# Freedom in the 50 states **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 17, 2016, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freedom-in-the-50-states/763074 "2016-08-17T14:21:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Flyer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/flyer/32/7298_2.png) [@Flyer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flyer)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2016, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freedom-in-the-50-states/763074/1 "2016-08-17T14:21:50Z")
The Cato Institute has compiled freedom rankings for the 50 states, based on a large number of legal and regulatory aspects, both for economic freedom and personal freedom. They rank New Hampshire as the most free, and New York as the least free. [http://www.freedominthe50states.org/](http://www.freedominthe50states.org/) ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2016, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freedom-in-the-50-states/763074/2 "2016-08-17T14:33:39Z")
The Cato Institute is a Libertarian think tank, originally founded by the Koch brothers. Their idea of “freedom” would mean corporate tax breaks, and weak corporate regulation. Additionally, I wouldn’t visit their website if someone held a gun to my head. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2016, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freedom-in-the-50-states/763074/3 "2016-08-17T14:40:19Z")
Which pretty much shows…absolutely nothing. Compare those “freedom” ranking to Forbes’ list of best and worst economies of the 50 states and you get zero correlation. New York, California, New Jersey and Maryland are all listed in the “Bottom 5” in freedom, yet rank 8, 3, 22 and 12 in economies. In the “Top 5” (Alaska, South Dakota, Oklahoma, Indiana, New Hampshire) you get Forbes rankings of 25, 40, 43, 37 and 11. In fact, if there is any correlation to be found it seems to be that regulation fuels economies, not freedom. Epic Fail, OP. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2016, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freedom-in-the-50-states/763074/4 "2016-08-17T15:32:17Z")
Also no real correlation to [happiness rankings](http://www.businessinsider.com/happiest-state-rankings-2016-1). Alaska is #2 in happiness, but Oklahoma is #48. California is #10, although New York is #40. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2016, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freedom-in-the-50-states/763074/5 "2016-08-17T16:03:32Z")
> [@SpoilerVirgin](#): > > Also no real correlation to [happiness rankings](http://www.businessinsider.com/happiest-state-rankings-2016-1). Alaska is #2 in happiness, but **Oklahoma is #48**. California is #10, although New York is #40. That’s because the wind is always sweepin’ down the plain. And they have to call it Maria for some reason. :dubious: 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2016, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freedom-in-the-50-states/763074/6 "2016-08-17T16:05:38Z")
Alaska - free and happy? ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2016, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freedom-in-the-50-states/763074/7 "2016-08-17T16:06:41Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Which pretty much shows…absolutely nothing. Compare those “freedom” ranking to Forbes’ list of best and worst economies of the 50 states and you get zero correlation. New York, California, New Jersey and Maryland are all listed in the “Bottom 5” in freedom, yet rank 8, 3, 22 and 12 in economies. In the “Top 5” (Alaska, South Dakota, Oklahoma, Indiana, New Hampshire) you get Forbes rankings of 25, 40, 43, 37 and 11. In fact, if there is any correlation to be found it seems to be that regulation fuels economies, not freedom. > > Epic Fail, OP. Good points. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2016, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freedom-in-the-50-states/763074/8 "2016-08-17T16:51:33Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > Alaska - free and happy? The biggest payroll in Alaska is from the federal and state governments. The people who bitch the most about the government there are the ones with their hands out every two weeks for a paycheck. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2016, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freedom-in-the-50-states/763074/9 "2016-08-17T19:14:36Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Which pretty much shows…absolutely nothing. Compare those “freedom” ranking to Forbes’ list of best and worst economies of the 50 states and you get zero correlation. New York, California, New Jersey and Maryland are all listed in the “Bottom 5” in freedom, yet rank 8, 3, 22 and 12 in economies. In the “Top 5” (Alaska, South Dakota, Oklahoma, Indiana, New Hampshire) you get Forbes rankings of 25, 40, 43, 37 and 11. In fact, if there is any correlation to be found it seems to be that regulation fuels economies, not freedom. > > Epic Fail, OP. Yeah, any “freedom” poll that says Texas gun laws are “moderately above average” in terms of freedom is hallucinating somehow. (and I’m generally a pro-gun person). It’s a strange ranking system; it values things like “Tobacco freedom” and “gambling freedom”, which most places think SHOULD be regulated and less free. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2016, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freedom-in-the-50-states/763074/10 "2016-08-17T20:22:57Z")
Yeah, it’s basically a billionaire’s ant-taxation hate list.:dubious: New Hampshire 1? Where if you cover up the “Live Free or Die” on the license plates you get a ticket? Right. Oregon 37? California 49? Puhleeeze. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2016, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freedom-in-the-50-states/763074/11 "2016-08-17T20:47:21Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > New Hampshire 1? Where if you cover up the “Live Free or Die” on the license plates you get a ticket? Right. The Supreme Court ruled that unconstitutional back in 1977. It was a stupid law when it was enacted, but I’m not sure how it relates to NH today. > **[Wooley v. Maynard](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wooley_v._Maynard)** > > Wooley v. Maynard, 430 U.S. 705 (1977), was a case in which the Supreme Court of the United States held that New Hampshire could not constitutionally require citizens to display the state motto upon their license plates when the state motto was offensive to their moral convictions. > This case has been praised by legal scholars as a check against compelled speech by the government and a strong protection of symbolic speech in the form of covering up government speech on private property. > Since ... ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2016, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freedom-in-the-50-states/763074/12 "2016-08-18T01:30:44Z")
> [@bump](#): > > It’s a strange ranking system; it values things like “Tobacco freedom” and “gambling freedom”, which most places think SHOULD be regulated and less free. Most people do, too, I bet. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2016, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freedom-in-the-50-states/763074/13 "2016-08-18T01:33:18Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > The Cato Institute is a Libertarian think tank, originally founded by the Koch brothers. Their idea of “freedom” would mean corporate tax breaks, and weak corporate regulation. **Additionally, I wouldn’t visit their website if someone held a gun to my head.** :eek: Why _that_ wouldn’t be very free at ALL… ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2016, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freedom-in-the-50-states/763074/14 "2016-08-18T01:34:19Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > The biggest payroll in Alaska is from the federal and state governments. The people who bitch the most about the government there are the ones with their hands out every two weeks for a paycheck. And actually _get_ one… ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2016, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freedom-in-the-50-states/763074/15 "2016-08-18T01:39:14Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > And actually _get_ one… Gotta love it. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2016, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freedom-in-the-50-states/763074/16 "2016-08-18T01:42:31Z")
Yeah, the OP really screwed the pooch with this one. No wonder he hasn’t been back. Too embarrassed. ---
**Author:** ![Esox\_Lucius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/848f3c/32.png) [@Esox\_Lucius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esox_Lucius)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2016, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freedom-in-the-50-states/763074/17 "2016-08-19T05:02:49Z")
Financial regulations that prevent me from losing my house because the bank gambled recklessly and lost make me freer. It’s all a matter of perspective.