True, the temptations loom large and numerous: You're not good at paperwork or taking tests, so why sit through a test for a license? And why pay for all those building permits just so the inspector can hassle you to death? Why carry all that incredibly expensive insurance when you never have accidents? Why do this stuff when you're competing with some guy who works out of his pickup and doesn't spend money on any of it?

Good questions, all. It's hard to be competitive when you do everything you're supposed to, yet know the system is rigged against you if you don't. Okay, maybe "rigged" isn't the right word. It's just that the system is geared to worst-case scenarios and you probably already make an enormous effort to avoid worst-case outcomes.

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