Barack Obama’s Land of the Mostly Free
by Brian GarstFreedom took a hit in 2009. One year into the Obama presidency and America is no longer classified as having a “free” economy, according to the 16th annual Index of Economic Freedom, a joint report by the The Heritage Foundation and The Wall Street Journal. The land of the free and the home of the brave is now only “mostly free” for the first time in the report’s history.

Now ranking as just the 8th freest nation in the world, the United States saw scores decline in seven of the 10 measured categories, including government spending, property rights and business freedom. These results are significant because freer nations have proven more resilient and thus fared better during the current global recession.
The study also vindicates the Tea Party movement. Despite the attacks lodged by the likes of Chris Mathews, racism and intolerance toward our nations first black President are not needed to explain the movement’s sudden emergence. Rather, the loss of freedoms feared by Tea Party participants is real, and more than explains the anxiety so acutely expressed at rallies and townhalls throughout 2009.
President Obama tried to explain away Scott Brown’s win in Massachusett’s by saying, “the same thing that swept Scott Brown into office swept me into office.” He thinks voters elected Scott Brown because they hate Bush. Really! But the voters know what the evidence has affirmed: under the watch of Barack Obama, America is not only becoming less prosperous, but also less free.





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78 Comments
"The land of the free and the home of the brave is now only “mostly free” for the first time in the report’s history."
Thanks Barry!
My ancestors have been fighting and dying for this country since before the Mayflower landed. If we had a better immigration policy in 1492, this would all be a moot point. With that being duly noted, you have done more damage to this country in the past year, than anyone has done in the past 235 years, combined. You should be proud of yourself. Granted, it is easy for you, as you have no heritage here, nor blood ties. You and the rest of the "johhny come lately's" ought go back to Kenya.
PS: YOU LIE.
Three more years is a long time. I can't wait until they send you packing.
"the loss of freedoms feared by Tea Party participants is real, and more than explains the anxiety so acutely expressed at rallies and townhalls throughout 2009" –great point and one lost on all of the elites in main stream media. Loss of freedom and liberty is real and happening right before our own eyes.
Let's keep up the fight!
Not only did we drop, we had the most drastic drop out of the top 10 countries. We've noticed, and the stunning tone-deaf response from Washington, while telling, defies reason.
This is the year of the independent.
We The People – not dependent on government, a party, or the MSMedia.
Our country was born on the concept of independence. As we threw off the tyranny of an overreaching overlord, we, as citizens of an independent country will disrupt and dismantle the purveyors of tyranny in our nations capital.
We wake up slow but once started, we can do wonders. We need to tell congress get out of our lives and businesses and give us back our country.
Wow! I can't believe that we only dropped as much as we did. With all the insanity going on in D.C. I thought for sure we had fallen farther than that. Not that this drop is insignificant, but….3 years to go under this clown…I hope the bottom isn't too deep.
Psst!
Newz from the job front:
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Initial-jobless-cla...
Apparently, those "jobs created" or "jobs saved" are dwindling fast.
Just think, he's not done!!….He has more ways to take away
our freedoms…My gosh, if they pass this healthcare bill, can
you picture them coming door to door to see if you eat properly,
exercise, and if you're a little chunky, and not a pretzel like BO,
they'll haul you away to a fat-farm….I know, this sounds extreme,
but, would you put it past them?….lol
Uh oh.
ABC just broke a story.
It appears that the illustrious John Edwards was Presidential material. At least he was Kennedy-esque:
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/john-edwards-admits-fat...
Granted, stealing a kids shi$$y diaper is stooping really low, even for a lawyer, and politician……
The battle is just beginning to restore American values to Washington. We can't relax after a few victories. Unresponsive incumbents need to be purged like Reid, Pelosi, Frank, Boxer, Waxman, Durbin.
Scott Brown's win proves that conservative principles will win with the American public.
In terms of economic prosperity and freedom, which will be more important to watch on Janaury 27th; The State of the Union Address or the new product announcement from Apple Computer? This is a serious question. Apple probably created well over $300 billion in wealth for Americans in the last five years. By the end of 2010 the federal government will have created $7 trillion in additional debt in that time ($4-$4.5 trillion projected in the first 24 months of the current administration). Let's also be frank, no less than 75% of that increase in debt was for civilian spending. So which creates more economic freedom: wealth creation or indebtedness?
