What surprises me is not that Tennessee is ranked the seventh-most-free state in the Union, but rather that Kalifornistan is ranked 47th (and not 50th). Concerning the state, the analysts had this to say:
Tennessee (#8 economic, #18 personal, #7 overall)
is, along with Virginia, one of the freest states in the
South. By one of our measures, Tennessee’s overall
tax burden is the lowest in the country (6.8% of
corrected GSP). The government debt ratio is also
extremely low. Along with West Virginia, Tennessee
also has the best gun control laws in the South.
However, taxes on alcohol—particularly wine—are
quite high. The first offense of marijuana possession
is always a misdemeanor, but otherwise the state has
fairly harsh marijuana laws. The state is one of three
not to require auto liability insurance (permitting
self-insurance instead), but it has sobriety checkpoints,
primary seat-belt enforcement, and helmet
laws for motor- and bicyclists. Gambling is highly
controlled; Tennessee is one of just three states to
prohibit even charitable gaming. The state also falls
somewhat short on education, with mandatory kindergarten,
mandatory registration of private schools,
and burdensome notification requirements for home
schoolers. Labor laws are above average, but health
insurance laws are mediocre. Occupational licensing
has gone way too far. Eminent domain has not really
been reformed. The state has low cigarette taxes and
no smoking bans on private property.
Cannot really find fault with any of that (though I can hear Brady Bunch heads exploding at the comment concerning gun control).
And while “freedom” is an entirely subjective concept, and more than open to interpretation, Willam Ruger and Jason Sorens do a fair job trying to quantify it with over 200 dependent and independent variables, as explained starting on page 46 and extending through page 59. If nothing else, it certainly gives some states bragging rights…
Hat tip to Jeff at Alphecca.
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