Freedom’s just another word
Louisiana is solidly red, but Cato’s freedom grades span the spectrum.
When elections are the topic, Louisiana is as red as a state gets. Switch the subject to freedom and the libertarian Cato Institute says we’re more of a purple haze.
Why it matters: Freedom allegedly fuels red-state politics, but after scoring 97 policies, Cato gives Louisiana a C grade, ranking 18th in the country.
The map problem: Cato’s data shows why it’s problematic to assume red states will be strong on economic freedom while blue states will lead on personal freedom. Louisiana’s card shows why.
- Cato’s Scott Lincicome wrote in The Washington Post that only 14 states land in a classic Republican or Democratic quadrant.
- A red state is supposed to ace economic freedom and flunk personal freedom, yet Louisiana gets a C in both: 20th on economic and 17th on personal.
Louisiana’s card: Louisiana’s grades resemble those of a first-semester college freshman, with an A, two Fs and many Bs and Cs in between. Worth noting: Cato’s state grades measure policies and statutes on the books, not how politicians behave—which helps explain the head-scratching A-grade in speech protections.
- Speech and association—A (3rd).
- Occupational freedom—B (6th).
- Firearm freedom—B (10th).
- Recreational freedom—B (10th).
- Tech and consumer freedom—B (18th).
- Fiscal burden—D (24th).
- Education—C (22nd).
- Law enforcement overreach—C (29th).
- Housing—F (48th).
- Medical freedom—F (41st).
Populist roots: Louisiana’s red label is newer than its populism, which runs from Huey Long through Edwin Edwards before the state veered right with Reagan and went all in on Trump’s GOP.
- Baton Rouge and its politics don’t mirror the state, so these are statewide grades, not necessarily a read on what's happening here.
Who’s on top: Arizona leads Cato’s list, followed by Montana, Nevada, Florida and Idaho.
- Arizona and Montana are the only As, and neither cracked 75% in economic or personal freedom.
Governor’s grade: Gov. Jeff Landry, a Trump ally, grades out at C, 17th among governors in Cato’s first-ever grades for them.
- Montana’s Greg Gianforte is the only governor to earn an A.
The bottom line: Red tells you who wins Louisiana elections, and these grades tell you the state has a meandering freedom trail.