As the new year starts I think about the world we live in. One of my colleagues, Dave, went to the doctor last week. The doctor asked Dave how he liked his medical insurance. The response was something to the effect that it is alright. The doctor responded that he was insured under his wife and her plan was canceled. A doctor without medical insurance die to a plan cancellation and looking for medical insurance. That is a snapshot of the world we live in.
Today there is a opinion piece in The Wall Street Journal titled, America’s Dwindling Economic Freedom It ranks the United States with other countries as to Economic Freedom.
“For 20 years, the index has measured a nation’s commitment to free enterprise on a scale of 0 to 100 by evaluating 10 categories, including fiscal soundness, government size and property rights. These commitments have powerful effects: Countries achieving higher levels of economic freedom consistently and measurably outperform others in economic growth, long-term prosperity and social progress. Botswana, for example, has made gains through low tax rates and political stability.”
So where to we rank?
1. Hong Kong
2. Singapore
3. Australia
4. Switzerland
5. New Zealand
6. Canada
7. Chile
8. Mauritius
9. Ireland
10. Denmark
11. Estonia
12. United States
Why? Just take a look around. It is the economy, debt, unemployment, deteriorating social conditions and probably even a place were a medical doctor loses his medical insurance coverage. Who would have thought?
