I was linking to my post, not that particular thread. That's just where it happened to be.

If you build buildings, then you already know how many of the ordinances and codes are there to do something useful (a small fraction), and how many of them are there to serve some political purpose (most of them).

I am not against some form of standards for buildings, but have yet to be convinced that this needs to be a government function. Regardless of what liberals keep saying, the average American is not an idiot and the average businessman is not out to kill off his customers.

A private, voluntary association of builders, agreeing on certain standards and codes, and certifying buildings that met them, would meet all the requirements of the customer. This solution however, like most private solutions, is not popular because there is nothing there to be gained by politicians.

By the way, Houston has gone for years without zoning laws (not the same as building codes, but it makes a similar point), and has done quite well so far.

Remember, the only main purpose a politician has is to gain and keep political power. If you listen to what they say with this in mind, it helps.