Lazy Jack
http://thanksforthelaughs.wordpress.com/2010/01/2...
Yes, and thank you congress.
Where are our leaders? Why are they not speaking out about our downfall? Why are the republicans not speaking out. I supported Joe "you lie", why is he not speaking out?
Where the hell are they?
I am afraid a revolution is not very far away. It will not be nice, it will not be pretty, but it is necessary.
We also need to expose big labor and unions for what they really are, unions are big business with big government help, expose this drain on society and another piece of the economic puzzle will be solved.
Gary,
They are all nothing but gutless wonders. They have collectively abdicated their responsibility, and forsaked their oaths of office.
Joe Wilson? I wonder about him. For some reason, they have him scared silent.
Why?
Cowboy Logic, as always, YOU ARE RIGHT ON! Note: America is only giving citizenship to what Sociologist call "External Personality Types, while we were founded by "Internal Personality Types"! This means since Wilson, especially FDR, only "External Personality Types" can get American citizenship! PROBLEM: "INTERNAL'S" believe that they choose what they want or do not want and "Externals", especially Roman Catholics (No offense intended), believe that OTHERS are better equipped to decide what they want and need! It is a planned "progressive (communist) agenda to take-over America (ISRAEL) and destroy "ISRAEL," (NOT JUDAH)! It's going to be called "Jacob's trouble," according to the Bible! It really is what the Civil War was about, not slavery! The "Internals" are "Israelites," the Roman Catholics are not, including the Irish (DAN)! No offense meant to anybody.
In 2008 the country voted for a blank check. In 2009 the people saw what the bill was going to be. On January 19, 2010 the good people of MA canceled the check! Now it's up the to the rest of the country!
The game has changed and the score is currently: Tea Party 1, The Progressives 0.
Give us back our country.
Mr Browns election lends creedence to what all conservatives have known since the "Fundamentally chang America" speech. I hate and that is a strong but true word those who associate change with the system and not change with who is running it.
VOTE ONLY FOR TEA PARTY ENDORSED CANDIDATES!!!!
Well, while I wholeheartedly support everyone's right to freedom of expression, you just lost me.
I'm a simpleton, it doesn't take much for some things to go way over my head. I believe there are two constants in life: the Glory of God, and the dark side of man. I have seen both in life. Barrack Obama represents the latter. Pardon the pun.
Check out the new version of "Mmm Mmm Mmm Barack Hussein Obama" at: http://www.myspace.com/rogerweber
You'll get a laugh!
[...] In a post on Big Government I covered the latest Index of Economic Freedom released by the Heritage Foundation and the Wall Street Journal. The results are not surprising. [...]
yea the wife knows about that one…got a temp job and now back looking for work again…this is getting old…thankfully I have some residual income and disability from the VA….
So is leaving a girl to drown in a car, but somehow, Teddy got to be "the Lion of the Senate". Go figure.
I wish all the hidden stuff about the Dali Bama would come out
[...] Email this to a friend | Print | Share on Facebook | Tweet this | // Posted by Editor at 9:57 AM Tagged with: Barack Obama, Economics, Heritage Foundation, Index of Economic Freedom, News, Obama, scott brown [...]
"Liar of the Senate"
Tyranny has found a home in America! We must take it back, Americans!
I was listening to Hugh Hewitt yesterday, and he and 2 other attorneys were advocating not using what little strength we have to block possible court appointments. I was floored. One of the problems we have is we have been quick to be "honorable" instead of fighting for what is right for the country. Yes, Obama won, but we will be done if he achieves a majority on the SCOTUS. I'm sorry but I'm not willing to sacrifice the future of my children to be illogically accomodating just because someone pulled the wool over our eyes.
Yes i believe Joe Wilson is scared about something, he sends out his e-mail newsletter but that is preaching to the quire.
Are they all scared? If so, of what? Do they not see what is coming, or they all have their heads up their a**? Are they all so corrupt that they do not give a damn what happens to the American people?
We need a leader or leaders in Washington who will stand up with or without support from fellow congressional members and speak the truth. Shout it if necessary.
