Opinion of this Cato Institute Freedom Ranking

[heatcharger]

Here's a ranking, based on a "combination of personal and economic freedoms", published by the Libertarian think tank Cato Institute.

http://www.freedominthe50states.org/?utm_content=buffera798a&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

They explain how they calculate the ranking but it's a bunch of Koch nonsense.

Copied and pasted the list:

1.New Hampshire+1
2.Alaska+7
3.Oklahoma+2
4.Indiana=
5.South Dakota-4
6.Tennessee-3
7.Idaho+1
8.Florida-1
9.Iowa-3
10.Arizona+6
11.Colorado+2
12.Nevada-2
13.North Dakota-2
14.Wyoming=
15.South Carolina+5
16.Kansas+9
17.Montana+4
18.Missouri-6
19.North Carolina+4
20.Utah+2
21.Virginia+3
22.Georgia-7
23.Alabama-4
24.Michigan-7
25.Nebraska-7
26.Pennsylvania+1
27.Wisconsin+5
28.Texas-2
29.Arkansas-1
30.New Mexico+3
31.Delaware+6
32.Washington-1
33.Massachusetts-4
34.Louisiana-4
35.Ohio+1
36.Mississippi-2
37.Oregon-2
38.Minnesota+2
39.West Virginia+3
40.Vermont-2
41.Kentucky-2
42.Maine-1
43.Rhode Island=
44.Illinois+1
45.Connecticut-1
46.Maryland=
47.New Jersey=
48.Hawaii=
49.California=
50.New York=

Oklahoma being #3 automatically makes this a Horrible Freedom Ranking.

[ElectionsGuy]

Oklahoma being #3 automatically makes this a Horrible Freedom Ranking.

Wow, critical thinking there. My personal feelings about Oklahoma conflict with the list based on facts so therefore the list is invalidated.

[Indy Texas]

New York and California generate more wealth than any other states and have some of the largest companies in the world, but clearly they're a bunch of communists who hate economic freedom.

[heatcharger]

Oklahoma being #3 automatically makes this a Horrible Freedom Ranking.

Wow, critical thinking there. My personal feelings about Oklahoma conflict with the list based on facts so therefore the list is invalidated.

You can't be serious. One of the highest suicide rates in the country. 2nd highest uninsured rate. If you look at the Gallup State of the States they're in the bottom tier in so many metrics, including economic confidence, job creation index, % worried about money, as well as overall well-being. Oh yeah, the state is filled with racists and the political environment is toxic to top it all off. But keep thinking low taxes, right-to-work, and "health insurance freedom" makes it a freedom state.

[SWE]

From the page on New York:

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Yep, I feel really oppressed by all of the sewers we have. True freedom is having to sh**t in an outhouse, it seems.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

Their recommendations for Massachusetts aren't particularly horrible but the list is obviously trash overall.

[Santander]

Live Free or Die.

[Reginald]

Cato Institute
"Freedom ranking"

All I needed to see.

[Intell]

Utterly dumb.

[Bismarck]

Oklahoma being #3 automatically makes this a Horrible Freedom Ranking.

Wow, critical thinking there. My personal feelings about Oklahoma conflict with the list based on facts so therefore the list is invalidated.

You can't be serious. One of the highest suicide rates in the country. 2nd highest uninsured rate. If you look at the Gallup State of the States they're in the bottom tier in so many metrics, including economic confidence, job creation index, % worried about money, as well as overall well-being. Oh yeah, the state is filled with racists and the political environment is toxic to top it all off. But keep thinking low taxes, right-to-work, and "health insurance freedom" makes it a freedom state.

I agree that Oklahoma is too high on the list but what do any of those things you mentioned have to do with freedom? It didn't say a list of best places to live or best social programs.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

Oklahoma being #3 automatically makes this a Horrible Freedom Ranking.

Wow, critical thinking there. My personal feelings about Oklahoma conflict with the list based on facts so therefore the list is invalidated.

You can't be serious. One of the highest suicide rates in the country. 2nd highest uninsured rate. If you look at the Gallup State of the States they're in the bottom tier in so many metrics, including economic confidence, job creation index, % worried about money, as well as overall well-being. Oh yeah, the state is filled with racists and the political environment is toxic to top it all off. But keep thinking low taxes, right-to-work, and "health insurance freedom" makes it a freedom state.

That's because you have the wrong definition of freedom, which is a bad thing. Ain't nothing "unfree" about racists and toxic politics and right to commit suicide or not have health care.

This is an absolute freedom ranking for putting New York on the bottom. Great honor! How California got 2nd though is highly questionable.

[Rules for me, but not for thee]

Basically a great list for me, as it aligns to places I'd love to live politically (or the reverse for places like NY, also the last place I'd want to live in the US).

Edit: Also the policy suggestions are great.  This list does seem to favor economic freedoms vs personal in weight.  Interesting that the #1 state in personal freedom is where Gary Johnson was governor...

