There is a research center at George Mason University called the Mercatus Center, which has released a new report this year called “Freedom in the 50 States”. The study is an evaluation of the economic and personal freedom in each state, based on public policies.

The results were interesting, to say the least: the conservative states fared better than liberal states on the index, but the freest states were the ones that were moderately conservative. Other extreme conservative states, like Alabama and Mississippi, didn’t do any better than the central states.

Plus, liberal states are freer on SOME personal policies, like marijuana and same-sex partnerships, but conservative states have better gun control, smoking, and motorist laws. Find out more on the next page: