Freedom in the 50 States

Carol

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Its good to be free.

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Ken Morgan

Ken Morgan

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I see freedom as a more abstract concept.

Most people have no idea how free or unfree they are until they try to do something and the government or someone in authority says no. Most people don’t make use of their “freedom”, they don’t vote, protest, start up a company, write letters to the papers or elected representatives, then again to quote Getty Lee, “if you chose not to decide, you still have made a choice”, sounds like a cop out.

It's funny the highest voting rate in the world was in Eastern Europe for all of about two elections after the fall of the East Bloc, now they are just like us.

Not trying to make any point, just thinking aloud...
 

Carol

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but what do you do with it?

You enjoy it of course.

To me, it is very interesting to go hiking with someone from Boston.

We'll be driving down the Kankamagus highway (a mountain highway, also known as NH State Route 112), and there will be a car pulled over to the side of the road. "Why is that car...there?" I am asked. Because that is a small trailhead, that's a hiker's car or a fisherman's car, or a kayaker's car. "They won't get towed?" No. "Isn't this a state highway?" They still won't get towed. "Wow...."

Or perhaps we will take a water break by one of the rivers in the area, and alongside us are families with adventurous kids making a beeline for the (very cold!!) water, or a kayaker comes by with his/her boat, walks confidently across the rocks in the waterway and launches themselves downstream. "That's allowed?" Of course it is.

Or, talking with an avid hiker who plans to hike Mt. Washington for its annual "Seek the Peak" fundraiser in July. He is in fiercely good shape, and plans on starting his climb at Midnight, so he can summit the mountain during the overnight hours and then be winding his way down as the early hikers begin. "That's allowed?" Of course it is.

You could ask the motorist that caught the attention of a trooper for whatever reason...and gets pulled over without having to lunge for their seatbelt in a race to secure it before the officer gets to their window.Or the motorcyclist that chooses to ride without a helmet. Ask anyone who bought a new car. I bought one last year for about $25,000 --- and didn't have to pony up an extra $1000+ simply for sales tax.

Ask the person who just relocated here from spending a few years in the south on a job contract...that realizes they can go out and live their life without people knowing -- or caring -- what church they go to (if they even go at all). Or, ask Linda and Donna, who finally got married on the the steps of the state house in Concord after a 19 year relationship. Or even ask William Kostric, who made headlines around the world by open-carrying a firearm on private property on a day that President Obama was in town.
 

Catalyst

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An Index of Personal and Economic Freedom

Which state is the least free? New York.

Might this be a symptom of the problem?

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local...unsafe_by_state_in_effort_to_increase_su.html


**** WARNING TO SENSITIVE VIEWERS ****
The following comments depict graphic scenarios of barbarous acts.
Viewer discretion is advised

We played wiffle ball in our neighborhood without Paramedics and EMT's being present (please, no shrieks of horror - you were warned).​

We played tag in the schoolyard without notifying the School Nurse (back in the Dark Ages, I guess we just liked to live on the edge).​

/ END SARCASM​


The worst part is we pay the highest taxes in New York for the least freedom.​
 

Xue Sheng

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I'm from NY, it hurts.

How do you think I feel, I live here AND I work for them :disgust:

Ya'll can thank NYC for that.

Actually No... We can thank greedy politicians in Albany, lobbyists and special interest groups... but mostly the politicians... actually NYC has little to do with freedoms or lack thereof in NYS
 

MA-Caver

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Sigh
According to the Constitution "we the people" (still??) have the power to change it ...
 

girlbug2

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Why am I not surprised, the Republik of California is #3 from the bottom :rolleyes:.

Interestingly, the darkest blue states are all coastal. The lightest ones are "flyover" states, with the exception of NH.

I assume all that sour cream is laced with something.
 

MA-Caver

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Not likely as long as the people stay divided along party lines
Yet bipartisanship gives us the Patriot Act and its continuous renewals.

:(

Which is why "we the people" can demand 3rd or 4th or better... 5th parties so the B.S. that resides in Washington is spread out thinner... and eventually forces us to think of the better for the nation than better for themselves and their parties.
 

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