[Maxwell]

Generally what these surveys mean by "FREEDOM" is low taxes for corporate entities, and yes, Mary Fallin has done a very good job wrecking our state budget on that and one time budget gimmicks in order to cover up her gross incompetence, but things like education, roads, basic government services have fallen by the wayside. The companies she's enticing won't stay here long if our population is too stupid to even work there, roads are too messed up to even get there, and our government is so incompetently run that nothing can get done.

All this matters more than "FREEDOM".

And personal freedoms? In Oklahoma? What a god damn joke. The legislature spends more time grandstanding on bills that restricting people's privacy rights and trolls vulnerable people than any sort of "personal freedoms".

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Pretty awful, but this bit is interesting:

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Is this true?

[Lyin' Steve]

Basically the top is a bunch of prairies and the bottom is a bunch of states with a lot of cities and heavily-populated urban and suburban areas.

[Antonio the Sixth]

ayy lmao

[Rules for me, but not for thee]

Generally what these surveys mean by "FREEDOM" is low taxes for corporate entities, and yes, Mary Fallin has done a very good job wrecking our state budget on that and one time budget gimmicks in order to cover up her gross incompetence, but things like education, roads, basic government services have fallen by the wayside. The companies she's enticing won't stay here long if our population is too stupid to even work there, roads are too messed up to even get there, and our government is so incompetently run that nothing can get done.

All this matters more than "FREEDOM".

And personal freedoms? In Oklahoma? What a god damn joke. The legislature spends more time grandstanding on bills that restricting people's privacy rights and trolls vulnerable people than any sort of "personal freedoms".

Well if you like government programs, look at the bottom of the list for places to live. Also, OK is rated #30 in personal freedoms, not very high.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Well if you like government programs, look at the bottom of the list for places to live.

It would be nice if the correlation of this ranking with the actual ranking of States with the best to worst policies were a -1 or close: then, it would provide just as much information as if it were actually a sensible ranking. But sadly that's not even the case.

[All Along The Watchtower]

Live Free or Die.

Literally.

[Maxwell]

Generally what these surveys mean by "FREEDOM" is low taxes for corporate entities, and yes, Mary Fallin has done a very good job wrecking our state budget on that and one time budget gimmicks in order to cover up her gross incompetence, but things like education, roads, basic government services have fallen by the wayside. The companies she's enticing won't stay here long if our population is too stupid to even work there, roads are too messed up to even get there, and our government is so incompetently run that nothing can get done.

All this matters more than "FREEDOM".

And personal freedoms? In Oklahoma? What a god damn joke. The legislature spends more time grandstanding on bills that restricting people's privacy rights and trolls vulnerable people than any sort of "personal freedoms".

Well if you like government programs, look at the bottom of the list for places to live. Also, OK is rated #30 in personal freedoms, not very high.

how about people actually getting a solid education?

[Devout Centrist]

You know, I like some of Cato's suggestions, especially on regulation. However, I don't support just broad cuts to public services and tax cuts. As I have said before, getting a fiscal pocketbook in order requires tax increases and some cuts. Mind you, this is during a positive part of the business cycle.

[Santander]

Live Free or Die.

Literally.

Cute.

[hopper]

Why is Texas only #28? I don't think people care that Texas is is ranked next to last in the "Personal Freedom" Category and only #27 in the "Regulatory" Category. People are moving to Texas in droves.

People aren't moving to New Hampshire(unless they are moving from Massachusetts) or Alaska even though those 2 states are #1 and #2 on Cato's most free states to live in.

I don't think people care about Oregon being #39 in the "Fiscal" category and #36 in "the "Regulatory" Category. Again like Texas people are moving there in droves.

[Indy Texas]

Why is Texas only #28? I don't think people care that Texas is is ranked next to last in the "Personal Freedom" Category and only #27 in the "Regulatory" Category. People are moving to Texas in droves.

People aren't moving to New Hampshire(unless they are moving from Massachusetts) or Alaska even though those 2 states are #1 and #2 on Cato's most free states to live in.

I don't think people care about Oregon being #39 in the "Fiscal" category and #36 in "the "Regulatory" Category. Again like Texas people are moving there in droves.

When most people move to another state, it's because they have family they want/need to be closer to or they got a new job or their current job requires them to move. Occasionally, well-off retirees will move based on lifestyle factors (wanting to be near mountains or beaches, etc).

There are plenty of people who will move from places high on the list to places lower on the list and if you provided them with this information, I doubt it would make them change their minds or even care.

Unless you're deciding where to incorporate your multimillion dollar limited partnership or LLC and want to reduce your tax burden, I don't see why this information is relevant.

[tallguy23]

Apparently lower taxes are more important than housing/job protections for LGBT people. Sure California has higher taxes and more regulations, but I've always felt very free here to live how I want.