Issue 78 | Winter 2026
Happy New Year! Welcome back to Fraser Insight, the Fraser Institute’s U.S. newsletter. This winter issue of Insight is highlighted by research and programming related to the Institute’s Economic Freedom of North America (EFNA) report.
Leading off, the In Print section, as always, features a mix of op-eds, commentaries and blogs. This issue includes articles about the EFNA rankings, tariffs and America’s drift toward crony capitalism.
Our In Focus section, which always showcases in-depth research studies and scholarly reports, is headlined by the 2025 EFNA report. New Hampshire ranks first and New Mexico ranks last among U.S. states.
Finally, the In Context section shares highlights from the most recent gathering of our EFNA Network [[link removed]].
We encourage you to share Insight with friends and colleagues by inviting them to sign up for Insight here [[link removed]]. Visit our website [[link removed]], which serves as a storehouse for cogent commentary [[link removed]] and in-depth analysis [[link removed]]—all from a free-market perspective. Follow us on X (formerly Twitter) [[link removed]]. Join us on Facebook [[link removed]]. And check out the In Touch section for more contact info.
In Print: Commentary and Review Trump overlooks what made America’s economy great [[link removed]] The Sacramento Bee
With the federal government now the largest shareholder of Intel, an ostensibly private company, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick wants you to know that “This is not socialism.” But if public ownership of the means of production isn’t socialism, what is?
Fueled by federalism, America’s economically freest states come out on top [[link removed]] Item Live
Do economic rivalries between Texas and California or New York and Florida feel like yet another sign that America has become hopelessly divided? There is a bright side to their disagreements, and a new ranking of economic freedom across the states helps explain why.
Don’t fight protectionism with protectionism [[link removed]] The Financial Post
The Saskatchewan-based fertilizer company Nutrien recently announced plans to build a $1 billion potash export terminal in the state of Washington, raising the ire of Canada’s federal government. It would be a mistake to respond to U.S. protectionism by discouraging Canadian companies from investing outside Canada.
Ending ‘emergency’ tariffs is good, but it won't end U.S. tariffs [[link removed]] Fraser Blog
The U.S. Supreme Court will soon decide the fate of the global tariffs President Trump has imposed under the International Emergency Powers Act (IEEPA). A ruling invalidating the tariffs would be welcome news for American importers, the U.S. economy and the rule of law. Even without IEEPA, however, other U.S. laws all but ensure that much higher tariffs will remain the norm.
Middle class booms with higher economic freedom [[link removed]] Fraser Blog
It’s common to hear people complain about the shrinking American middle class, but if you compare middle-class income levels for various countries around the world, Americans have much to celebrate. In fact, Americans comprise most of the world’s middle-class-and-above population. For that, they can thank economic freedom.
Global economic freedom declined four years in a row [[link removed]] Fraser Blog
Economic freedom declined at the outset of the pandemic and then either flattened or began to recover only slightly in the following years.
In Focus: Research and Analysis Economic Freedom of North America 2025 [[link removed]]
The EFNA index measures government spending, taxation, regulations and labor market restrictions. The latest index ranks New Hampshire, yet again, as the most economically free state, followed by Tennessee in second, South Dakota in third, Texas in fourth and Idaho in fifth. At the other end of the spectrum, California ranks 47th and Hawaii 48th. For the first time in nearly 20 years, New York (at 49th) is not the least-free state. That dubious distinction now belongs to New Mexico, though the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico ranks as the worst among all U.S. jurisdictions.
The Liberators: U.S. States that Increased Their Economic Freedom in the 21st Century [[link removed]]
Liberator states achieved two distinctions. First, they increased economic freedom the most since the year 2000. Second, they became some of the most economically free states in the Union. Three states satisfied these two conditions: Idaho, North Carolina and North Dakota. All three made most of their gains in the years after the Great Recession. Repressor states, on the other hand, saw the largest declines in economic freedom since 2000 and ended up as some of the least economically free states in the Union. Four states met these criteria: California, Delaware, New Jersey and Maryland.
In Context: News and Events EFNA Network Conference Focuses on Messaging Economic Freedom
Scholars and think-tankers from 10 states, 16 organizations and four countries participated in the Institute’s annual EFNA Network [[link removed]] conference, which was hosted by our friends at SMU’s Bridwell Institute for Economic Freedom in Dallas. Matthew Mitchell, a senior fellow in the Fraser Institute’s Center for Human Freedom, emceed the conference, which focused on “Messaging Economic Freedom in a Noisy Media Environment.”
Kyle Precourt (founder of Brushfire Communication) keynoted the conference. Delivered in a workshop format, his session guided EFNA Network members through the lifecycle of an effective, high-impact op-ed. Tawni Ferrarini (Fraser Institute senior fellow), Rosemarie Fike (TCU economics instructor), and Meg Tuszynski (managing director of the Bridwell Institute for Economic Freedom) built on Precourt’s workshop in a session focused on effective media strategies.
EFNA Network members Paul Gessing [[link removed]] (president of the Rio Grande Foundation in New Mexico) and John Hendrickson [[link removed]] (policy director at the Iowans for Tax Relief Foundation) shared some of the creative ways their organizations used the EFNA report in 2025.
Roberto Salinas (director of international affairs at the Universidad de la Libertad) delivered remarks covering the policy-induced setbacks in economic freedom that Mexico is weathering.
Finally, the EFNA writing team—Mitchell, Ángel Carrión-Tavárez (director of research and policy at the Puerto Rico Institute for Economic Liberty), Dean Stansel (research associate professor at the Bridwell Institute for Economic Freedom), and José Torra (head of research at Caminos de la Libertad)—delivered a preview of EFNA 2025 and looked ahead to some enhancements they will be making in EFNA 2026.
Launched in 2014, the EFNA Network comprises 65 partners in 48 U.S. states/territories, Canada, and Mexico. To learn more about the Network, click here [[link removed]]. If your organization is interested in joining this vibrant and growing community of universities and think tanks, contact us at
[email protected] [[link removed]].
In Touch: Connect with Us To learn more about our research team, visit our senior staff [[link removed]] and senior fellow [[link removed]] pages. We always welcome your feedback [mailto:
[email protected]]. To find out more about supporting the Fraser Institute, call (800) 665-3558, ext.579, or donate online [[link removed]].
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