Freedom in the 50 states. How does your state fare?

[NinjasLeadTheWay]

http://freedominthe50states.org/overall/california?utm_source=facebook

[Androidpk]

http://i39.tinypic.com/d5uvo.jpg

[NinjasLeadTheWay]

http://i39.tinypic.com/d5uvo.jpg

Yeah I am in CA so I lose.

[Taernath]

AZ is #11 bitches. We lost 12 FreedomPoints in 2009 when we instituted mandatory illegal alien sterilization programs, but it worked out in the end, and we're freer than EVER.

[Androidpk]

Yeah I am in CA so I lose.

But hey, you can smoke all the mj you want. I'm sure your work won't mind.

[Allereli]

why does this survey like smoking so much?

what about my freedom from disgusting smoke?

[Androidpk]

why does this survey like smoking so much?

what about my freedom from disgusting smoke?

Does it?

[Bobmuhthol]

I only looked at a few states but I did see multiple references to "this state makes it impossible to smoke!"

[Androidpk]

Cigarettes or crystal meth?

[Bobmuhthol]

I think they give a positive score to anything. For MA it was like, "these motherfuckers make it impossible to smoke tobacco, but hey, at least the marijuana laws are good."

[msconstrew]

I can't give any credence to this test because Wisconsin got 38 even though Gov. Walker has repeatedly told every business in IL, MN, and IA that we're "open for business!" If that's not freedom, I don't know what is.

[Buckwheet]

For MN I was surprised to see the ranking. Apparently having higher than normal taxes to fund all the parks and recreation items, which allowed us to be ranked as one of the top healthiest states in the nation and best places to live, means you are less free.

Bummer.

[msconstrew]

For MN I was surprised to see the ranking. Apparently having higher than normal taxes to fund all the parks and recreation items, which allowed us to be ranked as one of the top healthiest states in the nation and best places to live, means you are less free.

Bummer.

Didn't you know? Taking tax dollars to fund schools and parks is socialism at its finest. Buck's a commie.

[Androidpk]

Looks like the Dakotas are the place to be if you love 'Murican freedom.

[Suppa Hobbit Mage]

Not to start some bullshit arguing, but where is the "freedom from laws created by others to infringe on my rights to allow smoking?"

No, I don't smoke. I just think it's stupid a bar owner cannot allow smoking if they want too, and let patrons decide if they want to go to some stanky ass bar or the bar next door which doesn't allow smoking.

People should be allowed to make decisions and suffer the consequences or rewards, rather than be told what to do. Yes, there are many exceptions to this, but as a general rule we should need laws for common sense.

[Suppa Hobbit Mage]

Oh, can someone post what it looks like or something? I can't get to facebook at work.

[Bobmuhthol]

Externalities, bro. Your customers' smoke fucks up everything around. It's not a self-contained activity.

[Buckwheet]

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-a35byr6Ddyw/UY0QsxElZBI/AAAAAAAAEYs/cKsK3tPQ_vg/w1090-h721-no/2013-05-10

[crb]

I'm moving to TN, their fiscal freedom is a big reason.

[Keller]

Moving to MI in a couple of months. Le sigh.

[Allereli]

Moving to MI in a couple of months. Le sigh.

didn't you just move recently?

[Androidpk]

didn't you just move recently?

He's tired of Anticor coming over for late night oil rubs.

[crb]

Moving to MI in a couple of months. Le sigh.

Really, where to?

It isn't all bad, Rick Snyder has done an amazing job. The stupidest in the country business tax was repealed, the business personal property tax is being phased out, after years and years of last minute budget boondoggles, government shutdowns, etc, he has gotten the budget done like 3 months early each year. Personal taxes were cut, and recently school funding was even increased, we have right-to-work and voters approved an affirmative action ban though it is currently in the courts because an idiotic judge ruled that an amendment to the state's constitution wasn't a right of the people (seriously, stupidest thing I've ever heard) because it was too hard to overturn... so she overturned it. SCOTUS is reviewing it right now and I'm pretty confident it'll be upheld. Though Michigan continues to suffer from lost population. The only state to actually lose population between the 2000 and 2010 censuses, not low growth, actual loss. Some of the cities are still fiscal disasters of course.

