http://freedominthe50states.org/

I find it interesting that ND ranks well ahead of Texas in regulatory freedom, but from having extensive business in the energy industry in both states, ND has far stronger environmental regulation that Texas does. But mostly because it is a smaller state, environmental matters can be resolved a lot quicker.

The larger point is that those of us who are advocating regulatory reform are not, as incorrectly characterized by those on the left, seeking "dirty air and dirty water and unsafe working conditions." No, what we are advocating is a more sensible approach to accomplishing cleaner air, cleaner water, and safer working conditions. And our regulatory scheme is more often that not a very poor way to achieve menaningful goals--unless your idea of meaningful goals is full employment for bureaucrats, lawyers, and consultants. Don't eliminate the substance of the regulations, but reform the PROCESS to achieve goals more efficiently and effectively.

It's funny that the same group of states always seem to be at the bottom of these lists.

(03-28-2013 01:05 PM)smn1256 Wrote:  It's funny that the same group of states always seem to be at the bottom of these lists.

What's not funny is those states send out their populace to other states and influence them.

(03-28-2013 01:07 PM)DrTorch Wrote:  

(03-28-2013 01:05 PM)smn1256 Wrote:  It's funny that the same group of states always seem to be at the bottom of these lists.

What's not funny is those states send out their populace to other states and influence them.

That's because the populace is smart enough to figure out that they don't want to stay there.

(03-28-2013 01:07 PM)DrTorch Wrote:  

(03-28-2013 01:05 PM)smn1256 Wrote:  It's funny that the same group of states always seem to be at the bottom of these lists.

What's not funny is those states send out their populace to other states and influence them.

......you mean move to other states and then try and "F" them up as bad as the state they were fleeing from?

Nice site. Thanks for sharing! Kudos to George Mason University for sponsoring this study and website.

Damn and I just got promoted this week. I really wanna get out of Illinois.

(03-28-2013 01:18 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  That's because the populace is smart enough to figure out that they don't want to stay there.

You forgot to add that they are often dumb enough to NOT connect the dots - the politics that they voted for in their former state that caused the disasters often come with them to their new locations. Cause and effect, i.e. their own voting decisions doesn't even cross their minds.

Just in case someone might not have looked at the site, what it's basically says is the most liberal states are the most restrictive. How do liberals reconcile that?

Happy to see my home state of Tennessee representing at #3 but my current state, North Carolina, is only middle of the pack.

(03-28-2013 02:34 PM)Murray007 Wrote:  Nice site. Thanks for sharing! Kudos to George Mason University for sponsoring this study and website.

Mercatus is the bee's knees. http://mercatus.org/

(03-28-2013 04:09 PM)smn1256 Wrote:  Just in case someone might not have looked at the site, what it's basically says is the most liberal states are the most restrictive. How do liberals reconcile that?

How do I reconcile a study from a school that promotes trickle down/Ayn Rand BS? I guess it depends on your point of view of what "restrictive" is. If it is restrictive to keep people from putting flowering toilet bowls and broken down cars in their front yard, then I guess many are more "restrictive" compared to the Confederate states. I understand how you can see that as taking away your freedoms but personally, I approve of being more restrictive in the above cases.

I am a fan of this survey however I would've liked them to weight personal freedoms somewhere close to parity with economic freedoms. Economic policy really takes up 2/3rds of the weighting. I dont know how much the list would've changed but still...

(03-28-2013 04:32 PM)Bucster Wrote:  Happy to see my home state of Tennessee representing at #3 but my current state, North Carolina, is only middle of the pack.

Something tells me that is going to change under McCory. The Motorcycle helmet law is probably getting repealed next week. I think NC will be out of the middle of the pack soon.

Missouri comes in pretty well at seven, though it does bring up very valid points. The regulatory system that's grown under Governor Nixon has been pretty substantial, though you can also blame our often incompetent legislature (heavily red).

(03-30-2013 06:35 AM)aTxTIGER Wrote:  I am a fan of this survey however I would've liked them to weight personal freedoms somewhere close to parity with economic freedoms. Economic policy really takes up 2/3rds of the weighting. I dont know how much the list would've changed but still...

Their expertise is economics. I imagine they'd get more flak if they ventured more into civil liberties than they did.

(03-30-2013 06:35 AM)aTxTIGER Wrote:  I am a fan of this survey however I would've liked them to weight personal freedoms somewhere close to parity with economic freedoms. Economic policy really takes up 2/3rds of the weighting. I dont know how much the list would've changed but still...

There is enough disclosure of components that I think you could reconstruct with whatever weighting you deemed appropriate.

(03-30-2013 12:33 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(03-30-2013 06:35 AM)aTxTIGER Wrote:  I am a fan of this survey however I would've liked them to weight personal freedoms somewhere close to parity with economic freedoms. Economic policy really takes up 2/3rds of the weighting. I dont know how much the list would've changed but still...

There is enough disclosure of components that I think you could reconstruct with whatever weighting you deemed appropriate.

i know but I have better things to spend my Saturday on.

(03-30-2013 10:02 AM)Fo Shizzle Wrote:  

(03-28-2013 04:32 PM)Bucster Wrote:  Happy to see my home state of Tennessee representing at #3 but my current state, North Carolina, is only middle of the pack.

Something tells me that is going to change under McCory. The Motorcycle helmet law is probably getting repealed next week. I think NC will be out of the middle of the pack soon.

I hope you're right. I'd like to see him work on the tax situation as well. I've always felt they were a bit high around here, especially when you compare them to the taxes in bordering states.