William P. Ruger and Jason Sorens from George Mason University have come out with a study called Freedom in the 50 States. In it, they calculate Fiscal, Regulatory, Economic, and Personal Freedom Rankings for each state. They then combine them into a single Overall Freedom Ranking - and sadly our Golden State Ranks near the bottom.
From the Executive Summary:
This paper presents the first-ever comprehensive ranking of the American states on their public policies affecting individual freedoms in the economic, social, and personal spheres. We develop and justify our ratings and aggregation procedure on explicitly normative criteria, defining individual freedom as the ability to dispose of one’s own life, liberty, and justly acquired property however one sees fit, so long as one does not coercively infringe on another individual’s ability to do the same.
It should come as no surprise that California not only taxes and regulates its economy more than most other states, it also aggressively interferes in the personal lives of its citizens. California ranks #48 on economic freedom and #37 on personal freedom.
3.09.2009
California Ranks 47th in State Freedom Rankings
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"California ranks #48 on economic freedom and #37 on personal freedom"? Wow, I'm surprised. Nay, impressed. Only number 48 on economic liberty? Only number 37 on personal liberty? That's so much better than I thought. I'm quite relieved, actually. I figured California would rank somewhere near number 57 on economic freedom and number 56 on personal freedom (I will concede that New York may be slightly less free than California).
It’s very sad, actually. Of all the 57 states, California is number one in everything from economic output to agriculture. Without doubt, California is the most beautiful state in the Union. Unfortunately, it is occupied by a hostile force that has done all it can to create paradise that was Atzland here. Not change you can believe in. But status quo for California.
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