"Economic Freedom and Migration Flows Between U.S. States." Southern Economic Journal, 2007, 73(3), 677-697.
Abstract: A modified gravity model is estimated using a cross section drawn from the U.S. Census survey of 2000 in order to analyze the impact of economic freedom on gross migration flows between the lower 48 states. Spatial econometric methods are utilized in order to capture spatial effects not detected by distance. In addition, the Economic Freedom of North America Index is decomposed to determine the individual impact of various policies. It is determined that states with higher relative economic freedom experience greater migration inflows through its direct impact on income and employment growth. In aggregate, it is found that individuals migrate towards state with relatively higher government consumption expenditures, relatively lower tax burdens, and states with more freedom with respect to labor decisions in the form of less restrictive minimum wages, less concentration of unions, and less dependence on public employment.
"Income Inequality and Economic Freedom in the U.S. States." Under Resubmission at Public Choice (with Russell Sobel).
Abstract: This paper examines the impact of economic freedom on income inequality using cross-sectional data for U.S. states. While previous research has explored this relationship internationally, the results have been conflicting. In addition, while it seems obvious that large institutional differences across countries impact income inequality, it isn't obvious that the smaller variation in policies among U.S. states can have a measurable impact. Can improvements in income inequality be used as a justification for marginal pro-market policy reforms at the state level, or is this argument applicable only to national-level institutional reforms?
"Property Rights, Institutions, and the Quality of Life." Preparing for submission.
Abstract: The effect that the components of the Economic Freedom of the World Index (Gwartney, Lawson, and Block, 2004) have on well being is investigated with unbalanced and balanced panel data spaced at five-year intervals including up to 79 countries. The objective is to observe the impact of institutions and free-market policies on the quality of life using the Index of Human Progress (Emes and Hahn, 2001). Positive results are found with regard to the effect of rule of law, well-defined property rights, and limited regulation on the quality of life.
"Reduce Labor Market Restrictions: From School Choice to Right to Work." Chapter 10 in Unleasing Capitalism: Why Prosperity Stops at the West Virginia Border and How to Fix it (with Mark T. Gillis), forthcoming.