AMERICANS CALL FOR CHANGE AS U.S. BECOMES LESS ECONOMICALLY FREE

Specifically, the Index records a wide disparity among the 20 largest economies in the world over the past year, with half continuing to increase economic freedom while the other half, including the United States and the United Kingdom, embraced policies that substantially diminished it, says Heritage:

* In particular, countries that undertook large stimulus measures or other government-directed attempts to spur growth failed to realize economic growth.
* Not only have growth rates not increased, but the long term impact of these measures, which includes increased deficits, inflation, higher taxes and protectionist measures against foreign trade, actually diminish economic activity.
* In the case of a country like the United States, which has such a large impact on the world economy, slower growth harms not only Americans, but citizens of almost every other country in the world. AMERICANS CALL FOR CHANGE AS U.S. BECOMES LESS ECONOMICALLY FREE