Free State Project in the News: What happens if 20,000 libertarians move to New Hampshire?

[FrankRep]

Free State Project: What happens if 20,000 libertarians move to New Hampshire?
Hanging out with the young kids who want to turn New Hampshire into a libertarian paradise. (http://www.slate.com/id/2296999/)


Slate.com
June 15, 2011


http://img.slate.com/media/1/123125/123054/2279718/2295975/110615_POL_bumperStickerTN.jpg
Ademo Mueller poses with his CopBlock sticker
while Ian Freeman sits

[noneedtoaggress]

GREAT article.

It's going to be really interesting seeing libertarian philosophy trickle out into the mainstream debate. Libertarian seems to be a growing buzzword. They even mentioned voluntaryism and had a link to wikipedia in the article!

Pretty cool!

[mport1]

Great publicity! There have been a couple of major articles talking about the FSP lately.

[low preference guy]

Great publicity! There have been a couple of major articles talking about the FSP lately.

yeah. i just wish people moved faster. there are only 906 that officially moved. that said, i'm not going to that freezing state...

[Anti Federalist]

yeah. i just wish people moved faster. there are only 906 that officially moved. that said, i'm not going to that freezing state...

I think there are more people that moved here for the reasons of liberty/low taxes/low regulations that were never part of FSP or did it long before there was such a thing as FSP.

I know I am one, and I know more than few people that did the same thing for the same reasons.

ETA - Oh and BTW, when gets cold, you can put more clothes on.

Right now, I'm in my office room, with my windows open, and it's a very cool and comfortable 56 or so. Last night I heard a hoot owl in my woods. The other day, a cub black bear ambling across the road. LoL - Mrs. AF and I both thought the dog had gotten out.

Houston, NOLA, Dallas, Hot-Lanta...phooey, 110 degrees and 80 percent humidity...you can have it. I could run around bare assed, and I still would be ungodly hot and miserable.

[low preference guy]

I think there are more people that moved here for the reasons of liberty/low taxes/low regulations that were never part of FSP or did it long before there was such a thing as FSP.

I know I am one, and I know more than few people that did the same thing for the same reasons.

but it's not enough. that's why the FSP was created.

[Anti Federalist]

but it's not enough. that's why the FSP was created.

No, not nearly enough, the more the merrier, which is why you should put on your long johns and carry your ass north. ;)

Hopefully the idea of the people that are coming here will prove fruitful, in that they are "force multipliers".

That 1 committed, dedicated liberty advocate is worth 1000 apathetic Mundanes.

We shall see.

[low preference guy]

No, not nearly enough, the more the merrier, which is why you should put on your long johns and carry your ass north. ;)

Hopefully the idea of the people that are coming here will prove fruitful, in that they are "force mutlipliers".

i actually almost ended up there. it was very close... can't reveal more than that.

[Anti Federalist]

i actually almost ended up there. it was very close... can't reveal more than that.

Understood...too bad, I love it, I've been around the world and always happy to come back home.

But, like you said, some folks just can't do the cold...

[Austrian Econ Disciple]

Never understood the climate argument. I'd happily subject myself to the extremes of Valley Forge for the duty to restore my liberties. It is just another test of determination and perseverance in my opinion.

[NewRightLibertarian]

I'd like to get out to New Hampshire for the FSP next year. How is the economy there?

[VoluntaryAmerican]

FSP member here for over a year, have not moved yet, but plan to!

[White Bear Lake]

I'm from Minnesota so I can stand the cold although I'm not sure I would want to leave all my family (and sports teams!). That being said, I'm still seriously considering moving to New Hampshire after I graduate college.

[Vessol]

Great story.

I'm planning on heading up to NH once I graduate in a few years.

[VoluntaryAmerican]

Did you register at Freestateproject.com yet?

[Vessol]

Did you register at Freestateproject.com yet?

I have not. I should register if I plan to move there, shouldn't I?

[Anti Federalist]

I'd like to get out to New Hampshire for the FSP next year. How is the economy there?

Fourth lowest state unemployment rate in the country.

http://www.bls.gov/lau/

[Eric21ND]

Lol at you guys fearing a NH winter. That's shorts weather here in North Dakota :)

[PaulConventionWV]

Fourth lowest state unemployment rate in the country.

http://www.bls.gov/lau/

It would be interesting if we could coordinate a group of 20,000 people to move to each primary state before it happesn, vote, then move to the next one. Is that sort of the idea behind the FSP? Not the vote-and-move thing, but the idea that New Hampshire, as an early primary state, can serve as an example by giving a win to Ron Paul?

[Anti Federalist]

It would be interesting if we could coordinate a group of 20,000 people to move to each primary state before it happesn, vote, then move to the next one. Is that sort of the idea behind the FSP? Not the vote-and-move thing, but the idea that New Hampshire, as an early primary state, can serve as an example by giving a win to Ron Paul?

