The most Free State? (Freedom, Mason: sale, home, elementary schools) - City-Data Forum

fishnfool · 03-06-2009, 07:04 AM

Yup!

Charlotte Gun Rights Examiner: What is your state's Freedom Index?

seamusnh · 03-06-2009, 10:08 AM

We're # 1! Note that the 5 other New England states are ranked in the top 11 least free....

GregW · 03-10-2009, 07:05 AM

Check the Vermont gun laws. They are less restrictive than ours. What do you expect from a conservative southern newspaper? Truth? Reality? Or simple propaganda.

seamusnh · 03-10-2009, 07:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GregW

Check the Vermont gun laws. They are less restrictive than ours. What do you expect from a conservative southern newspaper? Truth? Reality? Or simple propaganda.

Typical liberal. Can't deal with the facts so they obfuscate and attack the media outlet.

- The survey is not just gun laws. Why bring up Vt's gun laws?
"This study improves on prior attempts to score economic freedom for American statesin three primary ways: (1) it includes measures of social and personal freedoms such as peaceable citizens’ rights to educate their own children, own and carry firearms, and be free from unreasonable search and seizure; (2) it includes far more variables, even on economic policies alone, than prior studies, and there are no missing data on any variable; and (3) it uses new, more accurate measurements of key variables, particularly state fiscal policies."

- The fact that this was published in a conservative southern newspaper is not relevant. They did not create this ranking, just reported it. It was created by Mercatus Center at George Mason University - Home which is part of George Mason University. (I am sure we'll hear next how universities are controlled by the neo-cons in this country....).

fishnfool · 03-10-2009, 10:16 AM

You do understand that gun laws were only part of the equation correct?

GreenGene · 03-10-2009, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seamusnh

The survey is not just gun laws. Why bring up Vt's gun laws?
"This study improves on prior attempts to score economic freedom for American states in three primary ways: (1) it includes measures of social and personal freedoms such as peaceable citizens’ rights to educate their own children, own and carry firearms, and be free from unreasonable search and seizure; (2) it includes far more variables, even on economic policies alone, than prior studies, and there are no missing data on any variable; and (3) it uses new, more accurate measurements of key variables, particularly state fiscal policies."

Well, according to the article linked in the original post:

"Gun laws were among the most heavily weighted variables, second only to freedom of education. Gun laws measured included 'concealed- and open-carry regulations to assault weapons bans, waiting periods, gun show and private sale regulations, licensing of gun owners, registration of firearms, trigger locks, and more.' "

Of course, being a very conservative Southern paper, the article itself is something less than objective:

"If you live in one of the People’s Republics of New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island, California or Maryland, you’re pretty much screwed, but you probably know that already."

"States are ranked for Economic Freedom, Personal Freedom and Overall Freedom."

And if you click on any of the three links above, you get to rankings that are labeled as Rantings of a 'Right Wing Extremist.'

Quote:

Originally Posted by seamusnh

- The fact that this was published in a conservative southern newspaper is not relevant. They did not create this ranking, just reported it. It was created by Mercatus Center at George Mason University - Home which is part of George Mason University. (I am sure we'll hear next how universities are controlled by the neo-cons in this country....).

It wasn't created by the Center - it was published by the Center. The article includes:

"Ruger and Sorens do acknowledge that different people see freedom differently, and publish raw data with an invitation for readers to construct their own personal freedom rankings by going to: www.statepolicyindex.com"

And in following this link, you find that the two authors are not connected to George Mason University. Jason Sorens is at the University of Buffalo, and William Ruger is at Texas State University.

Yes, this is the same Jason Sorens who founded the Free State Project. But I'm sure that didn't affect his research at all.

seamusnh · 03-10-2009, 01:15 PM

Ok, it was published by George Mason University. Written by a professor from the University at Buffalo and a professor from Texas State University. GregW is still off when he attributed NH's #1 ranking to a conservative southern newspaper. Don't worry, he won't be back. He's a "drive by poster"...

rmcewan · 03-10-2009, 06:34 PM

What is Freedom of Education anyway?

Whay paw, that there be the right to keep us young'uns home on the farm and edumacate them ya'alls whay. An ya'lls way is God's whay, roight paw?

fishnfool · 03-11-2009, 06:54 AM

We'll I'll trust parents and the local community/school board to educate our own children any day over the federal government. If they want to teach them that the earth was created 4000 years ago by a big flying spaghetti monster it's none of my business, but don't expect me to give your kid a job when he finally flies the coop.

This teaching to the test, pass them on so they are someone else's problem system that we have now is failing our kids just as bad as anything else right now.

I taught Freshmen Biology at my University when I was in grad school and it was amazing how many kids could not even write a simple sentence. Three of my good friends are teachers in NH and I can't believe the BS they put up with and the mindset of the kids they teach. It doesn't make me optimistic for the future.

seamusnh · 03-11-2009, 07:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishnfool

I taught Freshmen Biology at my University when I was in grad school and it was amazing how many kids could not even write a simple sentence. Three of my good friends are teachers in NH and I can't believe the BS they put up with and the mindset of the kids they teach. It doesn't make me optimistic for the future.

Blame the high schools and the elementary schools as their job is to prepare students for college or work. I wonder if there is a difference between the public school students and the private school students in a given bio class in college? To me school vouchers would put parents in direct control of their kids' education...