all professions start out w/o licenses and once a group of people get in and get theirs, they ALWAYS try to find a way to keep others out and protect it.
I have flown with some really sharp FO's with low time and great training and some high time FO's that should NEVER be allowed an upgrade.
it does not matter if an applicant has 1500 hrs - did not the Colgan crew have that and more in addition to the specialized training in ice, emerg procedures and the like?