How free is your state?

[Quantum Windbag]

My guess is that many people, both conservative and liberal, will find reasons to challenge parts of this they dislike.

Freedom in the 50 States | Mercatus

Let the discussion begin.

 

[Robert]

My guess is that many people, both conservative and liberal, will find reasons to challenge parts of this they dislike.

Freedom in the 50 States | Mercatus

Let the discussion begin.

Ahh wait Obama said there were 57 states are you holding out on us?

 

[Big Hoss]

My guess is that many people, both conservative and liberal, will find reasons to challenge parts of this they dislike.

Freedom in the 50 States | Mercatus

Let the discussion begin.

Ahh wait Obama said there were 57 states are you holding out on us?

Good One.

 

[Big Hoss]

Currently we live in the #2 state and are moving back south to one in the top 15 so over all not to bad.

 

[syrenn]

California 48th in the nanny state iron grip, leash and collar.

Doesn't surprise me one damn bit!

 

[California Girl]

California 48th in the nanny state iron grip, leash and collar.

Doesn't surprise me one damn bit!

Which is why my family as all but left the state. My brother is there.... but that's cuz he has no option. We still own property in the state but live there? Hell no.

 

[Douger]

State means dirt with borders-lines drawn to identify itself as being "different".
Freedom becomes FreeDumb. Not possible.
Understand ? States even have their own flags to worship.
Disgusting.
I AM A_____________________________________.
Moron.

 

[Soggy in NOLA]

State means dirt with borders-lines drawn to identify itself as being "different".
Freedom becomes FreeDumb. Not possible.
Understand ? States even have their own flags to worship.
Disgusting.
I AM A_____________________________________.
Moron.

Yes, you certainly are.

 

[whitehall]

I watched a pretty good Mel Gibson movie 2010 "Edge of Darkness" set in modern times. I had to chuckle about a line where the Gibson character reminds a government killer that "drinking wine in a park in Mass. is illegal". The response was "everything is illegal in Mass". I see Mass. ranked 46 out of 50 in so-called freedom values.

 

[initforme]

Who can actually claim we are "free". I cant.

 

[Gadawg73]

Georgia is listed as #15th.
What a joke that is. No Sunday alcohol sales here should put us at the bottom.
Over regulated professional businesses and very high income tax here.
This "study" is flawed to the max.

 

[grunt11b]

state means dirt with borders-lines drawn to identify itself as being "different".
Freedom becomes freedumb. Not possible.
Understand ? States even have their own flags to worship.
Disgusting.
I am a_____________________________________.
Moron.

yes, you certainly are.

lmfao!!!! Haha!!!!

I live in the "Problem loading page state I guess". I use peerblock on this site, so it probably blocked out nasties from that site you url's to.
If someone else can check for me, I now live in West Virginia.

 

[grunt11b]

Who can actually claim we are "free". I cant.

I'm free, because if someone came out to my place to try to tell me different there would be any number of hollers that they could be disposed of in back up behind the house. So noone bothers coming out at all unless they are friends or family, which is how I like it. Now that's freedom, if you live in the city I dont know what to tell you.
This is becoming the local anthem around here.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ertNb6myic"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ertNb6myic[/ame]

 

[grunt11b]

Georgia is listed as #15th.
What a joke that is. No Sunday alcohol sales here should put us at the bottom.
Over regulated professional businesses and very high income tax here.
This "study" is flawed to the max.

I love Georgia though, beautiful state, did my boot camp and AIT at Benning, hot as hell there in the summer though, but still nice.

 

[Immanuel]

state means dirt with borders-lines drawn to identify itself as being "different".
Freedom becomes freedumb. Not possible.
Understand ? States even have their own flags to worship.
Disgusting.
I am a_____________________________________.
Moron.

yes, you certainly are.

lmfao!!!! Haha!!!!

I live in the "Problem loading page state I guess". I use peerblock on this site, so it probably blocked out nasties from that site you url's to.
If someone else can check for me, I now live in West Virginia.