He/she or they will not be alone. The people will rally around them.
The time for a true leader/s is now, act without delay before it is too late.
Well I know you need a computer to display all of the zeros of the governments spending, it's beyond the ability of most mere calculators.
Canada has MORE economic freedom than the US? Thanks Maobama…you lie.
Three years might be longer than this guy has. Plan should be thus: get strong candidates, elect them, clean house. A purging fire on the corrupt. Impeachment city. That would be sweet…. and probably a fantasy.
I can dream, can't I?
It's good to see China, Venezuela and Cuba so high on the list. /sarc
Cowboy,
"I believe there are two constants in life: the Glory of God, and the dark side of man."
WELL SAID! I whole heartedly agree BTW…
It is our fault. We have brought into the lie that we are a democracy. The founding fathers were very clear on that, they rejected the notion of our country being a democracy. James Madison "Democracies have ever been spectacles of turbulence and contention; have ever been found incompatible with personal security or the rights of property; and have in general been as short in their lives as they have been violent in their death." We are a Democratic Republic, and it is time to return to the original plan as outlined in the Constitution. A good place to start would be the repeal of the 17th Amendment, that called for popular elections of senators. This caused Senators to ignore the his constituents in the states and concentrate on party demands. We should restore the idea that the state assembly appoint the senators. That is why the Founders created two houses for our national legistlative body. The lower house would represent the people, the upper house would represent the state.
Second, repeal the 16th Amendment, which grants Congress the right to tax us. As Benjamin Franklin cogently noted "When the people find that they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic." The power to tax us, made congress like a prostitute, just ask Mary Landreu.
We can take back the country, and steer her back on course and away from the progressive/socialist port we are going to by making sure our representatives know the constitution, are held accountable, demand an end to Gerrymandered (mostly racist) districts, and fight for a repeal of the 16th, and 17th Amendments.
Obama doesn't lie…We just haven't been listening. He has layed his agenda out from the very beginning, we just chose to dismiss it as speculation and consipiracy theory. The majority of Americans were over come with Hope-itis, and didn't care to see it any other way. They actually believed that one man could change the world. However…
We are listening now!
Land of the mostly Free?
Look south, to Haiti, for an indication of things to come.
Bill Clinton wasted BILLIONS of our dollars, and time in his Presidency in Haiti. He backed Jean Bertrand Aristide, who was nothing more than a dsepot tin pot dictator in a Banana Republic. What did that get US? Nothing. (I always wondered why the Slickster was so enamored with Haiti. Could never figure out why he honeymooned there with Hillary, other than the fact he didn't want to bee seen with her in a respectable place).
Hope and Change boyz and girlz, Barrak is going to do that redistrubition of wealth thingey, and we will all be destitute and broke. Then we will ALL be equal, in the New World Order; and equal in the eyes of the new Massah……
Is it me or is it just a coincidence: soon AFTER Brown get's elected, this administration is involved in successfully changing campaign laws (thanks to Sonia Sotomayor in part) to loosen the regulations to corporations and unions concerning political contributions? We must never lose sight of the fact they have as their mantra "the ends justifies the means" and will stop at NOTHING to stay in power! I am encouraged at the growing "independent" majority (aka people who think for themselves and NOT what one party or organization TELLS THEM TO THINK!) … however let's not lose sight of the fact we MUST STAY ALERT!
Cowboy,
Love you man! (like a brother, not the other way).
ObaMao is partially a lame duck now, and hopefully COMPLETELY a lame duck in Nov 2010.
I hope we can keep slamming doors in his face successfully until then.
Then he won't really have three more years to Polanski the USA.
Snip "…The land of the free and the home of the brave is now only “mostly free” for the first time in the report’s history"
If you were an outside obeserver and your only looked at our politicians and then you might think we are a land of corrupt, deviant, arrogant, elitist cowards.
The faster we can expose and wipe out the progressive ideology the better off we will be as a people.
.
I say we do boycotts on those corporations, networks, and groups that are promoting Obama's Socialist agenda.
Bring this up at your local Tea Party agenda.
GE (NBC), Disney (ABC), Time-Warner (CBS), and all sponsors advertising on MSNBC; PBS.
.
