Did you feel that? The United States has gotten less free the past year. (Big shock there considering who's in charge).
According to the 2010 Index of Economic Freedom(pdf file) compiled by the Heritage Foundation and the Wall Street Journal, the U.S. has gone from the 6th most free country to the 8th. Not only that, but the U.S. suffered the largest drop in score. Where have we lost freedoms (emphasis added):
"Scores declined in seven of the 10 categories of economic freedom. Losses were particularly significant in the areas of financial freedom, monetary freedom and property rights. Driving it all were the federal government's interventionist responses to the financial and economic crises of the last two years, which have included politically influenced regulatory changes, protectionist trade restrictions, massive stimulus spending and bailouts of financial and automotive firms deemed "too big to fail." These policies have resulted in job losses, discouraged entrepreneurship and saddled American with unprecedented government deficits."
Countries with more economic freedom than the U.S. include Hong Kong (#1), Ireland (#5), and Canada (#7).
Perhaps things will improve after the 2010 elections.
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