July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
The definition of freedom
Editorial
Apparently those of us in Indiana enjoy more freedom than our Buckeye neighbors.
No, that has nothing to do with the Big 10 or the NCAA tournament.
Instead, it’s the judgment of something called the Mercatus Center, a right-of-center “think tank” based at George Mason University.
The center has concocted a ranking of the 50 states, listing them from top to bottom when it comes to freedom.
Trouble is, the definition of freedom is — at the very least — subjective and more accurately described as skewed.
According to the center’s recent report, Indiana ranks 16th among the 50 states in terms of freedom, while Ohio ranks 33rd.
So why the difference?
A big chunk of it has to do with taxation. And while we’re as unenthusiastic about paying taxes as the next American, it seems a little simplistic to equate taxation with a relative lack of freedom.
Regulation is another big part of the yardstick.
The folks at Mercatus apparently don’t like concepts like licensing professional occupations, even though people in those professions believe licensing is important for public health and safety. (If you doubt that, talk to a barber or beautician.)
Not surprisingly, right-to-work laws constitute another big factor in the calculations. But for every worker who believes he or she shouldn’t have to join a union, you’ll find at least a few others (probably more) who believe it’s unfair for people to enjoy the benefits of collective bargaining without helping to pick up the tab.
Freedom, it seems, is in the eye of the beholder.
And it’s too often confused with liberty, its no-consequences cousin.
By now, you can gather that the “calculations” of freedom are something else entirely, a checklist to see how well states are conforming to a particularly narrow conservative/libertarian agenda.
And if you had any doubt that this was a matter of polemics rather than political science, just look at the center’s suggestions on how Indiana might improve its ranking.
What do they suggest? Reduced funding for education and libraries.
Freedom, however, doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It requires informed citizens. It requires citizen engagement. It carries with it a measure of responsibility that mere liberty does not. It requires a balance between the rights of individuals and the greater good of the common weal.
Perhaps someone should explain that to the Mercatus Center. — J.R.[[In-content Ad]]
No, that has nothing to do with the Big 10 or the NCAA tournament.
Instead, it’s the judgment of something called the Mercatus Center, a right-of-center “think tank” based at George Mason University.
The center has concocted a ranking of the 50 states, listing them from top to bottom when it comes to freedom.
Trouble is, the definition of freedom is — at the very least — subjective and more accurately described as skewed.
According to the center’s recent report, Indiana ranks 16th among the 50 states in terms of freedom, while Ohio ranks 33rd.
So why the difference?
A big chunk of it has to do with taxation. And while we’re as unenthusiastic about paying taxes as the next American, it seems a little simplistic to equate taxation with a relative lack of freedom.
Regulation is another big part of the yardstick.
The folks at Mercatus apparently don’t like concepts like licensing professional occupations, even though people in those professions believe licensing is important for public health and safety. (If you doubt that, talk to a barber or beautician.)
Not surprisingly, right-to-work laws constitute another big factor in the calculations. But for every worker who believes he or she shouldn’t have to join a union, you’ll find at least a few others (probably more) who believe it’s unfair for people to enjoy the benefits of collective bargaining without helping to pick up the tab.
Freedom, it seems, is in the eye of the beholder.
And it’s too often confused with liberty, its no-consequences cousin.
By now, you can gather that the “calculations” of freedom are something else entirely, a checklist to see how well states are conforming to a particularly narrow conservative/libertarian agenda.
And if you had any doubt that this was a matter of polemics rather than political science, just look at the center’s suggestions on how Indiana might improve its ranking.
What do they suggest? Reduced funding for education and libraries.
Freedom, however, doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It requires informed citizens. It requires citizen engagement. It carries with it a measure of responsibility that mere liberty does not. It requires a balance between the rights of individuals and the greater good of the common weal.
Perhaps someone should explain that to the Mercatus Center. — J.R.[[In-content Ad]]
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