|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*| ============================================= NEWS FROM THE LIBERTARIAN PARTY OF VIRGINIA PO Box 28263 Richmond VA 23228-0263 703-715-6230 World Wide Web: http://www.LPVA.com ============================================= For immediate release: March 13, 2009 ============================================= For additional information, contact:
LPVA Communications Committee [email protected] Voicemail: 703-715-6230 Website: www.LPVA.com ============================================= RAISING VIRGINIA'S RANK ... IN FREEDOM Karen Kwiatkowski, Ph.D LPVA Communications Committee George Mason University has just published a new study, "Freedom in the 50 States: An Index of Personal and Economic Freedom." Two political scientists (one of whom is now serving in Afghanistan) sponsored by GMU's Mercatus Center have created the first-ever comprehensive ranking of the American states on their public policies affecting individual freedoms in the economic, social, and personal spheres. The authors looked at state and local government intervention across a wide range of public policies, from income taxation to gun control, from homeschooling regulation to drug policy. For each of the fifty states, rankings are determined in four categories: fiscal policy, regulatory policy, personal freedom, and "state paternalism." This last category is a new way of looking at economic and personal freedom (or lack thereof). It is the category perhaps least familiar to researchers, but most annoying to average citizens. The LPVA applauds the Mercatus Center for initiating this conversation about economic freedom, and its nemesis, nanny-statism. Where does the land of Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, James Madison and George Mason rank? In terms of regulatory policy Virginia ranks 17th. This category looked at regulations covering labor, health insurance mandates, occupational licensing, eminent domain, the tort system, land and environment, and utilities. Many Virginians may be surprised that Virginia did as well as it did, and the authors noted that Virginia's health insurance mandates are extensive, adding over 64% to the cost of insurance. However, in terms of eminent domain, some excellent efforts by some legislators in Richmond to strengthen private property rights are noted as a positive development. In terms of fiscal policy, Virginia ranks 14th. Fiscal policy included both spending and taxation categories, and looked at the percent of government employment in the state. Some Virginia taxpayers will be surprised to learn that Virginia's tax burden, government spending, and debt are all below national averages. In this Age of the Federal Stimulus, however, it is alarming to read that Virginia's state and local government employment is already well above the national average. Virginia ranks 13th in economic freedom, the infamous "paternalism" category. Here, the authors examined state laws and policies impacting freedom to live our lives and do our business. Paternalistic policies given weight here included laws relating to gambling, smoking, freedom to use a cell phone while driving, and a host of other nuisance laws. Given the latest news out of Richmond, Virginians will be forgiven for being shocked and saddened that Virginia actually performed in the top third of all states. Virginia was ranked 9th in personal freedom, a category related to economic freedom but more closely linked to constitutional guarantees, such as freedom of speech, and gun rights. This category - certainly a Virginia tradition from the very beginning - is the only one where the commonwealth performed in the top fifth. The study compared regional data (the South and West is freer than the Northeast), and did some ideological correlation finding that the more a state leaned towards the modern Democratic Party, the lower it ranked in economic freedom. The study also takes a step towards exposing the great misunderstanding of freedom shared by both major parties. It shows that the GOP supports a crazy mishmash of deregulation and paternalism; while Democrats engage in a a schizophrenic promotion of both government growth and personal liberty. Libertarians suggest all lawmakers will benefit from looking at the 2009 Freedom Index. Perhaps they could think of it as a continuing-education class in how best to promote a free, prosperous, and just society. The study is full of interesting data, available at www.StatePolicyIndex.com . Why should Virginians care? Well, we are not today the freest of states. New Hampshire, Colorado, South Dakota, Idaho, Texas, Missouri, Tennessee and Arizona all had a higher overall freedom score than Virginia. To get to #1, or even in the top 5%, Virginians and their legislators should pay close attention to improved fiscal responsibility, reducing the rolls of state employment, and consider eliminating fees, taxes, and regulation that may be chasing business and employers away. Given the recent trends, Virginia legislators, and Governor Kaine in particular, should be very careful about proposing and signing into law any more paternalistic, nanny-state restrictions - and instead should work to repeal these insulting and costly restrictions on personal and economic liberty. Virginians of all political persuasions should also care about the Freedom Index, and where our state may be heading, in light of a weak economy, and statewide ideological trends. As Virginia increasingly votes Democratic, it may be a prescription for less economic freedom. Unfortunately, leaning Republican has proven to be no friend to liberty -- in the states that outranked Virginia, five had Democratic governors. What's needed is a straightforward and refreshed appreciation by both parties of the concept of liberty, and a measurably smaller state footprint. There is one more reason legislators and governors should read this report carefully, with an eye to raising their own state's rankings. The authors point out, "... states enjoying more economic and personal freedom tend to attract substantially higher rates of internal net migration." In other words, it's what we already knew. Freedom works! # 30 # 30 # 30 # BIO: Karen Kwiatkowski, Ph.D. is a retired USAF lieutenant colonel, has written on defense issues with a libertarian perspective for MilitaryWeek.com, hosted the call-in radio show American Forum, and blogs occasionally for Huffingtonpost.com and Liberty and Power. See her article archive at http://www.lewrockwell.com/kwiatkowski/kwiatkowski-arch.html . |*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*| References: "Freedom in the 50 States: An Index of Personal and Economic Freedom." http://mercatus.org/uploadedFiles/Mercatus/Publications/Freedom%20in%20the%2050%20States.pdf For additional Information, the below individuals are prepared to answer questions on this issue: Karen Kwiatkowski <[email protected]> Communications Committee, Libertarian Party of Virginia Jeff Bowles <[email protected]> Chairman, Libertarian Party of Virginia (540) 529-9818 or (540) 473-2030 Jim Lark <[email protected]> Vice Chairman, Libertarian Party of Virginia (434) 973-5958 Marc Montoni <[email protected]> Secretary, Libertarian Party of Virginia (804) 288-2766 -- end -- ############################################################# Have an announcement you'd like to post? 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