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What is your state's Freedom Index?
Charlotte Gun Rights Examiner ^ | 5 March, 2009 | Paul Valone

Posted on 03/06/2009 6:37:28 AM PST by marktwain

Some say we live in a “free society.” Others say we are marching toward communism. How free are you really? In a study from the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, political science professors William P. Ruger and Jason Sorens decided to find out.

“Freedom In The 50 States: An Index of Personal and Economic Freedom” measures a number of variables beyond the usual economic measures, including, “measures of social and personal freedoms such as peaceable citizens’ rights to educate their own children, own and carry firearms, and be free from unreasonable search and seizure.” And why did the authors decide to study personal freedom?

“In our view, individuals should be allowed to dispose of their lives, liberties, and property as they see fit, so long as they do not infringe on the rights of others.” Ruger and Sorens do acknowledge that different people see freedom differently, and publish raw data with an invitation for readers to construct their own personal freedom rankings by going to: www.statepolicyindex.com

“We would also argue that freedom … can be threatened as much by the weakness of the state as by overbearing state intervention. Individuals are less free the more they have reason to fear private assaults and depredations, and a useful government punishes private aggression vigorously. However, we focus on threats to individual liberty originating in the state. Therefore, we do not code the effectiveness of state governments in punishing rights violations. For instance, we do not include measures of the efficacy of state police and courts or of violent and property crime rates. Thus, our “freedom index” does not capture all aspects of freedom.”

WHAT THE AUTHORS MEASURED

States are ranked for Economic Freedom, Personal Freedom and Overall Freedom. Beyond the usual economic measures, Ruger and Sorens looked at “paternalism,” including variables from legalized prostitution to seat belt laws and campaign finance restrictions.

Gun laws were among the most heavily weighted variables, second only to freedom of education. Gun laws measured included “concealed- and open-carry regulations to assault weapons bans, waiting periods, gun show and private sale regulations, licensing of gun owners, registration of firearms, trigger locks, and more.”

HOW DID YOUR STATE FARE? (The drum roll, please…)

Least free: If you live in one of the People’s Republics of New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island, California or Maryland, you’re pretty much screwed, but you probably know that already. New York led the “least free” pack by a considerable margin, with the others following in the order listed. (Now I remember why I refer to myself as a “refugee from New York”).

Most free: In combined personal and economic freedom, New Hampshire, Colorado and South Dakota scored a virtual tie for first place.

Personal freedom: In personal freedom alone, Alaska was a “clear winner,” and Maryland was dead last.

Beyond rankings in economic, personal and overall freedom, Ruger and Sorens do an excellent state-by-state analysis of individual measures. Now if we could get a researcher to correlate personal freedom and crime, I’d lay money they have a perfect inverse relationship …

For previous columns by Paul Valone, go to: www.fpaulvalone.com For legislative information, go to: www.GRNC.org


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Philosophy
KEYWORDS: banglist; freedomindex
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The listing of States by overall index is at the link.
1 posted on 03/06/2009 6:37:28 AM PST by marktwain
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To: marktwain

Michigan more free than Alaska?

Who would have thunk.


2 posted on 03/06/2009 6:40:37 AM PST by VanDeKoik (Conservatives see untapped potential. Liberals see Tapped-out hopelessness.)
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To: marktwain

#37 in Wisconsin. It would be better, but we still have no CC law and a gun-grabbing ‘Rat Governor.


3 posted on 03/06/2009 6:41:10 AM PST by Diana in Wisconsin (Save The Earth. It's The Only Planet With Chocolate.)
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To: VanDeKoik
In personal freedom alone, Alaska was a “clear winner,”

Sweeeet.

4 posted on 03/06/2009 6:42:02 AM PST by SolidWood (Palin: "In Alaska we eat therefore we hunt.")
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To: VanDeKoik

Most of Michigan is very nice. Grand Rapids is a wonderful town. Detroit is a disaster along with Flint and a few others.


5 posted on 03/06/2009 6:42:34 AM PST by Frantzie (Boycott GE - they own NBC, MSNBC, CNBC & Universal. Boycott Disney - they own ABC)
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To: marktwain

Virginia is #9. With Tim Kaine as our gov that’s sure to change.


6 posted on 03/06/2009 6:43:41 AM PST by albie
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To: marktwain

The money quote?

“Now if we could get a researcher to correlate personal freedom and crime, I’d lay money they have a perfect inverse relationship …”

Gets my vote.


7 posted on 03/06/2009 6:44:17 AM PST by null and void (We are now in day 43 of our national holiday from reality.)
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To: marktwain

Illinois is #42!! Awesome!

Maybe next year we can get down to at least #46!


8 posted on 03/06/2009 6:45:16 AM PST by KOZ.
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To: marktwain

Illinois is #42!! Awesome!

Maybe next year we can get down to at least #46!


9 posted on 03/06/2009 6:46:56 AM PST by KOZ.
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To: marktwain
Missouri #6 overall

Woohoooo!!!

10 posted on 03/06/2009 6:48:26 AM PST by Just another Joe (Warning: FReeping can be addictive and helpful to your mental health)
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To: marktwain

Texas came in fifth! WooHOO!


11 posted on 03/06/2009 6:52:03 AM PST by Ro_Thunder ("Other than ending SLAVERY, FASCISM, NAZISM and COMMUNISM, war has never solved anything")
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To: marktwain

My adopted home, Indiana, at #13
My born home, Michigan, at #14

Not too shabby.


12 posted on 03/06/2009 6:55:57 AM PST by SJSAMPLE
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To: Ro_Thunder

“Texas (#7 economic, #5 personal, #5 overall) has one of the smallest state governments in the country. Nevertheless, as one of us who lives in Texas can testify, there are plenty of areas where improvement is needed. As a percentage of corrected GSP, Texashas the second lowest tax burden in the country and the third lowest grants-adjusted government
spending. However, government employment is a standard deviation higher than the national average.
Gun control is better than average, but the state falls short on open-carry laws, stricter-than-federal minimum age for purchase rules, and dealer licensing.
Alcohol is less regulated than in most other states, and taxes are low. Low-level marijuana cultivation is a misdemeanor, but otherwise marijuana laws are very harsh. Texas does not authorize sobriety checkpoints. Private and home schools are almost completely unregulated. Labor laws are generally good, except for a prevailing wage law. Texas is the only state not to require employers to contribute to
workers’ compensation coverage. While Texas has only light community rating, it has imposed mandated coverages on health insurance increasing the cost of premiums by more than 63%.45 Texas is one of the leaders in telecom and cable “deregulation.” Unfortunately, eminent domain has not been extensively reformed. The state’s liability system is much worse than average; ending the election of judges may help here. There are no smoking bans on private property.”


13 posted on 03/06/2009 7:01:10 AM PST by An American! (Proud To Be An American!)
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To: marktwain

#5 Texas (where i’m from)

#9 Virginia (where I am)

Not great, but at least I’m not in #50 NY.

Thank God for small favors.


14 posted on 03/06/2009 7:03:20 AM PST by txnativegop (God Bless America! (NRA-Endowment))
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To: marktwain

All the worst states voted for The Messiah.


15 posted on 03/06/2009 7:27:59 AM PST by pabianice
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To: marktwain
Image and video hosting by TinyPic
16 posted on 03/06/2009 9:22:38 AM PST by ansel12 (Romney (guns)"instruments of destruction with the sole purpose of hunting down and killing people")
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To: marktwain

We're #1!! For now, anyway.

17 posted on 03/06/2009 9:27:13 AM PST by andy58-in-nh (You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life.)
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To: ansel12

Thank you for posting the listing.


18 posted on 03/06/2009 9:34:12 AM PST by marktwain
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

Hey Diana! Surprising we were not even worse than #37. Doyle will keep trying to make us #50.


19 posted on 03/06/2009 6:04:14 PM PST by TheConservativeParty (Democrats are bastard coated bastards with bastard filling.)
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To: marktwain

My state qualifies for a large “LOL.”


20 posted on 03/07/2009 1:00:27 AM PST by wastedyears (April 21st, 2009 - International Iron Maiden Day)
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