Lower the Bar for Legal Eagles Who Don’t Go to Law School

Is the purpose of requirements to practice law legally to ensure quality or to restrict entry (WSJ, Sep 2021).

Who benefits from the bar exam?

This article asks whether the benefit of requiring lawyers to pass a State bar examination exceeds the cost (Planet Money, Sept. 2020). Here are some money quotes.

1. "... Gillian Hadfield, a law professor and economist at the University of Toronto, argues there's no evidence that the bar actually protects the public."
2. "'My estimate is well over 80% of Americans who need legal help can't get it because it's too expensive,' Hadfield says. 'And the main reason for that is a crazy regulatory system. The bar exam is part of that.'"
3. "It's kinda like cafe baristas getting control of the coffee market by using the regulatory system to prevent restaurants, Keurig machines and gas stations from providing you coffee."

Why Implementing Good Public Policy is Difficult

The post describes how good public policy proposals often morph into bad public policy.

Does Occupational Licensing Improve Quality?

This article says, "No" (NBER. 2020). But, licensing does increase price.

A great example of using the power of the government to erect barriers to entry

Why would Kentucky have a law that lets incumbent firms stifle entry into the ambulance industry? One answer: to help the incumbents earn profit in the long run.

Bernie Sanders's plan for national rent control

This opinion in the WSJ (Sept. 2019) analyzes the predicted effects of a national rent control policy. It contains lots of information from past studies to support its predictions. One prediction is that people will engage in more lobbying to enhance their ability to earn profit. 

What is the difference between protectionism and raising barriers to entry?

Don't import pig semen into Australia.

"Federal agriculture minister Bridget McKenzie said breaches of biosecurity laws would not be tolerated.

"“'his case shows a disturbing disregard for the laws that protect the livelihoods of Australia’s 2,700 pork producers, and the quality of the pork that millions of Australians enjoy each year,' McKenzie said.

"“GD Pork imported the semen illegally in an attempt to get an unfair advantage over its competitors, through new genetics.'

"Western Australian Farmers Federation spokeswoman Jessica Wallace said the offences was 'a selfish act' that could cripple an entire industry.