A Must Read – How Free is Your State?
This report, released by George Mason University’s Mercatus Center is the first of its kind: a comprehensive indexed look at the states of the Union that are more free or less free based on the laws that they passed, economic policy, regulatory freedom and personal freedoms.
While there isn’t as direct correlation in my mind over red state/blue state/free/not-so-free, as is noted in this NewsMax article, it would seem that the liberal states have a tendancy to swing towards less free than more conservative states. For example, Colorado shifted blue over the last couple years, politically, but is the #2 freest state according to the report. Interestingly, but not surprisingly, New York and New Jersey, heavily Democratic, are also the lowest ranked in overall freedoms. Conservative states are generally more interested in regulating choices relating to morality while loosening up on fiscal policy. Liberal states are the opposite.
This report gave pretty low freedom marks across the Bible-belt and the #1 score to a solidly blue state, New Hampshire. So while the NewsMax report makes the assertion, it’s not a direct correlation (notwithstanding that most states in the union shift red-blue-red again in short periods of time)
Read this report and give it your own informed opinion. It’s good stuff, nonetheless!
