According to the latest Index of Economic Freedom, which has just been published, the level of economic freedom in the United States is at its lowest point since the index was first compiled. The Heritage Foundation has been analyzing the development of economic freedom around the world every year since 1995; the current ranking covers 176 countries and is based on assessments of 12 specific criteria.

Only four countries (Singapore, Switzerland, Ireland, and Taiwan) are deemed “free” in the fullest sense of the word, while 22 countries are considered “mostly free.” The United States only just scrapes into this group with a score of 70.1 out of 100 possible points; losing another 0.2 points would see the U.S. lose its “mostly free” status. “Big-government policies have eroded limits on government,” the Heritage Foundation reports. “Public spending continues to rise, and the regulatory burden on business has increased. Restoring the U.S. economy to ‘free’ status will require significant changes to reduce the size and scope of........

© Townhall