Speak Out: Ranking of Economic Freedom in Countries

Replies (17)

• Over regulated, Over taxed and along with being an entitlement Nation has dropped us in the standings. Miccheck yes that is true, but those people care and work for a living because they want to succeed we have many in this country that all they want to do is run around with the hand out and not work at all and do nothing to contribute to society. Many in our country have become lazy want everything for nothing.

  -- Posted by swampeastmissouri on Thu, Jan 16, 2014, at 6:22 AM

• We need to scrap NFTA, GAFTA and CAFTA and get jobs back in the USA otherwise we will be the new rice pickers of the world!

  -- Posted by dfgt4554 on Thu, Jan 16, 2014, at 6:51 AM

• -- Posted by miccheck on Thu, Jan 16, 2014, at 5:02 AM

  Wrong. Do you know what the word means? Do you know what it takes to get a mortgage in Canada - how much tougher it is - vs. the US? You actually have to prove your credit worthiness in Canada and put more money down.

  Unlike the democrat / socialist approach to threatening banks that refuse to loan to people who don't qualify technically. Or put no money down.

  And many more examples. Canada more socialist? No.

  -- Posted by not_sorry on Thu, Jan 16, 2014, at 9:56 AM

• What about the US government / Administration's forcing banks to loan money to people who don't qualify? Or sue banks for not putting branches to serve minorities when there are no customers there?

  Or bank bailouts?

  -- Posted by not_sorry on Thu, Jan 16, 2014, at 10:43 AM

• BCSTONED it is all left up to the people, if they want this continue drive toward socialism than that is what they will receive. If they want this country to be what she once was than they will roll up the sleeves and help us rebuild this great nation and bring her back to what she once was.

  -- Posted by swampeastmissouri on Thu, Jan 16, 2014, at 11:08 AM

• I think economic freedom means free choice in trade sans government intervention.

  If I want to trade cash for a night in a motel, I don't think economic freedom is served by government forcing me to pay a tax to do so. Nor should my choice to invest be subject to tax on earnings of that investment.

  National economic freedom would describe a company's ability to import goods without special tariffs to subsidize competitors.

  -- Posted by Old John on Thu, Jan 16, 2014, at 11:26 AM

• -- Posted by swampeastmissouri on Thu, Jan 16, 2014, at 11:08 AM

  Well said Swamp.

  -- Posted by not_sorry on Thu, Jan 16, 2014, at 11:43 AM

• Obama said yesterday he don't need congress he will just sign an executive order if he can to avoid legislation so the country can move forward. Said that he has executive powers, ink pen and a phone congress don't do it he will. So much for our republic this was what our founders were afraid of to much power in the executive branch. Scary situation.

  -- Posted by swampeastmissouri on Thu, Jan 16, 2014, at 1:03 PM

• Why does any POTUS have executive powers? Who grants executive powers to the POTUS. When and when not can the POTUS use executive powers. I am not the constitutional scholar that swamp is but, maybe swamp can enlighten me. Does not the constitution grant executive powers to the POTUS?

  -- Posted by left turn on Thu, Jan 16, 2014, at 1:33 PM

• -- Posted by left turn on Thu, Jan 16, 2014, at 1:33 PM

  Lefty,

  What some of us fear in giving Barack Hussein Obama, or any other President, unlimited power with Executive Order is like the saying goes.... it could be like giving a monkey a machine gun.

  A President cannot make laws by executive order under the powers granted him by the constitution so far as I understand it.

  -- Posted by Have_Wheels_Will_Travel on Thu, Jan 16, 2014, at 2:08 PM

• lefty again I'm not as smart as a socialists liberal is.

  -- Posted by swampeastmissouri on Thu, Jan 16, 2014, at 4:54 PM

• Rick, I didn't watch the video but I think Penny's troubles began with a new leader that failed to realize that girls just want to do what girls like to do.

  -- Posted by Old John on Thu, Jan 16, 2014, at 5:15 PM

• BCStoned,

  Decided which elected office you are going to seek yet?

  Gosh, we're behind Ireland...which took an IMF bailout.

  Thanks for the post and thought-provoking comments, all.

  -- Posted by Givemeliberty on Thu, Jan 16, 2014, at 9:39 PM

• "Dug: The entire reason why getting a mortgage in Canada is much tougher is because they have MORE regulations and their banks have less economic freedom to offer all the various mortgage products that a US can."

  The mortgage bubble was caused by regulations that said you must give loans to people that cant pay it back or you don't get the carrot on the stick.

  -- Posted by We Regret To Inform U on Fri, Jan 17, 2014, at 10:08 AM

• From the Sltoday article:

  "Cities need help navigating what can be a really complicated federal system," said Erika Poethig, a fellow at the Urban Institute and former HUD staffer who helped design the Strong Cities program. "They need help to understand how to use those resources that exist and what levers can be pulled to help realize their economic vision."

  The Strong Cities program -- known as "SC2" -- launched in 2011 in seven cities, and has helped those places better use about $370 million in federal funding so far, Donovan said.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  We take your money and then show you how to spend it when you beg for it back.

  The Jeffersons could be moving back down to the projects if hind sight proves clear.

  -- Posted by Old John on Fri, Jan 17, 2014, at 12:22 PM

• St. Louis is one of seven struggling cities nationwide that will be part of a program dubbed Strong Cities, Strong Communities, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development said Thursday. -- Posted by Diseased Turtle on Fri, Jan 17, 2014, at 11:41 AM

  More socialist/marxist efforts to fight the war on poverty.

  St. Louis was a bustling, popular city in the 1960's with population and industry growing. It has gone down hill since. Anyone care to guess what happened in 1960 and has been the same ever since?

  -- Posted by not_sorry on Fri, Jan 17, 2014, at 1:18 PM

• The Jeffersons could be moving back down to the projects if hind sight proves clear.

  -- Posted by Old John on Fri, Jan 17, 2014, at 12:22 PM

  Old John,

  Say it ain't so! I always considered George Jefferson as one of my heroes. Had a hard time trying to decide which I like best George Jefferson or Archie Bunker. Neither was funny..... just correct!

  -- Posted by Have_Wheels_Will_Travel on Fri, Jan 17, 2014, at 3:47 PM