US Drops in Economic Freedom Ranking
America is no longer as economically free as it once was. New regulations and interventionist government policies are leading to less freedom, higher unemployment, and a weaker economy.
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Heritage Foundation is Koch Bros
@L0stInBlue The second aspect is the one that influences the most in a country's score. That why most poor countries are below 100th. If only the first aspect was considered, Haiti would be together with South Corea or Taiwan in the Heritage's ranking (I'm using Heritage's data, but I'm reading the description of the scores as well).
The countries you mentioned aren't rich but aren't exactly poor, they're emerging nations.
Sorry for the long message.
@L0stInBlue My point is: the concept of 'economic freedom' that libertarians use blends two different aspects. 1) governmental intervention in the economy (taxes, gov. spending, commercial barriers, regulations, protecionism, state owned enterprises, etc.) and 2) the economic efficiency or success of the country (bureaucracy, corruption, effectiveness of the regulations, competency of the labour force, infrastructure, available credit, competitiveness, etc.) (cont.)
@L0stInBlue What I'm saying is that Heritage's concept of economic freedom is incompatible with underdevelopment. If low taxes, low government spending, equal treatment to national and foreign investment and trade freedom garanteed economic freedom, countries like Niger, Haiti, Cambodia, and many others would be high in Heritage's ranking.
@saxonkirwan
None of those countries are socialist. There is no public ownership of most of the means of production in those countries. They are welfare capitalist countries. Hong Kong. Australia, and Singapore have very free markets in most areas.
"richest countries are also the most economically free". Ok, but they are rich because they're free or they're free because they're rich?
In most poor countries, taxes are low, gov. spending is low, foreign and national investments receive equal treatment, trade freedom is above world average. They should be high in Heritage's index, but political instability, poor infrastructure, corruption and limited credit mine their economic freedom. No way a poor country can rank high in Heritage index.
2 of the top 3 are socialist.
Capitalism=FAIL
economic freedom????
Didn't George Bush sign the PATRIOT ACT????
I think the Patriot Act is the true pinnacle of slavery.
@Pbirv
No, government is the cause of all monopolies. Government creates and sustains monopolies.
@Pbirv
No, we have higher taxes and the strictest regulation EVER. You have to be completely ignorant to claim that we aren't excessively overregulated.
@Pbirv
If we got rid of minimum wage laws, unemployment would fall. But the spoiled union brats don't want competition, so they'll keep people unemployed with tyrannical minimum wage laws. Just another thing that proves that unions are evil scum.
@Pbirv
Yes, government DID cause the Great Depression. You have to be quite ignorant to not know that. Government's EXCESSIVE regulation and excessive taxation caused the Great Depression. It was government that drove the economy into the ground and then stomped on it and held it down for another decade. Just like this idiot Obama and the Demoncrats in Congress are doing now.
Funny how they taught us our whole lives how communism is bad and they are killers; then they have them make our food, clothes, toys and everything else. Then you see them poisoning the products. Like that shit was an accident. Our government is allowing the enemy to kill us outright. I cant wait to see the people playing soccer in the streets with our leaders heads.
@Kayakofan3
All monopolies are products of the government. By reducing the power of government, monopolies are not allowed to occur. There is no such thing as a monopoly under capitalism. All monopolies are caused by not having enough capitalism. Capitalism is the answer for ensuring fair competition and empowering consumers.
@Kayakofan3
Allow individuals to purchase their own insurance across all choices, with their own money, with the same tax breaks big businesses and labor unions get. This makes things fair for all, lowers prices, and encourages responsibility.
@Kayakofan3
No company EVER has total control over anything. The ONLY institution that ever has total control is the GOVERNMENT.
Government is always more to be feared than any business. Any business is always more trustworthy than the government.
@Kayakofan3
No, minimum wage laws prevent businesses from employing people AT ALL. Minimum wage laws destroy jobs, cause unemployment, and bankrupt productive businesses.
Healthcare will get WORSE with the Democrats' plans. Republicans have come up with SUPERIOR ideas that are ALREADY improving healthcare in states like Indiana. It is an absolute LIE to claim that Republicans have not come up with any ideas. That is a LIE that comes from Nasty Pelosi and the other partisan Demoncrat hacks.
@Kayakofan3
Yes, people are getting laid off because TAXES ARE TOO HIGH, because there are TOO MANY BURDENSOME REGULATIONS, and because the government spends too much on ill-advised subsidies like unemployment benefits and healthcare benefits for the unemployed. Ill-advised minimum wage laws also create unemployment by artificially raising the cost of labor beyond what a low-skilled employee can provide in value. All the reasons for high unemployment are the fault of government.
No, by nearly any measure America has the much better economy.
@Kayakofan3
Japan has a horribly paralyzed economy. Stock values have lost 75-80% and never recovered. If you think Japan has a "great" economy, clearly you have pathetically low standards or poor judgment.
@Kayakofan3
Europe has inferior living conditions and paralyzed economies. Europe wishes they could be more like America.
@Kayakofan3
No company dominates the entire market.
What dominates the entire market is the government.
It is government that must be downsized for the good of all.
@Kayakofan3
The government destroyed the economy.
The market was persecuted by the tyrannical government.
Government is the cause of all economic problems.
The market is the solution to all economic problems.
@Kayakofan3
If the government tyrannizes the business owner, why should he hire any workers? Government tyranny against employers and investors is the cause of all economic problems. Cutting taxes, scrapping regulations, and downsizing government is the best way to serve the "regular" people.
@Kayakofan3
Getting rid of the tyrannical minimum wage laws allows businesses to hire again.
@DarrelfromZeeland I do believe they have tanks helicopters and all that in Iraq and what do the Iraq people have just guns and bombs. Guess what we will be running with our tails between our legs from that fight and soon. How do you explain that the almighty military that is going to protect your dumb ass couldnt beat cave dwellers? We know how to aim and I can hit shit a mile out with my rifle. Good luck.
@DarrelfromZeeland yea they said that about the cave dwellers in Iraq and Afghanistan and how many years has it been going on now. Looks like my views were right though seeing how I said welcome to the new Vietnam. Youre an idiot to think this and guess what the people are coming for the Elite and their kids. Welcome to reality. The cops and military are waking up as well idiot. Game over Soon there will be no law to protect your weak asses. All Elite are pussies.
All the companies you see folding in America are restarted in Mexico, Canada or China. Lets face it they don't have to pay taxes and they get slave labor. This is what the Elite love is slaves. Just look to the past if you do not believe me. Well they are bringing the past back because you the worker are taking too much of their money. The only way to fix this is to change NAFTA or kill the elite and their families. Take your pick. Otherwise hell is coming and you should prepare.
WOW no one gets it. The politicians have only passed laws that benefit corporations. They get big money from these corporations to do what they do. They passed Nafta so corporations could leave the USA and get cheaper labor and no regulations. We need to change NAFTA so if a corporation wants to sell their product in the USA they will make it in the USA. Until this is done you can expect the worst here in the USA. Watch Can you survive to see what is coming.
@DarrelfromZeeland Hi Darrell if Zeeland MI, guess you don't have a job getting outsourced to Mexico or China like the thousands of people around your sorry inbred ass.