just joined the Free State Project

[Carehn]

And i feel like 100 silver coins! :):):):)

[Anti Federalist]

And i feel like 100 silver coins! :):):):)

Welcome!

Feel free to contact me for "insider" NH information.

[WarDog]

Right on Carehn. I would love to do the same but NH is to far from washington state. I was thinking more like montana or idaho. Hopefully this will spread out into the mainstream mind
and take hold and i wish you the best in NH good move and good luck.

[Carehn]

Right on Carehn. I would love to do the same but NH is to far from washington state. I was thinking more like montana or idaho. Hopefully this will spread out into the mainstream mind
and take hold and i wish you the best in NH good move and good luck.

Thank you! :)

I live in Idaho now an i don't think it would work. Idaho has a mormon voting block that will never be trumped. I won't be leaving for NH for a couple years. People in the FSP will help you in your move if thats whats keeping you. I would also like to meat people closer to me that are in the FSP. It would be good to find people i could plan and move with.

[Cinderella]

can someone elxplain the freestate project for me? i did do some reading but when do u move etc?? how does it work??

[Richie]

can someone elxplain the freestate project for me? i did do some reading but when do u move etc?? how does it work??

You sign an agreement to move to New Hampshire by 2010 (at most). It's as simple as that.

[Cinderella]

You sign an agreement to move to New Hampshire by 2010 (at most). It's as simple as that.


(excuse my ignorance) but i dont understand the point? what will the project do to protect us from the gov?? do u have to buy property or can u rent? i just didnt really understand it when i read up on it:confused:

[Carehn]

I think you have 5 years to move after 20000 people have pledged. The goal is to create a voting block that will control the state. NH is almost Libertarian as it is. The number people say 20000 should be sufficient to take over.

[WarDog]

Here is a link to the FSP. This is what we all need to keep in mind over the years to come.



http://www.freestateproject.org/

[porcupine]

can someone elxplain the freestate project for me? i did do some reading but when do u move etc?? how does it work??

Here's the general idea.

The Libertarian Party has worked and worked and seen almost no change. Ron Paul is the latest example. There are millions of us, but we don't amount to anything in any one portion of the country because we're so spread out. Imagine if all the Ron Paul people were in one place, how much effect we could have in changing that place for the better. As it is, we got around 5% in most states, which isn't enough to change anything.

Dr. Jason Sorens researched and found that in Quebec, a certain party was able to take power even though their membership was very small. He surmised that it was because of the number of actual ACTIVISTS and did some mathematical calculations. He decided that about 20,000 activsts could take over a small state (he's since said, after seeing how effective activsts can be when they work together, that as few as 7,000 could do the trick).

So the plan was to move 20,000 liberty loving people (everything from paleo conservatives to anarchists from all walks of life) to one already-free state. The idea is that that many people could have an effect culturally (around the water cooler or at BBQ's) and politically (with voting and activism). It would allow people to do 4 things: 1, live in a place freer than they already are, 2, associate and chill with people like them, 3, combine and synergize freedom oriented efforts, 4, run for office and make political change in a place where one can easily do that.

After reaching 5,000 members, the FSP voted and chose New Hampshire. It's a small state that is very free, has a strong libertarian tilt, a locally controlled govenrment, the 2nd lowest taxes in the country (2nd only to Alaska I think), almost no gun laws and 20 or so libertarians elected to local office (Free Staters have already gotten elected to about 20 offices as well). In addition, it has a citizen legislature that's paid only $100 per year!! Read that again...a legislature paid $100 per year!! Also, it's a very large legislature (400) in a very small state so there are abotu 1 legislators for every 1500 or so voters (that means if you get 750 people in one district, you control that seat).

We've had about 550 to 600 move so far (the website counts 526 but that number is always lower than the actual #). With those few, we've already seen enormous things happen. I never stop being amazed at how much has been accomplished with only 600 people on the ground.

