Monday, March 24, 2014

Freedom, baby, freedom

Volokh Conspiracy: "What Americans choose when they vote with their feet."
More systematic evidence from both the United States and Europe also shows that people tend to migrate towards jurisdictions with greater economic freedom, lower taxes, and cheaper housing. Moreover, this pattern is not primarily driven by the wealthy, but by middle class and working class movers.
Speaking of Europe, Vodkapundit notes that some French entrepreneurs are saying "Adieu" to the stultifying business atmosphere under Socialist rule.

10 comments:

Memes never die said...

Among the top ten states luring away foot-voters: those low-tax, low-cost havens California, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, and Illinois.

Eric said...

You typed those words so they must be true.

Just for laughs: Ten Fastest Growing States in the United States by Population Growth

http://voices.yahoo.com/ten-fastest-growing-states-united-states-by-12372625.html?cat=3

Oh and hey, this too: This Map Shows Which States Americans Are Moving To And Leaving

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/2013-moving-map-2014-1#ixzz2wwO25j2E

"It looks at which states had the greatest share of inbound moves as a percent of total moves.

The winners: Oregon and the Carolinas.

The losers: New Jersey, Illinois, and New York"

But then you know who probably owns an interest in United Van Lines? The Koch brothers.

Anonymous said...

Seen this related article on Puerto Ricans voting with their feet?

http://www.the-american-interest.com/blog/2014/03/24/is-it-official-has-puerto-rico-failed/

Please don't hurt my meme said...

You typed those words so they must be true.

Top ten totals of U.S. citizens relocating into states, 2012:
Florida 537,148
Texas 507,750
California 493,640
Georgia 277,466
North Carolina 273,149
New York 270,053
Virginia 250,653
Pennsylvania 215,500
Washington 215,494
Illinois 208,755

Try this link, which includes ALL interstate moves, whether they be via United Van Lines, train, plane, hovercraft or pogo stick:

http://vizynary.com/2013/11/18/restless-america-state-to-state-migration-in-2012/

Sit down for this one, though, because it's going to be a bit of a shocker. The worst ten states, in terms of driving away the most fed-up people? Exact same ten states as the top ten list.

The big question on everyone's lips: where's Oregon? They're the winner, the #1 state according to Business Insider and United Van Lines. You can't argue with the numbers: 118,925 newcomers in, 108,182 out. It's as Oregon stole away the entire population of Lunenburg, Massachusetts. When will the other 49 states start learning from The Oregon Miracle?

Eric said...

I love this link! At the bottom of the page:

First, there are more people leaving California than there are arriving there. 566,986 people left the Golden State in 2012, for states like Texas, Nevada, Washington, and Arizona, presumably for the lower cost of living.
New York also shows more people leaving than arriving. The most popular destination for New Yorkers is Florida. My hunch is that these are retirees. The next most popular destinations are New Jersey and Pennsylvania. More likely these folks are leaving pricey New York City for more affordable suburbs in neighboring states.
Migrants are flocking to Florida. Interestingly the state contributing the most migrants to Florida is neighboring Georgia. Texas, New York, and North Carolina are the next largest contributors.
Texas is the second-largest destination for migrants. Over 500,000 people moved to Texas in 2012. People tend to come from the Southeast, Southwest, and the West, with the biggest contributor being California. 62,702 Californians packed up and moved to the Lone Star state in 2012.

So Americans are leaving blue states for LOWER COST OF LIVING states! Well, you showed me.

I'll save you, memey! said...

Numbers don't lie, and everybody knows that people are fleeing New York's unaffordable nanny state prices for the low-cost economic freedom of... New Jersey. It's part of that inarguable trend where people are abandoning blue states for red ones. After all, New Jersey has had one Republican Senator (appointed) for a whole five months since 1979. They voted for a Republican president a mere seven elections ago. They're totally satisfied with their taxes. And don't forget those blood-red states Florida and Pennsylvania.

A couple of time zones over, the tidal wave of 507,000 freedom entrepreneurs moving to Texas really makes those 493,000 confused stragglers moving to California look as meaningless as they are. As for Texas losing people to higher-cost Washington, ignore that. Meanwhile, the biggest net loss is in liberal Alaska. Obviously.

But don't consider climate. After all, it wasn't common for retirees to move to Florida before the Obamacrats' socialist redistribution policies took hold.

So all of the biggest influxes AND all of the biggest outfluxes are in the most populated states. Details, details. One might even be fooled into thinking that migration data representing innumerable and sometimes contradictory decisions and circumstances doesn't lend itself to a single partisan talking point. But one is stupid. Don't listen to one. This chart totally proves that our side is right and the other side blows to infinity plus forever.

Memey don't play that. said...

The next most popular destinations are New Jersey and Pennsylvania. More likely these folks are leaving pricey New York City for more affordable suburbs in neighboring states.

New York to New Jersey: 40,495
New Jersey to New York: 42,574

More likely.

Eric said...

Thanks for your explanation. I thought the conclusion of your very own link was enough, but you can't even trust that.

Geez, you can't believe anything nowadays.

I won't let them touch you, Memey. said...

You're just gonna go with "only one thing is happening" no matter what, huh?

7 million people change states each year, in every geographic, economic and ideological direction (but mostly moving one state over). Bottom Line: it’s all tilted towards one particular reason. 7 million lives, 1 talking point.

The screaming memes said...

More likely these folks are leaving pricey New York City for more affordable suburbs in neighboring states.

Oops.

http://blogs.census.gov/2014/03/27/a-more-and-more-metropolitan-america/

In 2013, New York City gained more people through migration than it lost. And also in 2012. And 2011.

In 2013, big cities gained 2.3 million people, while the remainder of the country lost 27,000. Or to put it another way:
People tend to migrate towards jurisdictions with greater economic freedom, lower taxes, and cheaper housing.