Lame duck, huh?
Dick Cheney ought to take him duck hunting.
Cowboy… when i get on here and read the comments, I always look for yours. I think you should get with Breitbart and start your own contributions. You are always spot on with your thoughts! Kudos!
"As Benjamin Franklin cogently noted 'When the people find that they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic.'"
This is actually a quote from Compte Alexis deToqueville, written in the mid-19th Century. He said, "America shall remain a great nation only until such time as the people become aware that they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury."
That decision by the Supreme Court is dead-on right, however. Prohibiting ANYONE from campaigning on someone's behalf IS an unconstitutional infringement on one's free speech and the McCain/Feingold Act was unconstitutional on its face from its inception. The free speech clause of the 1st Amendment was designed precisely to protect POLITICAL speech.
I agree. There are corporations and other groups who are prepared to "go along" with Obama's socialism–why is anyone's guess. They should be brought to heel and hitting them in the pocketbook is the only really effective way to do that.
My guess is that Congress is ducking, hiding, and waiting out time to retire and hit the jackpot retirement that they voted for themselves. Unlike the founders who were willing to risk everything these pretenders were only in it for OUR money.
Narcissisism and delusion go hand in hand.
"As Benjamin Franklin cogently noted 'When the people find that they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic.'"
Kristine is absolutely correct…Ben Franklin said this, not Alexis deToqueville…
At least the 10 or so sources I just looked at all point to Ben Franklin…What source is saying it was Alexis deToqueville?
The US is the 8th most free nation on earth.
That's effing depressing, and enraging, and astounding all at once.
it's like watching Planes, Trains, and Automobiles with Rahm driving and Barry half asleep.
BO: "they say we're going the wrong way"
Rahm: "they must be drunk, how do they know where we're going"
BO: "yeah" and then gives us the finger
3 more years and we're home!
It's the prime indicator of the progress of the, "fundamental transformation of the United States of America".
Being a Historian around academia, my pocket constitution gets used alot and a protection against progressive professors. Most of the students and professors dont know about it. ;0)
I'm sorry but this report is obviously seriously flawed.
Having spent a serious amount of time in Australia, ranking Australia above America in economic freedom is just plain silly. They have a minimum wage "award system" based on age and occupation for goodness sake. They have a value-added tax, they have payroll tax, they have socialized medicine (and taxes for that), they have a fringe benefits tax, they have redundancy.. they have lots of rules around holidays.. you can't have work place agreements. Their bankruptcy laws are VERY tough on business owners (combined with the "redundancy" payments this makes a declining economy very rough in Australia). Councils (which are like municipalities) are nearly universally corrupt and require bribes for building anything. Their green movement is much stronger (forcing costly environment studies, rain water ranks, solar panels etc). I could go on.
I'm not sure how they ranking, but something is obviously wrong with this study. I think the researchers must just have a better working knowledge of how the US system works. Ranking Australia above American when it comes to economic freedom is just misinformed. Now… with beaches…
All of that has been exposed. We just haven't done anything about it………..YET.
Thanks.
I take that as a compliment ( I think). But I tend to have a propensity to stick a shitty boot in my mouth on too many occasions. Breitbart doesn't need me; they are doing a good job on their own.
You might enjoy this though:
http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/1695...
Why you ask? Its because these (GE, Disney, etc.) are big conglomerates that controll huge parts of the markets they are in. Obama tells them they will have even more controll after the government takes over the markets or regulates them more and the conglomerates spout the party line and talking points saying, "its all right, the government is here to help us!!".
Center right America has "mo". Let's roll.
[...] Worry, It’s Only $400-$600 Million to Try Terrorists in NYC Brian Garst, Big Government: Barack Obama’s Land of the Mostly Free Patterico’s Pontifications: Coakley on Crime and Terrorists Kevin McCullough, Townhall.com: [...]
[...] Worry, It’s Only $400-$600 Million to Try Terrorists in NYC Brian Garst, Big Government: Barack Obama’s Land of the Mostly Free Patterico’s Pontifications: Coakley on Crime and Terrorists Kevin McCullough, Townhall.com: [...]
