tntgoodwin Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 http://mercatus.org/freedom-50-states-2011 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 Here's some irony for ya. I'm in one of the least 'free' states, but I'm a state with almost no homeschool regulations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greta Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 I haven't looked at this in depth enough yet to understand by what criteria they are measuring freedom, but one glance at the map revealed something ironic: of the states in which I have lived, the one rated the most "free" had the lowest quality of life, by far. It's the one that I would not want to live in again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KristinaBreece Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 Ohio's pretty low. But I don't find the HS regulations to be as strict as this site claims. I haven't found the law to require teacher licensure or approval of my chosen curricula. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Satori Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 Colorado - very free, but not "most" free. According to the chart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milovany Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 As soon as I read your post, I thought to meself, "My state will be in the bottom 12." Sure enough! It's number 40 out of 50 ...... bleh. Although I love the beauty where I live, the regulations are maddening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NanceXToo Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 PA is no 31 on the list. It says our Homeschool laws are perhaps the worst in the country. Lol lucky us! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 (edited) we conducted a survey of free-market policy analysts at think tanks associated with the State Policy Network (SPN). 33 We contacted 58 policy analysts in 49 states and received responses from 37 policy analysts in 32 states (63.8 percent). The primary purpose of the survey was to obtain expert information on specific, realistic reform recommendations in each state. Our policy recommendations are therefore based partly on these survey responses and partly on noteworthy scores on policy variables we measure. It is worth noting that our respondents skewed heavily conservative. We asked respondents to grade the issue subcategories in our index on a 0–10 scale of their importance to individual freedom, 10 meaning most important. The top three subcategories for our respondents (mean scores in parentheses) were education (9.15), health-insurance regulation (9.07), and labor regulation (8.57). The bottom three subcategories were same-sex partnerships and other marriage freedoms (4.04), marijuana laws (4.48), and miscellaneous mala prohibita (5.37). Three respondents scored marriage-license restrictions as irrelevant to freedom (0). It is an opinion poll skewed conservative Edited June 9, 2011 by Sis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 It is an opinion poll skewed conservative No kidding. It is the output from an institute funded by the Koch Foundation which also funded the John Birch Society and (as covertly as possible) funds the Tea Party movement. Not exactly credible, nor surprising. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathleen in VA Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 I looked at this study when it first came out and was interested to find that they used homeschooling regulations as a freedom variable. What surprises me is that I live in a realtively free state (#9) and I'm just south of a very non-free state (#43). I've always wondered why folks who move here from other places in order to work in D.C. choose to live in Maryland. It would seem, commuting-wise, just as easy to live in Virginia and housing costs are about the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 No kidding. It is the output from an institute funded by the Koch Foundation which also funded the John Birch Society and (as covertly as possible) funds the Tea Party movement. Not exactly credible, nor surprising. Bill Ha! I didnt notice that part. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joyofsixreboot Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 Since I don't wAnt to move to NH or SD I guess I'll say in IN. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SweetBean Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 Here's some irony for ya. I'm in one of the least 'free' states, but I'm a state with almost no homeschool regulations. We must live in the same state. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theYoungerMrsWarde Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 48 :glare: Anyone know where the list of stat rankings of public schools is? Because I'm pretty sure my state is in the bottom 10 in that, too. My in-laws have been talking about moving to Idaho for years. Can anyone on this thread tell me what Idaho's hs laws are like? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 No kidding. It is the output from an institute funded by the Koch Foundation which also funded the John Birch Society and (as covertly as possible) funds the Tea Party movement. Not exactly credible, nor surprising. Bill Ah, well there you go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tntgoodwin Posted June 10, 2011 Author Share Posted June 10, 2011 No kidding. It is the output from an institute funded by the Koch Foundation which also funded the John Birch Society and (as covertly as possible) funds the Tea Party movement. Not exactly credible, nor surprising. Bill There are those who have no problem with those type of organizations being a measuring stick for "freedom." This study leans libertarian, and the results tend to support those biases. Please, offer an alternative if you have one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 There are those who have no problem with those type of organizations being a measuring stick for "freedom." This study leans libertarian, and the results tend to support those biases. Please, offer an alternative if you have one. There are those of us that do not equate either the John Birch Society, the Tea Party movement or libertarianism with "freedom" and have a big problem with the extremism of this right-wing bias. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amira Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 My in-laws have been talking about moving to Idaho for years. Can anyone on this thread tell me what Idaho's hs laws are like? Idaho doesn't regulate homeschooling at all. We didn't even have to notify when we were there, and there are no other requirements. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tntgoodwin Posted June 10, 2011 Author Share Posted June 10, 2011 There are those of us that do not equate either the John Birch Society, the Tea Party movement or libertarianism with "freedom" and have a big problem with the extremism of this right-wing bias. Bill That's fine. You have my permission to think differently than I do. ;) Do you have an alternate suggestion for defining freedom as it applies to states, and a list that orders the states by your criteria? Please share! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anissarobert Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 Idaho doesn't regulate homeschooling at all. We didn't even have to notify when we were there, and there are no other requirements. Recent changes to the Idaho regulations have made it even better. Parents have the right to homeschool without any regulations and that right is spelled out in the language of the statute, where before it was only implied. There are no requirements to register, report or test. The only requirement is that parents are to make sure that their children are educated. This law passed last year with the unanimous concent of our legislature! We ranked 4th on this poll, but we are at the top when it comes to homeschool laws! That being said, I would let the economy recover a bit more before I would move here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aggie Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 I love that New Hampshire "Live Free or Die" is first!:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisB Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 Yeah, baby!! #2 :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 Does a state gain or lose "freedom" points for having armed right-wing militia members and racist groups like Aryan Nations running around in the woods with guns? Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tntgoodwin Posted June 10, 2011 Author Share Posted June 10, 2011 I can't imagine that is the criteria used, nor does it appear to be relevant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cindergretta Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 Interesting read. Thanks for sharing. I disagree with some of the "analysis" of my state's hs'ing laws. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mama Lynx Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 Funny that Texas is rated as less free than Virginia. Having lived in both states, I disagree ;-) Golly, Bill, I had no idea that the John Birch Society was funding the Tea Party. Got any links I can research that with? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twoxcell Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 I find what Spy Car said funny;). My state ranks number 8 and it is pretty liberal. Many of the points they used for its high ranking were, civil unions, medical marijuana, and assisted suicide. I wouldn't call those points very conservative. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bug's Mom Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 I'm in Wisconsin (#25) and found this interesting: "Homeschools are also regulated with some annoying notification requirements." We fill out Form PI-1206 each fall. That's pretty much it. We're "required" to teach at least 875 hours each school year. No testing is required. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aelwydd Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 I couldn't find another website that measures "freedom" using different criteria. So, I just included a bunch of links to some different rankings on things like crime (I like being free from it, thankyouverymuch), education (freedom from ignorance is a good thing), pollution (hope I don't have to explain that one) and so forth. State by state rankings for: CRIME POLLUTED WATER POLLUTED AIR POVERTY PERCENTAGE UNINSURED CITIZENS High school graduation SMALL BUSINESS FRIENDLY Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 Funny that Texas is rated as less free than Virginia. Having lived in both states, I disagree ;-) Golly, Bill, I had no idea that the John Birch Society was funding the Tea Party. Got any links I can research that with? Google Koch Foundation. Koch Industries. Koch Brothers. Fred Koch. Add additional search terms like John Birch Society and Tea Party and you will be busy for days. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In The Great White North Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 Quote: we conducted a survey of free-market policy analysts at think tanks associated with the State Policy Network (SPN). 33 We contacted 58 policy analysts in 49 states and received responses from 37 policy analysts in 32 states (63.8 percent). The primary purpose of the survey was to obtain expert information on specific, realistic reform recommendations in each state. Our policy recommendations are therefore based partly on these survey responses and partly on noteworthy scores on policy variables we measure. It is worth noting that our respondents skewed heavily conservative. We asked respondents to grade the issue subcategories in our index on a 0–10 scale of their importance to individual freedom, 10 meaning most important. The top three subcategories for our respondents (mean scores in parentheses) were education (9.15), health-insurance regulation (9.07), and labor regulation (8.57). The bottom three subcategories were same-sex partnerships and other marriage freedoms (4.04), marijuana laws (4.48), and miscellaneous mala prohibita (5.37). Three respondents scored marriage-license restrictions as irrelevant to freedom (0). It is an opinion poll skewed conservative The weighting may have been based on opinions but most of the criteria they used were laws. And they clearly didn't take the "marriage-license restrictions as irrelevant" part to heart when weighting their variables. Marriage license restrictions and same sex marriage are discussed under Paternalistism and given some weight (16.2% of the Paternalism category - 2nd highest after education.) In our view, individuals should be allowed to dispose of their lives, liberties, and properties as they see fit, as long as they do not infringe on the rights of others.1Nor did they follow this 100%. For example, smoking bans are seen as an infringement on the rights of the smokers, not as a freedom from noxious pollution for the non-smokers. They removed abortion and the death penalty from their equations because of differing viewpoints, but left lots of other "debatables" in. Skews the whole thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovemyblessings Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 Woo hoo! I'm free at #4! wouldn't have it any other way. I love Idaho. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovemyblessings Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 48 :glare: Anyone know where the list of stat rankings of public schools is? Because I'm pretty sure my state is in the bottom 10 in that, too. My in-laws have been talking about moving to Idaho for years. Can anyone on this thread tell me what Idaho's hs laws are like? No hs laws in Idaho :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiver0f10 Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 I can't imagine that is the criteria used, nor does it appear to be relevant. It is when you are trying to bait people :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrappyhomeschooler Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 Ohio's pretty low. But I don't find the HS regulations to be as strict as this site claims. I haven't found the law to require teacher licensure or approval of my chosen curricula. I'm surprised by how low Ohio is, too. But then, the only other state I've ever lived in is New York! I don't know what they mean about the teacher licensure, either, but maybe they're referring to the portfolio review. And we do have to submit our list of curricula, and while they can't deny us the right to homeschool, they can call us in and ask questions about our curricula. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aubrey Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 Here's what it has to say about TX: Texas prides itself on being a freedom-loving state, and our rankings bear out that it is freer than most other states. However, its policies are sometimes not as consistent with individual liberty as the rhetoric of its officials and citizens would suggest. Indeed, Texas has slipped in the rankings and has much room for improvement. Texas enjoys one of the lowest tax burdens in the country and state spending is relatively low. Gun control is better than average, but the state falls short on open-carry laws, stricter-than-federal minimum age for purchase rules, and dealer licensing. One might argue whether stricter gun control makes one freer or not. I'm not sure this is an objective measure. Alcohol is less regulated than in most other states (although localities can interfere extensively in this realm), and beer, wine, and liquor taxes are low. Again, this point involves interpretation. I'm glad it's legal where I live, but I have voted against it in other places. It depends on the location & the population surrounding you, if you know what I mean. Some areas are more prone to drunk driving. Low-level marijuana cultivation is a misdemeanor, but otherwise marijuana laws are very harsh. Its lifetime maximum possible sentence for a single marijuana offense is draconian. Do I need to say anything? Even more so than Tennessee, Texas is much less interested in arresting people for victimless crimes, excluding drugs, than its peers, but is much more eager