We've started 3 TV shows, have a nationally syndicated radio show and 2 newspapers. We also have the Ridley Report which is unlike any other broadcast I've ever seen in giving on the ground information on some of the activism happening in New Hampshire. Free Staters have made international headlines with acts of civil disobedience and, as I said earler, gotten elected (and let me say this, if you're interested in making a difference, you can get elected in New Hampshire. It's very easy, especially with the team that will work with you) We also have a citizen freedom lobby (the New Hampshire Liberty Alliance) which is super active at the state house.

And on top of all that, you just can't overstate the good effect of chilling with other people like you. People you don't have to explain yourself to, that get your philosophy and don't look at your cross eyed when you talk about liberty. There's a synergy when activists get together so that having 5 activists is MORE than 5 times more useful than having 1. The ideas and things that happen would never happen if we were all spread out by ourselves.

Since moving there, Free Staters (or "porcupines" as we like to call ourselves) have also started migrating and uniting even more. There's a "Free Town Project" in Grafton (which is a small, rural town with no zoning that is governed by direct democracy in town meetings). People are hoping to reach a critical mass in that town so they can eliminate most taxes (which are controlled on the town level in New Hampshire) and shrink the local government even smaller than it is. Most of the people moving there are hardy folk who like to garden and live off the land and look out for each other. At the last town meeting, they constituted something of a voting block and were able to vote down alot of town spending.

Another cool thing is the "Porc Manors" that have sprung up where Free Staters buy a house and then rent it to new movers until they can get settled. There's definitely a strong community and subculture brewing among the Free Staters.

One last thing that I think is cool, if you've seen this video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FWXnK5UyRI), we also have our own emergency phone number that sends an e-mail to Free Staters that contains a sound file of the message so that if you have a problem, free staters will show up within minutes to back you up.

Here's what one guy who's moved has to say: http://freestateblogs.net/node/145

Anyone who's curious needs to come to the Porcupine Freedom Festival (see the link in my signature) this June.

[angelatc]

Yeah, but McCain won your primary. You have a long way to go.

Is there a Freestaters Job listing?

[Carehn]

One last thing that I think is cool, if you've seen this video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FWXnK5UyRI), we also have our own emergency phone number that sends an e-mail to Free Staters that contains a sound file of the message so that if you have a problem, free staters will show up within minutes to back you up.


OMG YES! I have to get to NH! This is how people should be.

[Cinderella]

Here's the general idea.

The Libertarian Party has worked and worked and seen almost no change. Ron Paul is the latest example. There are millions of us, but we don't amount to anything in any one portion of the country because we're so spread out. Imagine if all the Ron Paul people were in one place, how much effect we could have in changing that place for the better. As it is, we got around 5% in most states, which isn't enough to change anything.

Dr. Jason Sorens researched and found that in Quebec, a certain party was able to take power even though their membership was very small. He surmised that it was because of the number of actual ACTIVISTS and did some mathematical calculations. He decided that about 20,000 activsts could take over a small state (he's since said, after seeing how effective activsts can be when they work together, that as few as 7,000 could do the trick).

So the plan was to move 20,000 liberty loving people (everything from paleo conservatives to anarchists from all walks of life) to one already-free state. The idea is that that many people could have an effect culturally (around the water cooler or at BBQ's) and politically (with voting and activism). It would allow people to do 4 things: 1, live in a place freer than they already are, 2, associate and chill with people like them, 3, combine and synergize freedom oriented efforts, 4, run for office and make political change in a place where one can easily do that.

After reaching 5,000 members, the FSP voted and chose New Hampshire. It's a small state that is very free, has a strong libertarian tilt, a locally controlled govenrment, the 2nd lowest taxes in the country (2nd only to Alaska I think), almost no gun laws and 20 or so libertarians elected to local office (Free Staters have already gotten elected to about 20 offices as well). In addition, it has a citizen legislature that's paid only $100 per year!! Read that again...a legislature paid $100 per year!! Also, it's a very large legislature (400) in a very small state so there are abotu 1 legislators for every 1500 or so voters (that means if you get 750 people in one district, you control that seat).

