Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Report: Florida Named the Second-Freest State in U.S.
The Tennessee Star ^ | 12/06/21 | Cole Lauterbach

Posted on 02/04/2022 6:57:15 AM PST by Enlightened1

Only a state with the motto “Live Free or Die” is freer than the Sunshine State.

That’s according to the nonprofit CATO Institute’s annual Freedom in the 50 States report, which compares states based on different aspects of autonomy and choice in key policy areas. The report uses hundreds of variables to gauge states on fiscal, regulatory and personal terms.

Overall, Florida came in second to New Hampshire in the 2021 ranking that used 2019 data to compare states.

The CATO Institute bills itself as a libertarian public policy think tank that promotes limited government, free markets and peace.

It highlighted the state’s lack of a personal income tax and warm weather as the pied-pipers of not just well-heeled retirees but also business professionals looking to make the most of their labor.

“Florida does especially well on economic freedom, and even more so on fiscal policy. Indeed, it is our top state on both,” the report said. “Regulatory policy is improved but mediocre compared with the fiscal side.”

Florida’s freedom metrics lagged due to heavy incarceration rates, onerous occupational licensing requirements, state-level health insurance mandates, and the cost of gun control laws on owners and dealers.

To make the state freer, CATO suggests Florida decentralize taxing and spending powers from counties to municipalities, reform its occupational licensing system to remove barriers of entry into careers, and enact criminal justice reforms.

While New Hampshire was this year’s freest state, nearby New York came in last.


TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: 50states; cato; fl; florida; freedom; index; nh; nhfirst; ny; woohoonh
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100101-111 next last
To: neverbluffer

Is that Free State Project still a thing?


61 posted on 02/04/2022 8:17:07 AM PST by jaydubya2
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 58 | View Replies]

To: Enlightened1

CATO is for big business, not economic freedom, so be wary. CATO has always loved Virginia, which is in free in some ways, such as lacking tenant rights (I had a landlord just move into a rental group home and decide the living room was his bedroom) but terrible in other ways.

For instance, All roads are run by the state legislature, so any necessary improvements must go to Richmond. A local church was required to expand parking, but to do so, they needed to reconfigure access with the local road... but they needed to go to Richmond to do that! So the petty, Demonrat governor had authority to ultimately limit freedom of religion.

Essentially, the state of Virginia is still structured the way it was when it was a royal colony. It now holds democratic elections, but still lacks basic principles of responsive government.


62 posted on 02/04/2022 8:23:01 AM PST by dangus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Enlightened1

Thanks Enlightened1 ...


63 posted on 02/04/2022 8:26:40 AM PST by GOPJ (Hey Garland - it's not 'gun' violence - IT'S CRIMINAL VIOLENCE.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 55 | View Replies]

To: neverbluffer

We didn’t find that to be the case when we registered to vote.

Maybe in some places where they do election stealing.


64 posted on 02/04/2022 8:32:51 AM PST by metmom (...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith….)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 58 | View Replies]

To: jaydubya2

Apparently the Free State movement is still in process.


65 posted on 02/04/2022 8:33:22 AM PST by metmom (...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith….)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 61 | View Replies]

To: Enlightened1
Yes, it’s free, but it’s flat, humid, filled with rude former New Yorkers and Latin expats and the schools are awful. And that’s just the big three counties in the south. Tampa Bay Area isn’t much better (less NYers). Orlando area is Puerto Ricans, Disney employees, and people who screwed up in the rest of the US and, worst of all, tourists who can’t drive. Jacksonville seems OK. Haven’t spent much time in the panhandle. Siesta Key is the most beautiful beach in the continental United States. Keys are fun to visit, other than Key Largo. That’s my take on Florida, where I have lived on three separate locations.

It will be AZ and Nova Scotia for retirement, although my SO is pushing for Charleston, SC.

66 posted on 02/04/2022 8:33:46 AM PST by Clemenza (I have no tolerance for tolerance)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Honest Nigerian

Nigerian please.

You didn’t even give a few examples.


67 posted on 02/04/2022 8:36:37 AM PST by Leep (Freedom: "What's the big deal" -joe biden)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: null and void

Yep, that too, and can barely see over the top of the steering wheel.


68 posted on 02/04/2022 8:47:01 AM PST by SkyDancer ( I make airplanes fly, what's your super power?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 51 | View Replies]

To: Enlightened1

Ours was in the top 5.


69 posted on 02/04/2022 8:53:33 AM PST by packagingguy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Ge0ffrey
Yep. The trouble with the CATO Institute is that is ranks the RKBA no higher than the "freedom" to marry your horse or grow and smoke your own weed.

Pennsylvania does a few things right with strong RKBA and more political power with local jurisdictions which is why you can have a great neighborhood like mine (overwhelmingly Trump voters) in the same Commonwealth as a $#*+hole city like Philadelphia. #14 really isn't too bad considering the are of the country we are in.

70 posted on 02/04/2022 9:01:23 AM PST by Vigilanteman (The politicized state destroys aspects of civil society, human kindness and private charity.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: dangus

Something is wrong with the power structure when a Governor can get involved in DOT decisions to that level.


71 posted on 02/04/2022 9:11:13 AM PST by brianl703
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 62 | View Replies]

Comment #72 Removed by Moderator

To: eastforker

Maybe that’s why my parents stopped watching. My dad was from rural Maine. Anything to do with it he was checking.


73 posted on 02/04/2022 9:26:10 AM PST by the OlLine Rebel (Common sense is an uncommon virtue./Federal-run medical care is as good as state-run DMV)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 35 | View Replies]

To: ping jockey

Tennesseans are a brave patriotic bunch for sure. Most of them anyway. I hate to see the flood of libs coming here for the jobs, and we have jobs.

I’m glad to live here during this covid nonsense. A former co-worker of mine had to be hospitalized for five days recently. He said one thing they kept going for those five days was his IV of vitamin cocktail.

I truly believe that when the crap hits the fan, Tennesseans will stand up and be on the front line.


74 posted on 02/04/2022 9:28:56 AM PST by Tennessee Conservative (My goal in life is to be the person my dogs think I am)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 72 | View Replies]

To: fireman15

NH has no income or sales tax, but the property taxes are very high.


75 posted on 02/04/2022 9:29:55 AM PST by Andy'smom (Proud member of the basket of deplorables)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

Comment #76 Removed by Moderator

To: brianl703

Yeah... it means that business can thrive, but only when it has the approval of the governor, making Virginia more like China than an example of economic freedom.


77 posted on 02/04/2022 9:41:35 AM PST by dangus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 71 | View Replies]

To: Tennessee Conservative

Are the newcomers really liberals? I know North Carolina and Georgia, when they had their booms, complained about all the liberal Northeasterners turning their states blue, but the reality in those states is that the newcomers are more conservative than the long-term residents. What really happens is that surging land values turned urban people liberal, just like they did generations ago to Northeasterners.


78 posted on 02/04/2022 9:46:02 AM PST by dangus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 74 | View Replies]

To: ping jockey

And to be clear: “Big cities” in Tennessee, in the context of big-city liberalism, means Memphis, Nashville, and to a lesser extent Knoxville.


79 posted on 02/04/2022 9:47:17 AM PST by dangus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 76 | View Replies]

To: The Great RJ

“Welcome to Minnesota. The only state in the union where absolutely nothing is allowed.” — Joe Soucheray


80 posted on 02/04/2022 9:54:59 AM PST by wrcase
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 26 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100101-111 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson