It's been nearly a quarter century since Bruce Yandle first offered the Bootleggers and Baptists theory of regulation. The idea of a butterfly effect has been around for nearly a half century.

Max Borders of the Civitas Institute recently wrote about the potential national impact that could result if North Carolina's state government allowed citizens to purchase insurance from other states. Consumers could avoid mandates and find lower prices for policies that better meet their needs. As people in other states see the effects, they would pull down those barriers, too. That's the butterfly part.

Max points out that some people argue that the mandates are there for our own good and there is a powerful non-profit insurance company that would spend a lot to protect its tax-advantaged position (I don't think they can raise my premiums for pointing this out). I don't think I have to spell out who the bootleggers and Baptists are in this scenario.