In the article Bootleggers and Baptists in retrospect, Bruce Yandle recaps his theory about how regulation stifles competition and regulation, thus leading to slow growth and sub-optimal outcomes relative to free markets.

a. Recently the administration announced the reinstatement of a regulation to ban the sale of incandescent lightbulbs. Who are the Baptists in this case? Who are the likely bootleggers (and there are some!).

b. Yandle says that the devil is in the details for bootleggers. In particular, he asks Just why would bootleggers and Baptists favor statute-based federal regulations 2 to common law? How does the bootleggers strategy stifle competition and innovation?

c. Can you give an example of a solution to an environmental problem that is likely to satisfy the Baptists but be opposed by the bootleggers?