The Mercatus Center of George Mason University released its annual report on liberty, ranking freedom in each of the states. Wisconsin comes in a disappointing 25th, no better than middling.
See, Freedom in the Fifty States 2011.
Wisconsin’s freedoms have been under siege in 2011 — our new administration and legislative majority regulate from the center in the name of local control, and are as burdensome as any majority in memory.
Less freedom of association and bargaining power for workers, more burdens on exercise of voting rights, proposals to expand eminent domain against property owners, and an excessive bill to expand state immigration restrictions are all steps toward a more centralized, restrictive society.
There’s very little that’s libertarian about this GOP majority – it’s more Nixon than Goldwater or Reagan. Where Wisconsin would rank nationally next year is yet unknown, but in daily life we’re already less free than a year ago.