Chuck Noe, NewsMax.com
Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2004

Story Continues Below

  America's freest state: Kansas, followed by fellow low-cost Republican states Colorado, Virginia, Idaho and Utah.

America's least economically free state: New York, followed by fellow expensive Democrat states California, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Illinois.

Pacific Research Institute’s “U.S. Economic Freedom Index: 2004 Report,” published in association with Forbes magazine, figures in more than 100 variables, including regulatory and fiscal burdens imposed on residents.

The report, written by Ying Huang and Robert E. McCormick of Clemson University and Lawrence J. McQuillan of PRI, shows how more economic freedom leads to more economic security. Such findings are a wake-up call to old-fashioned politicians who still want voters to believe that more government and less liberty means more economic security.

“If all states ranked as free as Kansas, the annual income of an average working American would rise 4.42 percent, or $1,161, putting an additional $87,541 into his or her pocket over a 40-year working life. This would be a sizable addition to individuals’ private retirement accounts,” PRI stated.

“The best places to start businesses and find jobs are in states with the fewest regulatory and fiscal roadblocks, everything else considered. The report confirms that the most economically free states are experiencing population growth, as Americans are moving to states that have the most business- and job-friendly climates.”

McQuillan said: “The index is an important tool for policymakers and for improving public understanding of the link between economic freedom and financial prosperity. It is our hope that this index will contribute to future policy reforms that will strengthen and preserve economic freedom for all Americans.”

The index shows that the 25 states with above-average freedom include only two “blue” states, New Hampshire (which Kerry barely won and Bush won in 2000) and Delaware. The 25 subpar states included 17 Kerry states.

Such findings should not surprise readers of NewsMax.com, which pointed out last week how the “liberal” elitists of 49th-ranked California were declaring war on the undesirables: i.e., the middle class and poor.

U.S. Economic Freedom Index

1. Kansas, 18.18
2. Colorado, 18.81
3. Virginia, 18.86
4. Idaho, 19.02
5. Utah, 19.35
6. Oklahoma, 19.56
7. New Hampshire, 20.19
8. Delaware, 20.90
9. Wyoming, 21.24
10. Missouri, 21.82

11. Arizona, 21.89
12. Nevada, 22.10
13. South Carolina, 22.41
14. Indiana, 22.69
15. South Dakota, 23.34
16. Iowa, 23.43
17. Texas, 23.52
18. North Dakota, 24.00
19. Georgia, 24.06
20. Nebraska, 24.23

21. Montana, 24.63
22. Florida, 25. 12
23. Arkansas, 25.14
24. North Carolina, 25.58
25. Alabama, 25.87
26. Tennessee, 26.16
27. Maryland, 26.54
28. Mississippi 26.54
29. Oregon, 26.86
30. Maine, 26.93

31. Washington, 27.28
32. West Virginia, 27.73
33. Alaska, 27.82
34. Michigan, 27.90
35. Hawaii, 27.95
36. Vermont, 28.04
37. New Mexico, 28.37
38. Wisconsin, 28.75
39. Kentucky, 29.13
40. Louisiana, 29.16

41. Massachusetts, 29.41
42. New Jersey, 30.19
43. Ohio, 30.91
44. Minnesota, 31.13
45. Pennsylvania, 31.58
46. Illinois, 32.77
47. Rhode Island, 33.21
48. Connecticut, 35.21
49. California, 38.79
50. New York, 39.50

Editor's note: