We are now the 44th freest state

[Mr. Fife]

We moved up by one since 2012.

 

http://www.cato.org/

 

Rankings - Overall

1. New Hampshire
+1

2. Alaska
+7

3. Oklahoma
+2

4. Indiana
=

5. South Dakota
-4

6. Tennessee
-3

7. Idaho
+1

8. Florida
-1

9. Iowa
-3

10. Arizona
+6

11. Colorado
+2

12. Nevada
-2

13. North Dakota
-2

14. Wyoming
=

15. South Carolina
+5

16. Kansas
+9

17. Montana
+4
18. Missouri
-6

19. North Carolina
+4

20. Utah
+2

21. Virginia
+3

22. Georgia
-7

23. Alabama
-4

24. Michigan
-7

25. Nebraska
-7

26. Pennsylvania
+1

27. Wisconsin
+5

28. Texas
-2

29. Arkansas
-1

30. New Mexico
+3

31. Delaware
+6

32. Washington
-1

33. Massachusetts
-4

34. Louisiana
-4
35. Ohio
+1

36. Mississippi
-2

37. Oregon
-2

38. Minnesota
+2

39. West Virginia
+3

40. Vermont
-2

41. Kentucky
-2

42. Maine
-1

43. Rhode Island
=

44. Illinois
+1

45. Connecticut
-1

46. Maryland
=

47. New Jersey
=

48. Hawaii
=

49. California
=

50. New York
=

[jim123]

Ahhhh, Indiana.

[Tango7]

C'mon Illinois - so many things {D}a machine can do to make us #1 (50 to you and I).

[spec4]

Methinks IN doesn't know how good they have it. They elected a Dem senator and a former Dem senator (Evan Bayh) will be on the ballot. I will be very concerned if Bayh wins.

[MrTriple]

Why is Kentucky so poorly rated? I always thought they were a bastion of freedom.

[BeardswithoutOperators]

I thought NH had strict gun laws?

[Bubbacs]

Not based only on gun laws

[C0untZer0]

I don't know which is more surprising, that New York beat out California or that Illinois lost to Connecticut.

[C0untZer0]

I think California can regain first place if they take Mike Bloomberg's advice and outlaw Slurpee Big Gulps.

[gLockedandLoaded]

I thought NH had strict gun laws?

NH is a bastion of liberty in the oppressive Northeast.

[Marie]

Methinks IN doesn't know how good they have it. They elected a Dem senator and a former Dem senator (Evan Bayh) will be on the ballot. I will be very concerned if Bayh wins.

 

My guy friend is in IN and has seemed somewhat bemused at times how frustrated I get when talking about the pro-2nd fight here in IL. IN has it very good and I bet a lot of residents don't realize what folks in other states have to go through to constantly fight to keep their firearms-related rights.

[BobPistol]

We went up only because other states became more totalitiarian.

 

Just like USA used to be a really free country, now less free. But we're still #1 only because the rest of the world became more totalitarian.

[GWBH]

 

Methinks IN doesn't know how good they have it. They elected a Dem senator and a former Dem senator (Evan Bayh) will be on the ballot. I will be very concerned if Bayh wins.

 

My guy friend is in IN and has seemed somewhat bemused at times how frustrated I get when talking about the pro-2nd fight here in IL. IN has it very good and I bet a lot of residents don't realize what folks in other states have to go through to constantly fight to keep their firearms-related rights.

 

Marie is correct.

I'm originally from Indiana - didn't know how good I had it there.

Most of my friends just shook their heads when I said I was moving to Illinois.

And all just for good deer hunting... sheesh!!

[papa]

 

 

Methinks IN doesn't know how good they have it. They elected a Dem senator and a former Dem senator (Evan Bayh) will be on the ballot. I will be very concerned if Bayh wins.

 

My guy friend is in IN and has seemed somewhat bemused at times how frustrated I get when talking about the pro-2nd fight here in IL. IN has it very good and I bet a lot of residents don't realize what folks in other states have to go through to constantly fight to keep their firearms-related rights.

 

Marie is correct.

I'm originally from Indiana - didn't know how good I had it there.

Most of my friends just shook their heads when I said I was moving to Illinois.

And all just for good deer hunting... sheesh!!

 

Honest , I'm not laughing at you , I'm laughing at that other ........

[Gamma]

C'mon Illinois - so many things {D}a machine can do to make us #1 (50 to you and I).

They're working on it, trust me.

[Nanook]

It was surprising to see Massachusetts rated so much higher than IL. When I hear the words "gun control" or "high taxation" the first thing I think of is Massachusetts.

 

I love Indiana, especially the gun laws. But what hurts them is taxes. Each county has an income tax, to go along with state income tax. Pensions are taxed, 401K's are taxed when money is withdrawn, and this adds up to a retired person. IL, so far, has not taxed pensions, 401K's, or social security. I imagine that will be the end game since the idiots running the state don't know the meaning of the words "spend within your means".

 

"Budget? We don' need no stinking budgets!"

 

Lake County IN used to be the lone holdout, but they recently instituted a county income tax as well. The real estate taxes are way low compared to IL, so that might make up for some of it.

 

It's a great state, though. Electing democrats will not help them in the long run.

[spec4]

It was the Lake County Dems who pushed the income tax through. As I understand it, the state mandated max is 1.5%. Guess what they did? Recently I read that Lake Co. has a surplus now and is figuring out how to spend it. I contacted my county commissioner, the only GOP one and he said he is disgusted by the whole deal. Fortunately, Lake Co does not reflect the rest of IN.

 

Anyway, my RE taxes are still a lot lower over here.

[Marie]

 

 

 

 

 

My guy friend is in IN and has seemed somewhat bemused at times how frustrated I get when talking about the pro-2nd fight here in IL. IN has it very good and I bet a lot of residents don't realize what folks in other states have to go through to constantly fight to keep their firearms-related rights.

 

Marie is correct.

I'm originally from Indiana - didn't know how good I had it there.

Most of my friends just shook their heads when I said I was moving to Illinois.

And all just for good deer hunting... sheesh!!

 

Honest , I'm not laughing at you , I'm laughing at that other ........

 

 

That other what? ;P

[papa]

Marie , I was thinking of person , yeah that's the word. Honest!