The annual Economic Freedom of the World report has been released, and it shows a slight improvement in the rankings for the United States.  The report is co-published by the Cato Institute, the Fraser Institute in Canada, and more than 70 think-tanks around the world. The criteria used to determine which countries enjoy the most economic freedom include sound money, rule of law, and security of property rights, among other factors.  The U.S. ranking had been in steady decline for the last few decades, which contrasts with the ranking we enjoyed in the 1980s and early '90s, when we were always seen in the top 4.  Currently, the U.S. ranks 11th behind countries like Estonia, Ireland, and Switzerland.  Hong Kong and Singapore retain the top two positions with a score of 8.97 and 8.81 out of 10, respectively. The rest of this year's top scores are New Zealand, 8.48; Switzerland, 8.44; Ireland, 8.19; the United Kingdom, 8.05; Mauritius,...(Read Full Post)