Number 36

Freedom Rankings

#36 Overall
#40 Economic
#26 Personal

Stats Breakdown

Change in overall freedom, 2007–2009:
0.090
Change in overall freedom ranking since 2007:
+5
Net domestic migration, 2000–2009 (% of 2000 population):
+0.9%
Governor, 2011:
Earl Ray Tomblin (D)
Legislature, 2011:
House 35R/65D, Senate 6R/28D

Analysis

Like Washington, West Virginia is one of the most improved states in our index. But it, too, has a long way to go, especially on the economic side. Spending is high (especially education spending) as are some particular taxes (though the overall tax burden rela- tive to personal income is about average). In particular, corporate-income and motor-fuel taxes are very high and among the highest in the country. Government employment is more than a standard deviation higher than the national average. The state is fiscally centralized. Statewide land-use planning is virtually nil. West Virginia could improve its labor laws by repealing the prevailing-wage law, adopting right-to-work laws, and permitting private insurance for workers’ compensation. However, health-insurance coverage mandates are below average. The state’s liability system is one of the worst in the country (more than two standard deviations below average). Asset-forfeiture laws are badly in need of reform, and eminent-domain reform needs to go further. Gun laws are quite liberal, and marijuana laws are fairly moderate. Beer and spirits taxes are fairly low, but the wine tax is more than twice the average level. Cigarette taxes are low and local smoking bans exist. West Virginia has a helmet law and authorizes sobriety checkpoints. Some gambling, including slot machines, is allowed, but social gambling is technically prohibited. West Virginia imposes teacher qualifications on homeschoolers, as well as annual standardized testing and extensive notification requirements. West Virginia enjoys a low level of victimless-crime arrests and its drug law-enforcement rate is also low.
Policy Recommendations

Cut state employment, which is well above the national average.
Reduce the corporate income tax consistent with national norms.
Reform the state’s liability and asset- forfeiture laws.

Immie

 

[Cecilie1200]

California 48th in the nanny state iron grip, leash and collar.

Doesn't surprise me one damn bit!

I was surprised by Alaska and New Hampshire. Otherwise, it was about what I would have expected.

 

[grunt11b]

yes, you certainly are.

lmfao!!!! Haha!!!!

I live in the "Problem loading page state I guess". I use peerblock on this site, so it probably blocked out nasties from that site you url's to.
If someone else can check for me, I now live in West Virginia.

Number 36

Freedom Rankings

#36 Overall
#40 Economic
#26 Personal

Stats Breakdown

Change in overall freedom, 2007–2009:
0.090
Change in overall freedom ranking since 2007:
+5
Net domestic migration, 2000–2009 (% of 2000 population):
+0.9%
Governor, 2011:
Earl Ray Tomblin (D)
Legislature, 2011:
House 35R/65D, Senate 6R/28D

Analysis

Like Washington, West Virginia is one of the most improved states in our index. But it, too, has a long way to go, especially on the economic side. Spending is high (especially education spending) as are some particular taxes (though the overall tax burden rela- tive to personal income is about average). In particular, corporate-income and motor-fuel taxes are very high and among the highest in the country. Government employment is more than a standard deviation higher than the national average. The state is fiscally centralized. Statewide land-use planning is virtually nil. West Virginia could improve its labor laws by repealing the prevailing-wage law, adopting right-to-work laws, and permitting private insurance for workers’ compensation. However, health-insurance coverage mandates are below average. The state’s liability system is one of the worst in the country (more than two standard deviations below average). Asset-forfeiture laws are badly in need of reform, and eminent-domain reform needs to go further. Gun laws are quite liberal, and marijuana laws are fairly moderate. Beer and spirits taxes are fairly low, but the wine tax is more than twice the average level. Cigarette taxes are low and local smoking bans exist. West Virginia has a helmet law and authorizes sobriety checkpoints. Some gambling, including slot machines, is allowed, but social gambling is technically prohibited. West Virginia imposes teacher qualifications on homeschoolers, as well as annual standardized testing and extensive notification requirements. West Virginia enjoys a low level of victimless-crime arrests and its drug law-enforcement rate is also low.
Policy Recommendations

Cut state employment, which is well above the national average.
Reduce the corporate income tax consistent with national norms.
Reform the state’s liability and asset- forfeiture laws.

Immie

Good thing I earned that Gubment job, because I cant tell we are 36th, I live comfortably. And you lefties need not go there with me, I dropped my union membership in 2009 when I found out how much money they pumped into leftist campaigns. I got my job because of military sacrifice and education and I am just so damned good at what I do.

 

[Immanuel]

lmfao!!!! Haha!!!!

I live in the "Problem loading page state I guess". I use peerblock on this site, so it probably blocked out nasties from that site you url's to.
If someone else can check for me, I now live in West Virginia.

