I didn't see anything about gun ownership. If you factor that in, the US
would move
back up to number 1.

"John Cairns" wrote

Economic freedom is the measure of the roadblocks governments put in place
that prevent their citizens from achieving success. Not surprisingly,
countries with the greatest economic freedom enjoy strong economic growth.
Unfree countries, conversely, do not.

Long a symbol of economic prosperity, America for the first time no longer
ranks among the top 10 free nations of the world, according to The 2005
Index of Economic Freedom, just released by the Heritage Foundation and
the Wall Street Journal.

Now in its 11th edition, the Index is the most up-to-date and
comprehensive source of data on taxes, tariffs, regulations, monetary
policy, and the burden of government around the world.

Out-of-control government spending is partly to blame for America's
standing, but so is competition, writes Heritage's Marc Miles in his
introduction. "The U.S. is resting on its laurels," he explains, "while
innovative countries around the world are changing their approaches and
reducing roadblocks."

The U.S. must make a choice, concludes Miles. "Is it to remain the symbol
of economic freedom in the world that was, or is it going to take the
steps needed to regain the leadership in the world that is and will be?"

http://www.heritage.org/research/features/index/

All thanks to junior!

John Cairns