We've had about 550 to 600 move so far (the website counts 526 but that number is always lower than the actual #). With those few, we've already seen enormous things happen. I never stop being amazed at how much has been accomplished with only 600 people on the ground.

We've started 3 TV shows, have a nationally syndicated radio show and 2 newspapers. We also have the Ridley Report which is unlike any other broadcast I've ever seen in giving on the ground information on some of the activism happening in New Hampshire. Free Staters have made international headlines with acts of civil disobedience and, as I said earler, gotten elected (and let me say this, if you're interested in making a difference, you can get elected in New Hampshire. It's very easy, especially with the team that will work with you) We also have a citizen freedom lobby (the New Hampshire Liberty Alliance) which is super active at the state house.

And on top of all that, you just can't overstate the good effect of chilling with other people like you. People you don't have to explain yourself to, that get your philosophy and don't look at your cross eyed when you talk about liberty. There's a synergy when activists get together so that having 5 activists is MORE than 5 times more useful than having 1. The ideas and things that happen would never happen if we were all spread out by ourselves.

Since moving there, Free Staters (or "porcupines" as we like to call ourselves) have also started migrating and uniting even more. There's a "Free Town Project" in Grafton (which is a small, rural town with no zoning that is governed by direct democracy in town meetings). People are hoping to reach a critical mass in that town so they can eliminate most taxes (which are controlled on the town level in New Hampshire) and shrink the local government even smaller than it is. Most of the people moving there are hardy folk who like to garden and live off the land and look out for each other. At the last town meeting, they constituted something of a voting block and were able to vote down alot of town spending.

Another cool thing is the "Porc Manors" that have sprung up where Free Staters buy a house and then rent it to new movers until they can get settled. There's definitely a strong community and subculture brewing among the Free Staters.

One last thing that I think is cool, if you've seen this video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FWXnK5UyRI), we also have our own emergency phone number that sends an e-mail to Free Staters that contains a sound file of the message so that if you have a problem, free staters will show up within minutes to back you up.

Here's what one guy who's moved has to say: http://freestateblogs.net/node/145

Anyone who's curious needs to come to the Porcupine Freedom Festival (see the link in my signature) this June.


sounds absolutely wonderful!!! my last question is what if u sign up to move but then u cant move in the 5 years? my problem is i have a child and im not with her father...so my concern is how can i move out of state without him trying to keep me.....i live in mass btw

[Carehn]

sounds absolutely wonderful!!! my last question is what if u sign up to move but then u cant move in the 5 years? my problem is i have a child and im not with her father...so my concern is how can i move out of state without him trying to keep me.....i live in mass btw

You can do anything you want. Its up to you. If its not something you want or you have to sacrifice to much its just not for you and thats ok. Just know that you CAN do anything you want so long as you don't tell yourself you "can't".

[porcupine]

sounds absolutely wonderful!!! my last question is what if u sign up to move but then u cant move in the 5 years? my problem is i have a child and im not with her father...so my concern is how can i move out of state without him trying to keep me.....i live in mass btw

Well, when you sign, it's not a binding contract. It's a "statement of intent." Speaking from experience, once you sign, somehow you find a way to get there.

I hope you find a way soon...Mass...blech. Mandatory health insurance and all. If you're in Boston, moving to New Hampshire wouldn't take you too far from Boston. Only a 1 or 2 hour drive.

[mport1]

The Free State Project is really our only hope. If only we could get a small percentage of RP supporters to join we would easily reach 20,000.

[Johnnybags]

that the project is less than 2 years from fruition. The way I see it, the coming mass migration away from high tax,crime ridden socialist states and rotting cities will lead to mass migration to freer, low government, personal responsibility states. The coming severe recession will be the catalyst. I also predict that its neighbor state, Massachusetts, abolish the income tax vote will be successful but somehow hijacked by the legislature and lawsuits causing a rush of frustrated citizens to bail out. This is a biggie because its a coin flip right now. Massachusetts is in debt up to its eyeballs and seems to think higher fees and taxes are the answer.