than others to make drug arrests. Texas does not authorize sobriety checkpoints and has relatively light restrictions on motorist freedoms. Private and homeschools are almost completely unregulated. However, the state would benefit greatly from complete school choice. Labor laws are generally good, except for a prevailing-wage law. Texas is the only state not to require employers to contribute to workers’-compensation coverage. By the standards used on other points, this would contribute to relative freedom in TX, not detract from it. One wonders if the authors of these statistics had an agenda. ;) While Texas has only light community rating, it has imposed mandated coverages on health insurance that add significantly to the cost of insurance premiums. In other words, we want it both ways. Regulate! Don't regulate! Texas is one of the leaders in telecom and cable “deregulation.†Unfortunately, eminent domain has not been extensively reformed. The state’s asset-forfeiture laws and liability system are both worse than average. In terms of the latter, ending the election of judges would probably help. Texas has higher than average cigarette taxes but slightly less restrictive smoking bans than many other states. One could argue that this is freedom for smokers or lack of freedom for nonsmokers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asta Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 Woo hoo! I'm free at #4! wouldn't have it any other way. I love Idaho. Idaho, Idaho, we're so proud of Idaho We come from North and South and East and West To mention all of the things that we love best about Idaho... hee hee hee a Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twoforjoy Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 Wow, that was biased. For one thing, it seemed to take a "freedom from" stance, rather than a "freedom to" stance. I'd certainly feel freer, for example, in a state where the public schools were well-funded and sending my kids there was at least an option; if they public schools are underfunded and poorly performing, then some of my freedom is lost, because I'm not longer free to have that as a viable option. I'd like to have my children enjoy the freedom to have healthcare and food and shelter no matter what my husband's or my job situation. I don't feel particularly free when social services are cut. I don't feel freer with people able to walk around carrying concealed weapons. I don't feel freer when my state cuts taxes and suddenly the roads around me are not maintained. So I guess to me, freedom is more about having the opportunities to fulfill one's potential and to live a healthy and happy life. Fewer regulations, in many cases, makes that less likely and makes us less free; instead, they allow those with more money and power to exert even more influence over the rest of us and dictate what happens to us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 It's pretty skewed so not of much value. By their criteria, Michigan scored 27th. In terms of homeschooling freedom, I think only Alaska beats out Michigan. Recently, some legislator introduced a bill to make burn barrels, bonfires, and the burning of yard rubbish illegal. It died in the house. Seriously, people were crazy up in arms about it. It had a sort of "you'll take away my right to burn leaves over my dead body" kind of feel to it. When the head of the DNR was asked by journalists about the enforcing of such a law if it was voted in, the concensus was that the DNR had bigger fish to fry than worrying about who had a burn barrel and what they burned in it so not to expect any law enforcement from them. When our local sheriff was asked if he would enforce the law, his comment was "Nah...I'm not getting rid of my own burn barrel." He was up for reelection and it was a landslide in his favor!! We live in a funny state. Faith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 PA is no 31 on the list. It says our Homeschool laws are perhaps the worst in the country. Lol lucky us! I saw that too. But then NH is the most free, and its homeschool laws are also really bad. And Virginia, for instance, ranks much freer than PA, but PA's gun control laws and raw milk laws, just for example, are better than VA's, even if VA's homeschool laws are better. So I really suppose it depends on what freedom means to the individual person on a daily basis. I generally find PA to be pretty free on a daily-living basis, but then again, my only real comparisions are Maryland and Massachusetts, both of which rank as decidedly less free, so maybe I'd be completely shocked if I moved to Texas, LOL. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twoforjoy Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 If you look at this list of quality-of-life state rankings, the results don't seem to be related to how "free" a state is by this group's criteria. In fact, several of the least free states, according to this, are rated as being the most livable and having the highest quality of life for residents. http://www.morganquitno.com/sr07mlrnk.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I talk to the trees Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 I'm not at all surprised that NY came in dead last.:glare: Skewed or not, that observation is pretty accurate! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 It is when you are trying to bait people :glare: :iagree: This is a libertarian interpretation of what makes one "free," not an objective one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wheres Toto Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 If you look at this list of quality-of-life state rankings, the results don't seem to be related to how "free" a state is by this group's criteria. In fact, several of the least free states, according to this, are rated as being the most livable and having the highest quality of life for residents. http://www.morganquitno.com/sr07mlrnk.htm Interesting. NJ is 49th on the "freedom" scale and 5th on the quality-of-life scale. NJ scored low on the freedom scale due to gun control laws, seatbelt laws, helmet laws, no cell phone while driving, open container laws (open alcohol in a car), sobriety checkpoints, mandatory insurance, no fireworks and cigarette taxes and smoking bans. I don't have a problem with the majority of these. In such a densely populated state some of these are for the safety of others - cell phones are shown to be dangerous while driving, smoking bans protect others, etc. We do have medical marijuana and same sex partnerships. We have paid family leave which they seemed to count as a negative. It described our homeschool regulations as "broad curriculum requirements". But, since we don't have to actually report or even notify anyone it's not much of a requirement. One of their suggestions for improvement was to CUT FUNDS TO SCHOOLS IN ORDER TO REPEAL CIGARETTE TAXES. Huh? That improves our freedom? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mama Lynx Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 Google Koch Foundation. Koch Industries. Koch Brothers. Fred Koch. Add additional search terms like John Birch Society and Tea Party and you will be busy for days. Bill I did. I found a great deal of speculation, conspiracy theories, and a little hysteria - lots of assertions, but no hard evidence for such a claim. Oh, well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twoforjoy Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 One of their suggestions for improvement was to CUT FUNDS TO SCHOOLS IN ORDER TO REPEAL CIGARETTE TAXES. Huh? That improves our freedom? Freedom from, not freedom to. I guess they rate freedom from taxes on cigarettes as more important than freedom to have your child receive a quality education even if you don't have the resources to afford private school or homeschool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twoforjoy Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 I appreciate some of the lack of freedom though. For example, I'm thrilled that smoking is illegal almost anywhere in public. I love love love that. I don't care if that isn't free. It's all a matter of perspective. Laws against, say, smoking in restaurants means that smokers lose a freedom, but other patrons and restaurant workers gain the freedom to eat and work in an environment with healthy air. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laundrycrisis Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 Here's some irony for ya. I'm in one of the least 'free' states, but I'm a state with almost no homeschool regulations. Me too...dark blue but at this point a lot of freedom for homeschoolers. I find it interesting that the smoking ban law here was part of the low rating for IL. Smoking in restaurants and at the entrances to public buildings is one "personal freedom" I'm glad to "give up". In fact I've been complaining to our public library for over a year because they don't enforce the smoking ban and have set up a lovely little smoking area right in front of the only entrance, that I have to walk through to get in and out, and then have to use my inhaler because smoke is my big asthma trigger. I see "freedom from smoke" as a more valuable "personal freedom" than the "right" to pollute the air others need to breathe in public places. I guess I have different ideas of personal freedom than the people who did these rankings. Breathing is high on my list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brehon Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 Interesting thing about Texas and motorists' freedoms. The state allows (and at least 1 city utilizes) "No Refusal Tests". These are regulations which require motorists to submit to field sobriety tests when pulled over for suspected DWIs. If a motorist does refuse LE obtains an immediate arrest warrant from a judge who is basically on stand-by thereby forcing the motorist to have a breath-a-lyzer test and blood test. The No Refusal Days don't happen all the time and are generally announced in advance [for example: this weekend is a No Refusal Weekend because of the ROT Rally]. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 I haven't read all the replies yet, but living in PA we consider ourselves to be quite free as do others who move here from neighboring states (and there are many who have moved here). Then I looked at our neighboring states - they all rank lower than our 31 with NY at the bottom, MD at 43, OH at 42, NJ at 49 and DE at 39! I guess it's all relative! With respect to PA's homeschooling laws, I certainly don't have any problems with them and never have. When I read about people needing umbrella schools or having to register a "school," that, to me, seems far worse than anything we have to do. I really like where I live, so I have no complaints. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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