Python conflict on RPI2

[bob prohaska]

In tinkering with compiling firefox on an RPI2 attempts to use 
portmaster fail with

===>   Registering installation for py36-setuptools-40.8.0_1
Installing py36-setuptools-40.8.0_1...
pkg-static: py36-setuptools-40.8.0_1 conflicts with py27-setuptools-40.8.0 (installs files into the same place).  Problematic file: /usr/local/bin/easy_install
*** Error code 70

I've tried things like deleting the problematic file, and compiling python36
separately, to  no effect. What else is worth trying?  

Thanks for reading,

bob prohaska