Author Topic: The U.S. Isn't as Free as It Used to Be (economically speaking)  (Read 845 times)

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Offline thundley4

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The U.S. Isn't as Free as It Used to Be (economically speaking)
« on: January 20, 2010, 11:43:55 AM »
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The United States is losing ground to its major competitors in the global marketplace, according to the 2010 Index of Economic Freedom released today by the Heritage Foundation and The Wall Street Journal. This year, of the world's 20 largest economies, the U.S. suffered the largest drop in overall economic freedom. Its score declined to 78 from 80.7 on the 0 to 100 Index scale.

The U.S. lost ground on many fronts. Scores declined in seven of the 10 categories of economic freedom. Losses were particularly significant in the areas of financial and monetary freedom and property rights. Driving it all were the federal government's interventionist responses to the financial and economic crises of the last two years, which have included politically influenced regulatory changes, protectionist trade restrictions, massive stimulus spending and bailouts of financial and automotive firms deemed "too big to fail." These policies have resulted in job losses, discouraged entrepreneurship, and saddled America with unprecedented government deficits.

In the world-wide rankings of economic freedom, the U.S. fell to eighth from sixth place. Canada now ranks higher and boasts North America's freest economy. More worrisome, for the first time in the Index's 16-year history, the U.S. has fallen out of the elite group of countries identified as "economically free" by the objective measures of the Index. Four Asia-Pacific economies now sit atop the global rankings. Hong Kong stands in first place for the 16th consecutive year, followed by Singapore, Australia and New Zealand. Every region of the world maintains at least one country among those deemed "free" or "mostly free" by the Index.
WSJ Online

How far would the US fall if Lord Zero gets HCR rammed through, followed by Cap & Tax?

Offline Ptarmigan

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Re: The U.S. Isn't as Free as It Used to Be (economically speaking)
« Reply #1 on: January 20, 2010, 05:24:55 PM »
Singapore is a lot freer economically than we are. This is despite the fact that civil liberties and personal freedoms are more restricted in Singapore.
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Offline bkg

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Re: The U.S. Isn't as Free as It Used to Be (economically speaking)
« Reply #2 on: January 20, 2010, 05:38:37 PM »
It'll get worse before it gets better.