By CATHERINE RAMPELL
As my colleague Richard A. Oppel Jr.
reported on Thursday, Gov. Rick Perry of Texas is arguing that companies are sending work abroad primarily because of overregulation in the United States, and not because labor is cheaper abroad.
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Is that statement true? Are American regulations so burdensome that they are driving companies abroad?
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For the last nine years, the World Bank has been
grading countries on 10 measures of business regulation: getting electricity, enforcing contracts, protecting investors, dealing with construction permits, trading across borders, registering property, resolving insolvency, paying taxes, getting credit and starting a business.
Based on these criteria, these are the
top 10 countries where it is easiest to operate a business:
- Singapore
- Hong Kong
- New Zealand
- United States
- Denmark
- Norway
- United Kingdom
- South Korea
- Iceland
- Ireland
That’s right: The United States comes in fourth.
moreThat's not going to prevent Republicans from
distortions.