The Power of All of Them

North Dakota may be one of the first of a growing pool of states that will require licenses for selling on eBay.

According to this CNN article, "applicants must pay a $35 fee, obtain a $5,000 surety bond and undergo training at one of eight approved auction schools, where the curriculum includes talking really fast."

Thank God most people have at least half a brain; most of the slashdot comments recognized the stupidity of the law in all its forms.

But they overplayed the harm it does to the small businesses that use eBay as a forum for sales. Yes, the auctioneer schools benefit. Yes, the state benefits. But in the long run, the businesses benefit because it will make their competition (non-firms selling on eBay) virutally non-existent. Granted, this plan only works if most other states adopt similar rules.

I'm also constantly puzzled as to if people think some behavior is a good thing, why there needs to be a law that requires people to act certain ways. "Gordon Krance, president of the North Dakota Auctioneers Association, said the group has no position on whether people who are paid to sell others' goods on eBay should have an auctioneer's license. But he said sellers could benefit from attending auctioneering school."

If they'd benifit, then why do you need to force them to go?

Hat tip to Mike for the link.