"Freedom in the 50 States" - Missouri ranks' 6th
Eric S. Harris
I've quoted the paragraph about Missouri below, as it is relevant to St.
Louis. -Eric
http://mercatus.org/uploadedFiles/Mercatus/Publications/Freedom%20in%20the%2050%20States.pdf
One might be forgiven for expressing surprise at
Missouri�s ranking in this dataset, given the way the
media have covered political misdeeds in St. Louis
so extensively. Apparently, St. Louis politicians do
not run Missouri; otherwise, the state would probably
not rank so highly! Missouri is ninth best on economic
freedom and sixth best on personal freedom.
Adjusted government spending and tax revenues
are both nearly a full standard deviation below the
national average. The alcohol regime is one of the
least restrictive in the United States, with no blue
laws and taxes well below average. Gun control is
very limited.
Unfortunately, marijuana sentencing
is extremely harsh. Several types of gambling
are allowed, but oddly there is no social gambling
exception. Other than recordkeeping requirements,
private and home schools are almost unregulated.
Land-use planning is decentralized. Labor laws are
generally market-friendly, but right-to-work and
allowing workers� compensation self-insurance
would improve Missouri�s score here. Occupational
licensing is less extensive than average. Asset forfeiture
has been reformed, but eminent domain really
has not. Cigarette taxes are low.
--
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Robert of St Louis
wrote:
> Missouri ranks pretty well here.
>
> I've quoted the paragraph about Missouri below, as it is relevant to St.
> Louis. -Eric
>
>
> One might be forgiven for expressing surprise at
> media have covered political misdeeds in St. Louis
> so extensively. Apparently, St. Louis politicians do
> not run Missouri; otherwise, the state would probably
> not rank so highly! Missouri is ninth best on economic
> freedom and sixth best on personal freedom.
> Adjusted government spending and tax revenues
> are both nearly a full standard deviation below the
> national average. The alcohol regime is one of the
> least restrictive in the United States, with no blue
> laws and taxes well below average. Gun control is
> very limited.
> Unfortunately, marijuana sentencing
> is extremely harsh. Several types of gambling
> are allowed, but oddly there is no social gambling
> exception. Other than recordkeeping requirements,
> private and home schools are almost unregulated.
> Land-use planning is decentralized. Labor laws are
> generally market-friendly, but right-to-work and
> would improve Missouri’s score here. Occupational
> licensing is less extensive than average. Asset forfeiture
> has been reformed, but eminent domain really
> has not. Cigarette taxes are low.
>
> --
> Replace the "w" with a "y" when replying via e-mail. If I haven't
> replied to an alleged rebuttal (yet), it may not be the most deserving
> of correction; it's a big Internet:http://xkcd.com/386 May 2008: The
> yahoo.com address has technical difficulties. Dec: Yahoo is fixing ...
I would have to have a Libetarian interpret that data. My
understanding what they believe is no government is the best
government. The Republicans 'used' to say that, but Bush destroyed
that concept for them big time. I personally feel that you can be
just as free as you think you are. Most of us grew up thinking the
world was nothing but rules. But there are many of us who have sorted
out social pressure vs the law. I have worked with and lived around
too many people, who want "everyone else" to follow the rules, but
they were always the exception. Very much like the communites where
the guru receives his messages straight from God and they rest of the
communities are just dumb followers. The community members wise up
quick.