Number 36

Freedom Rankings

#36 Overall
#40 Economic
#26 Personal

Stats Breakdown

Change in overall freedom, 2007–2009:
0.090
Change in overall freedom ranking since 2007:
+5
Net domestic migration, 2000–2009 (% of 2000 population):
+0.9%
Governor, 2011:
Earl Ray Tomblin (D)
Legislature, 2011:
House 35R/65D, Senate 6R/28D

Analysis

Like Washington, West Virginia is one of the most improved states in our index. But it, too, has a long way to go, especially on the economic side. Spending is high (especially education spending) as are some particular taxes (though the overall tax burden rela- tive to personal income is about average). In particular, corporate-income and motor-fuel taxes are very high and among the highest in the country. Government employment is more than a standard deviation higher than the national average. The state is fiscally centralized. Statewide land-use planning is virtually nil. West Virginia could improve its labor laws by repealing the prevailing-wage law, adopting right-to-work laws, and permitting private insurance for workers’ compensation. However, health-insurance coverage mandates are below average. The state’s liability system is one of the worst in the country (more than two standard deviations below average). Asset-forfeiture laws are badly in need of reform, and eminent-domain reform needs to go further. Gun laws are quite liberal, and marijuana laws are fairly moderate. Beer and spirits taxes are fairly low, but the wine tax is more than twice the average level. Cigarette taxes are low and local smoking bans exist. West Virginia has a helmet law and authorizes sobriety checkpoints. Some gambling, including slot machines, is allowed, but social gambling is technically prohibited. West Virginia imposes teacher qualifications on homeschoolers, as well as annual standardized testing and extensive notification requirements. West Virginia enjoys a low level of victimless-crime arrests and its drug law-enforcement rate is also low.
Policy Recommendations

Cut state employment, which is well above the national average.
Reduce the corporate income tax consistent with national norms.
Reform the state’s liability and asset- forfeiture laws.

Immie

Good thing I earned that Gubment job, because I cant tell we are 36th, I live comfortably. And you lefties need not go there with me, I dropped my union membership in 2009 when I found out how much money they pumped into leftist campaigns. I got my job because of military sacrifice and education and I am just so damned good at what I do.

You lefties?

I'm a lefty? Well, yes, I am left-handed. What does that have to do with anything?

Immie

 

[sparky]

Analysis
Vermont is one of the few states that conforms to the generally mistaken but common view that so-called blue states intervene extensively in the economic realm but are more relaxed when it comes to social policy. It performs quite poorly in terms of economic freedom but is one of the best states for personal freedom. Vermont’s fiscal policy is among the worst in the country. Overall tax collections are by one measure the fifth highest in the country (11.8 percent of adjusted revenues as a percentage of personal income). Property taxes are a particular problem, and selective sales taxes, largely aimed at tourists, bring in more as a percentage of the economy than in any other state except Nevada. Vermont is the most fiscally centralized state by far, with local governments raising just 11.7 percent of total state and local revenues. Local governments are dependent on state grants for nearly 70 percent of their revenue, the highest figure in the United States. Labor laws are worse than average, with a very high minimum wage when adjusted for median earnings. Vermont has adjusted community rating for health insurance but at least has not piled on as many coverage mandates as most other states. Vermont ranks second in personal freedom largely due to its great respect for the individual right to bear arms and its embrace of same-sex civil partnerships.39 Indeed, it arguably has the best gun laws in the lower 48 states, including open carry and concealed carry without a permit. Vermont also scores well on its asset-forfeiture rules, and arrests for victimless crimes are much lower than the national average. Yet it has much room for improvement even in the realm of personal freedom. Like Utah, Vermont has full state control of beer, wine, and spirits distribution. Marijuana laws could be much better; while the state has a medical-marijuana exception and low-level cultivation is a misdemeanor, high-level possession is not, and low-level possession is still criminalized. Campaign-finance limits are quite strict even after some relaxation. Smoking bans are extensive, and cigarette taxes are high.


interesting criterior.....

 

[Gadawg73]

Georgia is listed as #15th.
What a joke that is. No Sunday alcohol sales here should put us at the bottom.
Over regulated professional businesses and very high income tax here.
This "study" is flawed to the max.

I love Georgia though, beautiful state, did my boot camp and AIT at Benning, hot as hell there in the summer though, but still nice.

And Athens, Sanford Stadium and the BULLDOGS.