[...] Worry, It’s Only $400-$600 Million to Try Terrorists in NYC Brian Garst, Big Government: Barack Obama’s Land of the Mostly Free Patterico’s Pontifications: Coakley on Crime and Terrorists Kevin McCullough, Townhall.com: [...]
I'd like to wipe out that Media Matters troll, who's thumbing down our posts.
"Whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness" – Declaration of Independence (The Founders would have had the muskets out by now… we should keep that in mind)
"Whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness" – Declaration of Independence. Literally, the founders would have brought out the muskets by now…. that's why they gave them to us.
Amen cardon! The steady barrage of lies is overwhelming at times. BTW, they can have my transfat loaded 1/2 pound triple cheeseburger w/ex-large fries when they pry it from my cold dead hands. Bring it Obama!
[...] Brian Garst , on Big Government.com: [...]
We are waking up to what is happening. The progressives will not be able to pull off their Mona Lisa without devastating the progress they made over the last 70 yrs. engraining this behavior in our society using the uninformed & minority vote. These are 2 groups left by the wayside & just want to be heard as we all do. The progressives jumped on that idea to inform them or as I call it indoctrination. They spread it to the scools & throughout the social & political scene all under darkness. They have been pecking away @ our freedoms because they detest the power the American people have to rally against them. BO wants to say Scott Brown's victory was because of voter disapproval & I say it's because we say NO & this country belongs to all of us, not just the politico's & lobbyists. They better get that message because they have about 10 months.
Thanks for the laugh!. It's good to see some humor.
It's hard to find much too laugh about unless you
watch the clowns in the White House….These people
have no idea what fools they are…Ya ever hear the
term Educated Fools? Well the White House is a
perfect example……
I some times think the GOP thinks it's in a gentlemans tiff vs. a ideological cage fight.
They seem clueless that the other side has no rule other than to win. I don't advocate abandoning principles but they simply don't seem to grasp that this is like a internal version of the cold war and losing it will have the same consequences.
Semper Decipio, Semper Victoria
Great post Kristine…!
I carry my pocket constitution with me every where I go, as should everyone IMHO.
Knowledge IS power…!
Great article, but you failed to realize one thing. This was NObama's plan the whole time. He, and his administration, is achieving their goal! They're happy about this and will continue doing what they do.
We have to turn up the dial NOW! Do not waiver, or take a nap. This is the critical time we've been working towards!
I agree. Bush knew it when he signed it into law, but did it anyway to pay back a favor. We should be thankful the Supreme Court returned the rights back to the people.
Edwards sunk to his lowest when he had the afair while his wife was suffering with cancer.
Ya just can't get any lower than that !
[...] Sorry. This one’s not on Bush, can’t blame him. This is all Barack Obama and the Democrats. Never in the history of this nation have we not been the most free nation on Earth. All it took [...]
[...] Worry, It’s Only $400-$600 Million to Try Terrorists in NYC Brian Garst, Big Government: Barack Obama’s Land of the Mostly Free Patterico’s Pontifications: Change: Obama to Continue Indefinite Detention and Coakley on [...]
This is arrogance to the tilt. Do you really have to have a long ancestry in this country to be elligible to have an opinion? I may be German but both my biological as well as my adopted father and my step grandpa are all Americans. I may have longer ties to America before I immigrated 20 years ago. But let me tell you something, the Clinton era like none other showed visible encrougements on our freedoms. Unlike you who lived here all your live, when you come from another country you grew up in you can make comparisons. And it frightens me to see how much more this country turns towards socialism. I met a Polish family at a mall and they said the reason they came from Poland to Canada and then from Canada to the U.S. to get away from Socialism. You know what they said? Now with Obama we will have the same future here sooner or later. And they were right. You don't know what Socialism is unless you grew up in a part of the world where neighboring countries like the former German Democratic Republic which was Socialist under Honecker with Soviet troops in their country. Yes, Obama and Co will take us the same direction if the political climate of the last two decades will not change.
[...] have nothing tantamount to our First Amendment. But could such a thing happen in the land of the (mostly) free as [...]
[...] have nothing tantamount to our First Amendment. But could such a thing happen in the land of the (mostly) free as [...]
[...] have nothing tantamount to our First Amendment. But could such a thing happen in the land of the (mostly) free as [...]