William P. Ruger and Jason Sorens from George Mason University have come out with a study called Freedom in the 50 States. In it, they calculate Fiscal, Regulatory, Economic, and Personal Freedom Rankings for each state. They then combine them into a single Overall Freedom Ranking - and sadly our Golden State Ranks near the bottom.

From the Executive Summary:
This paper presents the first-ever comprehensive ranking of the American states on their public policies affecting individual freedoms in the economic, social, and personal spheres. We develop and justify our ratings and aggregation procedure on explicitly normative criteria, defining individual freedom as the ability to dispose of one’s own life, liberty, and justly acquired property however one sees fit, so long as one does not coercively infringe on another individual’s ability to do the same.

It should come as no surprise that California not only taxes and regulates its economy more than most other states, it also aggressively interferes in the personal lives of its citizens. California ranks #48 on economic freedom and #37 on personal freedom.

Welcome to the "Eat the Rich" Cafe where President Obama's menu is the most ambitious and expensive domestic agenda since LBJ. All that's left to do is figure out how to pay the tab. On Tuesday, he left the impression that we need merely end "tax breaks for the wealthiest 2% of Americans," and he promised that households earning less than $250,000 won't see their taxes increased by "one single dime."

Ever been to one of those Brazilian restaurants where they bring out plate after plate of nothing but red meat? Steaks, chops, sausages — all you can eat, until you’re glassy-eyed from the sheer red-meatiness of it all.

This as a new probe reports that your taxpayer dollars are funding government workers who are using their computers to log onto "sexually explicit" Web sites.  In one instance, the report cites an National Science Foundation (NSF) "senior official" who allegedly spent 20 percent of his work hours "viewing sexually explicit" Web sites -- amounting to a potential loss of $58,000 in employee compensation.

Oh and by the way, the NSF is currently requesting an additional $3 billion in the stimulus bill.

Posted by CL in The Political Arena

What is the most pressing political, economic or social issue facing this country today?

Is it the prospect of recession?
Or rising violence in our streets?

Or the sacrifice of our brave young soldiers in Afghanistan?
Or could it be family breakdown?
A strong case might be made for any of these things.

Yet if you live in Gwinnett County Georgia it seems recycling is the uber issue of the day. In this community local government has deemed that voluntary enterprise is no longer enough. Now the tyranny of recycling will treat Gwinnett residents like criminals in their own homes by dropping the hammer on those who fail to recycle.

The new solid waste management ordinance provides for a civil fine of $500 for violations, which includes those who dare fail to “source separate residential recovered materials.” So while residents spend time and thought trying to ensure items are placed into the right boxes, the Garbage Gestapo will respond not with thanks and a word of encouragement, but with the threat of arbitrary fines to punish residents.

Encouraging recycling is one thing. But encouraging the citizenry to believe that putting the wrong item in the wrong box, however inadvertently, amounts to a serious anti-social act to be fiscally punished is pathetic at best, not to mention a sad commentary on the victory of government over personal liberty.

Apparently for some, the vehicle license fee that got Gray Davis recalled and Arnold Schwarzenegger elected looks like a "good idea" again. As a matter of fact, LA Times is calling on Schwarzenegger to bring the tax back to its historical level.

But as noted over at Chlorinated Liberty, we should be clear: this proposed solution would mean the average American family will be hit with an additional $900 to $1,000 in additional taxes.  Thankfully we have people like Senator George Runner making the case for the taxpayer.  You can see the video here.