We're Number 10!
The Heritage Foundation released its 2013 Index of Economic Freedom today. Good news first: The US still makes it into the "mostly free" category. But that queasy feeling you get strolling past shuttered shops at the mall is backed up by the number crunchers at Heritage: our position in the world continues to erode as Obamanomics works its magic.
From the announcement:
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But not to worry: Now that Obama has won reelection and everyone's taxes have gone up, we are certain to see an economic resurgence of Reaganesque proportions. Aren't we?
I mean, just consider the administration's latest economic stimulus package. Obamanomics has guns and ammunition flying off the shelves.
Yeah, I can't wait for the 2014 Index.
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Re: We're Number 10!
By the way, I've considered Canada as a post-meltdown destination but never Mauritius. Should this be added to my list?
Edited on January 10, 2013 at 9:11pmNov '10
Re: We're Number 10!
As an erstwhile Canadian, I thought I was coming to the land of the free and the home of the brave 21 years ago. Now its the land of the shackled and the home of the quivering victims.
Canada really now has its act together by comparison.
Sep '12
Re: We're Number 10!
Number 10 and going down.... you know how to give insomniacs nightmares!
I wish someone had the foresight four years ago to create a stock fund made up of firearms, ammo and survival gear manufacturers. Ricocheteers could have cashed in big time!
Mar '11
Re: We're Number 10!
How the heck does Denmark beat the U.S.? This is the place were a women gets a year maternity leave and you have to keep her position open while she is on leave. Denmark has insane labor laws like the rest of Western Europe.
I mean I could understand Denmark beating California or New York but most other states in the Union, no way.
However, if I have to flee New Zeland is on the top of my list even though the job market is better in Austraila therefor my second choice. However, if I knew Spanish Chile would be on the top of my list. Switzerland is nice and federalist but it is way to expensive to live there.
Edited on January 10, 2013 at 9:53pmSep '12
Re: We're Number 10!
Countries typically topping these sorts of 'best places to do business' rankings are either small ones with dense populations or large ones with light populations.
When people out here in southern California suggest that the state should secede, I tell 'em, no, go one step further: Los Angeles should secede, and model itself as Singapore West.
May '10
Re: We're Number 10!
In a hole in the ground, there lived a hobbit... because it was the only place he could eat sugary sweets and smoke his Longbottom leaf in peace.
Then again, nobody ever saw him do a day's labor.
Brian Clendinen: ....
However, if I have to flee New Zeland is on the top of my list....
Nov '10
Re: We're Number 10!
Disappointed to see Estonia farther down the list than we are. I had seen something on it recently (in NR, perhaps?) and was intrigued by its embrace of the free market. My grandparents, world travelers, told me that Tallinn was their third favorite spot on earth (next to Singapore and Hong Kong). And then there's that funky language. Plus, you'd have the "where?!" effect at cocktail parties. The only downside was that it's, like, one of the least religious countries on earth. (Or is that an upside, so long as the populace isn't anti-religious? Hmmm....)
I had it on my short list. And now this. Pffft!
Jul '11
Re: We're Number 10!
Estonia, No. 13. The little tugboat, with a rising tide. Toot, toot ...
Personally, I put as much stock in these kind of indices as people who have been to De Gaulle Airport and say they have seen France.
Mar '11
Re: We're Number 10!
At the link, the US is heading down the list, towards the UK - change that we can believe in!
Mar '11
Re: We're Number 10!
Robert Promm: As an erstwhile Canadian, I thought I was coming to the land of the free and the home of the brave 21 years ago. Now its the land of the shackled and the home of the quivering victims.
Canada really now has its act together by comparison. · 5 hours ago
The struggle never ends. The desire for freedom is not in the land or even in words but in the people.
After Carter came Reagan, as those who came before us were burdened now we have our task. This land is as free as we wish it to be, as free as we are committed to making it.
Apr '12
Re: We're Number 10!
Aaah Mauritius, the jewel of the Indian Ocean. It makes clothes for many clothing lines. But Canada? I was talking to tax lawyers about how the YS is getting worse. They also talked about the wealthy Americans ending their citizenship with America. That is very sad.
