It's the most common pattern of all. Once someone is a provider in a given industry, it's in their best interest to build barriers behind them. This is the pat

It's the most common pattern of all. Once someone is a provider in a given industry, it's in their best interest to build barriers behind them. This is the pattern with almost any professional licensing board. The established players join/start the board to "protect the public," then establish guidelines - licenses, required training, insurance bonds, etc - to limit people who want to enter the industry, and then grandfather themselves in. Undertakers, florists, carpenters, etc. In some cases, they might be "protecting the public" but they're protecting themselves in the process. Ref: http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/up-front/posts/2015/01/26-time-to-examine-occupational-licensing-practices-kearney-hershbein-boddy http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/up-front/posts/2015/01/26-tim...