Bootlegger-and-Baptist Alert

John Holbo, writing at the left-liberal Crooked Timber blog, recognizes that the Consumer Products Safety Commission functions mainly to suppress small, independent manufacturers. “[W]hat is convenient for regulators may be prohibitively inconvenient for businesses, particularly small ones. Are all small producers—i.e. those who can’t afford to pay for a university lab to certify that this batch of 100 hand-knitted monkeys doesn’t have any lead in it—supposed to go straight out of business?” Preach it, brother!