Jan '12
Re: We're Number 10!
Brian Clendinen: How the heck does Denmark beat the U.S.? This is the place were a women gets a year maternity leave and you have to keep her position open while she is on leave. Denmark has insane labor laws like the rest of Western Europe.
I mean I could understand Denmark beating California or New York but most other states in the Union, no way.
However, if I have to flee New Zeland is on the top of my list even though the job market is better in Austraila therefor my second choice. However, if I knew Spanish Chile would be on the top of my list. Switzerland is nice and federalist but it is way to expensive to live there. · 6 hours ago
Edited 6 hours ago
I hope you are factoring into your emigration plans whether or not your country of choice will have the welcome mat out for you!
You will find that almost all of the countries you have selected have highly restrictive and selective policies regarding who they allow to enter their country; makes sense, doesn't it!
Re: We're Number 10!
What! You mean I can't head over the border into a foreign country without permission and demand benefits? I'm expected to stay "in the shadows"? Other countries don't put newcomers like me in charge of local immigration and naturalization policy?
Why that's ... un-American!
Edited on January 11, 2013 at 8:09amApr '12
Re: We're Number 10!
George, you are a job creator.
If you show you can create a business and will bring $500,000 into Canada, you can join us tomorrow.
Failing that, your skills are in demand so you would be able to get a job before coming here. Your employer would open the door and you could just work on a visa, but you would still pay tax back to America. Us Canadians, if we work in America, only pay tax to the country where we work, not back to Canada too.
Our government takes trade missions to countries of choice and set up immediate citizenship to those hired by business owners on the trip. We could arrange one to your neighbourhood.
Mar '11
Re: We're Number 10!
Barbara Kidder
I hope you are factoring into your emigration plans whether or not your country of choice will have the welcome mat out for you!
You will find that almost all of the countries you have selected have highly restrictive and selective policies regarding who they allow to enter their country; makes sense, doesn't it!
· 9 hours ago
Considering they are like America and their motto is "Give us your Rich, Educated, Professors, Doctors, ,Inventors, and businessmen." I will not have a problem because I am well educated.
Now all the Blue Collar workers I do feel sorry for, they would have issues.
Then again Mexico has more strict immigration policies than the U.S. and they are not exactly a bastion of economic freedom. Very few countries in the world don’t have fairly restrictive immigration policies on the books. So your example is bad because free countries follow herd on immigration therefor it can't be a major reason.
Re: We're Number 10!
Indaba: George, you are a job creator.
If you show you can create a business and will bring $500,000 into Canada, you can join us tomorrow.
Failing that, your skills are in demand so you would be able to get a job before coming here. Your employer would open the door and you could just work on a visa, but you would still pay tax back to America. Us Canadians, if we work in America, only pay tax to the country where we work, not back to Canada too.
Our government takes trade missions to countries of choice and set up immediate citizenship to those hired by business owners on the trip. We could arrange one to your neighbourhood. · 7 hours ago
Indaba, many thanks for the information. It is great to have options (and I suppose I could learn to spell "neighborhood" with the extra "u"). I hope we can turn things around south of the border first...but with this administration you never know.
If Canada would only restructure its healthcare system along free market lines, it would become the North American Hong Kong.
Feb '12
Re: We're Number 10!
Warning. Australia only accepts people arriving on leaky boats from Indonesia claiming to be refugees. The front door is locked.
Aug '12
Re: We're Number 10!
Actually nine out of the top ten countries on that list have achieved universal health care, one of those nine by an insurance mandate, one by a single payer system, and seven by mixed systems of Government and private insurance. Hong Kong has a mixed system.
George Savage
If Canada would only restructure its healthcare system along free market lines, it would become the North American Hong Kong. · 7 hours ago
http://truecostblog.com/2009/08/09/countries-with-universal-healthcare-by-date/
Mar '11
Re: We're Number 10!
"universal health care " is such an Orwellian euphemism, could you not simply say State Mandated Rationing? It would be more honest.
Aug '12
Re: We're Number 10!
Whatever you call it, it doesn't seem to be bad for economic freedom. Could there be a connection?