Randy Inman
Kim K.
the Birth Place of the Constitution Tries to Kill It
July 1st 2008 20:19
Lets see...we'll just bypass the fact that the Philadelphia has the highest murder rate in its history and skip right to attacking those pesky tour guides. There's a plan.
A group of tour guides have now gotten together along with the Institute for Justice and their lawyer Robert McNamara to file suit against the city. They claim that the law violates their first amendment rights (you know- freedom of speech and all.) Since the tour guides in question are not employees of the city or government in any way, mandatory testing and licensing is infringing on private business owners.
Its fine to want tour guides to know what they are talking about, but why is the government getting involved in mandatory licensing of something that can't cause serious harm to people? This isn't brain surgery for god's sake. What's next- licensing for employees of WalMart who tell you the wrong isle to find toilet paper?
McNamara proposes that the city instead offer voluntary licensing. This type of option would allow the most reputable businesses to have a special designation and listing on the tourist board's website. Tourists would be more likely to patronize the businesses which are licensed and therefore the laws of economics would take care of those who are not as reputable. Personally, I don't see why the mayor needs to be directly involved in this at all. If the tourism board wants to make licensing available, keep it with the tourism industry and keep the big politicians directly out of the mess. The tour guides themselves have no problem taking a test- it is the FORCED taking of the test that is the issue.
It's just one more case in a line of them where government feels the need to over-regulate everything and concentrate on the little issues that don't add up to much. It reminds me of the cheesteak joint that faught a discrimination suit because their sign told customers to order in English. I suppose that as the birth place of the Constitution, it is only fitting that Philadelphia be the place to kill it again and again.
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