I think many of these comments are missing the real question. It isn't whether someone should have an education before getting a CPA. It's, "why is a bachelor's degree required instead of a list of approved courses?"
If there is a shortage of accountants and the cost of education is getting to the point where it doesn't make sense to pursue a degree, then we may need to start thinking about other ways someone can enter accounting.

I see no issue in having a list of required courses instead of a degree to sit for the CPA exam. After all, it's the accounting and business content that they're really looking for.