents anyway. Respect

Mike h i am still in awe of what you just said!!!! Are you really an american roofing contractor? You sure thats not just a disguise?!?! Could it really be?!?! Lol major respect brother! Perfectly put.

Tom,

Actually, it's just the opposite, in my stance.

It's the established old-guard that is promoting this garbage. I am a free market, buyer beware, do your homework mentality, that believes anyone that want's to try their hand at the trade should be able to do so without intrusion from the government. I applaud the entrepreneurial spirit, and welcome the competition.

I cannot compete on price with the newbie. I will sell my company and my service and my history. If an upstart can convince a customer to part with their money over me, then kudo's to them. I hope it's successful for the customer, and if it's not, then I hope they got what they paid for.

What I don't want is the inept government handing the upstart a piece of paper that will read to the ignorant as "XYZ is just as qualified as HRI". That's BS, and an injustice to the consumer.

Mike,

State licensing can be a good thing, if it's truly enforced. I do speak from first hand experience.

California is a far friendly place to do business for the law-abiding types, whereas Colorado is a haven for the unscrupulous. Colorado is also a "buyer beware" environment, whereas a consumer in California is afforded some solice, in that a roofing company is generally a legit business that must adhere to certain minimum financial and business management abilities

I can understand and somewhat empathize, as It may not be so attractive to long-established businesses such as yourself.

Looks like Ohio is about to pass the same travesty licensing garbage that I've disheartened to for so long.

It was pushed by the OhRCA, of which I'm a member, and for which I wholeheartedly disagree.

People think it will harness the out of staters and the jacks... Like Tim says, it will only harness the good one that don't need protection.

In a "perfect world", (so-to-speak), I would wholeheartedly agree.

Problem is; People, (the sheeple = liberal ideology), will simply never leave their neighbors alone. So, we must have "laws", (so they feel).

Another problem is; These "laws" are rarely enforced as intended, thereby further emboldening the less-than-ethical types to prosper - and, in fact become acceptable behavior(s).

So what do the sheeple do?.......

Ready?...........

Why, pass more laws of course!

I won't speak for Texas storm trooper roofers' ethics. Naturally most storm troopers have questionable ethics - simple math dictates that more of them come from Texas than from Arkansas or Oklahoma, etc.

That said, that "slant" that Texas come with is called and understanding of freedom. An understanding that government regulations can't nor should remove all risk to all people. Stupid people will always be separated from their money by crooked contractors.

In the same way that making guns illegal won't dissuade criminals from killing with guns, making 14,000 new regulations for roofers will not slow down the crooked roofers...it just hogties the honest ones.

Caveat Emptor.

A little regulation is necessary & healthy when dealing with the public. No offense, but in Colorado, whenever a hail storm comes through, there's a bit of cringing when the Texas outfits show-up.....They wreck the market for the natives so-to-speak.....They come with a whole different slant on business/employer ethics