Not exactly, the number are not great enough to effect large changes in presidential primary voting or federal elections as whole.

The whole idea is to bring people in that will be active "down ballot" in state races, town selectmen races, local issues, that sort of thing.

[Anti Federalist]

Lol at you guys fearing a NH winter. That's shorts weather here in North Dakota :)

For real.

[Austrian Econ Disciple]

It would be interesting if we could coordinate a group of 20,000 people to move to each primary state before it happesn, vote, then move to the next one. Is that sort of the idea behind the FSP? Not the vote-and-move thing, but the idea that New Hampshire, as an early primary state, can serve as an example by giving a win to Ron Paul?

No. The Free State Project was created in 2003. It's never been about electing any official. It's a vehicle to get 20,000 liberty loving activists (libertarians) to New Hampshire to work towards liberty in whatever ways the individual thinks is best. Whether that be the NHLA, Civil Disobedience in Keene, or just influencing your local city council to axe property taxes. The purpose is to create a libertarian geographical majority to effect the change we desire. It's about ideas, not people.

[low preference guy]

Never understood the climate argument. I'd happily subject myself to the extremes of Valley Forge for the duty to restore my liberties. It is just another test of determination and perseverance in my opinion.

what's the average winter temperature of the state where you were born?

[low preference guy]

It's about ideas, not people.

It definitely is about people. It's about moving libertarian people to NH.

[Austrian Econ Disciple]

what's the average winter temperature of the state where you were born?

Oh, I don't know about 80? :p I am willing to make climate sacrifices for liberty.

[Austrian Econ Disciple]

It definitely is about people. It's about moving libertarian people to NH.

In the context of my reply, you will see that the FSP is not set-up to get any one person, or people elected. It is about enacting libertarian ideas and policies. If the FSP was dedicated to getting Ron Paul elected in New Hampshire for instance -- I might ask; what happens when Ron Paul is no longer here. What is the purpose of this organization?

The ideas are bigger than any individual. Hero worship is a trait of totalitarian societies, not free societies. The by-product of the FSP is indeed more support for Ron Paul in NH, but its not the purpose of the organization.

[Anti Federalist]

what's the average winter temperature of the state where you were born?

Just throwing it out there...coldest temp I ever recorded in the 10 years I've been living here, at my house, was -35, IIRC that was in Jan 2005

[Kregisen]

I will gladly support the FSP in my 120 degree arizona weather....i can not stand the cold - i got frost bite from eating ice cream last week LOL. (not joking)

[mport1]

What is amazing is that with less than 1,000 people Free State Project movers have already had a good deal of influence. Imagine what could happen with 20x that number! Also, I suspect things would really start to snowball in that current activists there would be emboldened to be even more active and locals who are liberty lovers will start to get really active. I've signed up for the FSP and donate money to causes that are there. I'll likely be moving there sometime in the future.

[FrankRep]

What is amazing is that with less than 1,000 people Free State Project movers have already had a good deal of influence. Imagine what could happen with 20x that number! Also, I suspect things would really start to snowball in that current activists there would be emboldened to be even more active and locals who are liberty lovers will start to get really active. I've signed up for the FSP and donate money to causes that are there. I'll likely be moving there sometime in the future.

I'm surprised more libertarians haven't moved yet. Why the lack of participation?

[specsaregood]

I'm surprised more libertarians haven't moved yet. Why the lack of participation?

It can be difficult to pick up and move your entire life?

[swirling_vortex]

yeah. i just wish people moved faster. there are only 906 that officially moved. that said, i'm not going to that freezing state...
It depends on where you go. The northern part of the state I know is pretty cold. I'm interested in this project and after looking at some climate data, the areas near the cost aren't too bad. Portsmouth's average temperature in the winter is in the 30s, which is typical for an area in Pennsylvania.

I'd like to get out to New Hampshire for the FSP next year. How is the economy there?
Very good to the rest of the nation. Right now the BLS puts it at 4.9%, well below the national average.

I'm surprised more libertarians haven't moved yet. Why the lack of participation?
Well, it's a bit hard to just drop everything that you're doing and go to another area. It takes a lot of time and planning before you even start looking for a place to live. The big factor is the job market, although NH has a very good advantage in this compared to other areas. Then, once you establish that, you also have to move the ten thousand things that you didn't know existed in your house.

Give it time though. As mport1 pointed out, headway is being made and there already have been a few free-staters elected to the state legislature. For a group of only 900 people, that's a considerable influence.

[VoluntaryAmerican]

I will gladly support the FSP in my 120 degree arizona weather....i can not stand the cold - i got frost bite from eating ice cream last week LOL. (not joking)

There is a Wyoming FSP. A lot closer to you, but the same idea.

http://www.freestatewyoming.org/

[Paul4Prez]

It can be difficult to pick up and move your entire life?

The FSP should target college students. When they graduate, their lives are going to change anyway. Start some companies and hire them in NH.