Rick doesn't have the greatest popularity because this billionaire has a personal vendetta against him for trying to remove said billionaires bridge-to-canada monopoly and has personally ran tens of millions of attack ads. Every current living former MI governor, R or D, is in favor of this new bridge though, it actually is free to MI taxpayers (actually, it makes us money) but this billionaire wants to keep his monopoly, so its really unfair to Rick, because honestly, he is doing a bang up job. He even didn't want to to Right to Work (and thus piss off the left) but they tried a preemptive ballot proposal power grab, which was soundly defeated, and that emboldened the right to work side to take action (and Rick signed it, being a Republican, but it really wasn't his agenda, still Unions hate him for it). Other than that though, he has done a bang up job. If he isn't reelected it'll be a shame. Cut taxes, increased school funding, turning in the budget 3 months early. Can't ask for much more.

edit: of course the weather sucks.

[Archigeek]

Not to start some bullshit arguing, but where is the "freedom from laws created by others to infringe on my rights to allow smoking?"

No, I don't smoke. I just think it's stupid a bar owner cannot allow smoking if they want too, and let patrons decide if they want to go to some stanky ass bar or the bar next door which doesn't allow smoking.

People should be allowed to make decisions and suffer the consequences or rewards, rather than be told what to do. Yes, there are many exceptions to this, but as a general rule we should need laws for common sense.

Basically, at the end of the day it came down to employee health, not customer health.

[Archigeek]

All I know about Michigan is that the before/after photo montages of Detroit are sad.

[Androidpk]

All I know about Michigan is that the before/after photo montages of Detroit are sad.

Detroit looks like a goddamn warzone.

[msconstrew]

Detroit looks like a goddamn warzone.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aOWZSzxEEA

The modern architecture being lost in Detroit is a real tragedy. Very sad.

[~Rocktar~]

The modern architecture being lost in Detroit is a real tragedy. Very sad.

What's really sad is that you make a comment about architecture and not the near complete desolation of humanity in that shit hole. What's really sad is that with continued and ongoing evidence over decades that your liberal policies and ideals do nothing but destroy the human spirit, foster crime, destroy families and with proof positive that the great society is a fast track to failure that you liberal mush heads continue thinking you know better and all it will take is just one more try to get Socialism right. The real tragedy is that with proof that what you are doing is wrong and doesn't work, you pack of elitist bigots continue with the idea that it just needs to be done bigger and the next attempt will work.

[msconstrew]

Yes, Rocktard, it's true. Because I am sad about the loss of artwork and beauty in the city, it follows automatically that I do not care about humans living in the city. It is practically axiomatic that you can only care about one aspect of a dying city at a time. I'm glad you made that connection.

[AnticorRifling]

Yes, Rocktard, it's true. Because I am sad about the loss of artwork and beauty in the city, it follows automatically that I do not care about humans living in the city. It is practically axiomatic that you can only care about one aspect of a dying city at a time. I'm glad you made that connection.

A real lawyer would have said specious.

[Gelston]

Yea, 38! Go Louisiana! Erm wait.

[msconstrew]

A real lawyer would have said specious.

Don't worry. I will call something a false equivalence later and all will be right with the world.

[AnticorRifling]

I don't feel like a real database analyst unless I say concatenate at least once a day.

[Tisket]

a statewide primary-enforcement cell phone driving ban, an open-container law, and sobriety checkpoints.

I'm all for laws against these things. I'd like to see them even stricter actually. I'm all for personal liberties but, it gets dicey when liberties increase aggregate risk. You can't drive after drinking twenty beers, or whatever it is that you people drink (Zima?), or blow smoke in my face, not because it's bad for you, but because it's bad for me.

[Androidpk]

I don't feel like a real database analyst unless I say concatenate at least once a day.

Wouldn't you rather say concertina?

[~Rocktar~]

Yes, Rocktard, it's true. Because I am sad about the loss of artwork and beauty in the city, it follows automatically that I do not care about humans living in the city. It is practically axiomatic that you can only care about one aspect of a dying city at a time. I'm glad you made that connection.

It is what you chose to post about first and foremost. First impressions and all that stuff.

[4a6c1]

Democratic Underground does this about once a year. It usually turns into a dogpile of suffering Texas dissidents proselytizing for change. It's beautiful to behold. *single anarchist tear*