Deregulation improves quality and choice: the example of beer

I love this chart from Mark Perry of the American Enterprise Institute:

It is hard to believe that America saw its lowest number of breweries less than 40 years ago and is now at its high point numerically. Of course, it’s worth  noting that back in the 1970s, Democrats like Jimmy Carter supported deregulation. 

New Mexico has certainly played a role in the brewery boom thanks in part to tax reductions a few years back.  It IS possible to create new jobs and a diverse array of innovative, high-quality products. There is nothing special about beer that defies the rules of economics.

Unfortunately, it seems like politicians need to constantly be reminded of these basic facts. A few years ago the Rio Grande Foundation provided a list of deregulation ideas. A few have even been adopted, but so much more needs to be done.