Tax Lawyers - The Biggest Interest Group in Tax Reform

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Tax reform is a perennial, empty rallying cry of politicians. The biggest interest group that fights tax simplification isn't ideologues on one side or the other. Accountants and tax lawyers are going to have some pretty powerful input into things that affect them.

Clifford Winston of the Brookings Institution talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about the market for lawyers and the role of lawyers in the political process. Drawing on a new co-authored book, First Thing We Do, Let's Deregulate All the Lawyers, Winston argues that restrictions on the supply of lawyers and increases in demand via government regulation artificially boost lawyers' salaries. Deregulation of the supply (by eliminating licensing) would lower price and encourage innovation.