[Boats]

Uh, good luck with that.:rolleyes:

[Cool Hand Luke 22:36]

They'd have been better off in Mississippi or Alabama, or Virginia for that matter.

[Sindawe]

I had a strong feeling that New Hampshire was gonna be a problem for this project, This, along with my loathing of moving BACK into the populated East motivated me to opt-out of states east of the Mississippi when I signed up with the "Free State Project". I hope they can pull it off, and more power to 'em if they do, but I have my doubts on the location.

[Rebar]

There was massive voter fraud in NH, the vote was severely skewed.

[Chris Rhines]

One of the requirements of the FSP was that the selected state have the lowest possible population. Alabama, Mississippi, and Virginia would never have worked.

Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, and Alaska were some of the other options.

- Chris

[Chuck Jennings]

I understand how the small population was an essential part of making it work. Unfortuantely, the small population makes it just as easy for the liberal/socialist types moving from nearby states to become the majority. That would have been less of an issue in Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, or Alaska. These states are not as surrounded by "blue territory."

[Jeff Timm]

Hey NH was in doubt for several hours. It was much closer than expected. If all those activists had moved instantly to NH, it might have made a difference. Who knows what will happen when the process continues?

Geoff
Who voted for the lesser of two evils. :cool:

[Jeff Timm]

New Hampshire results:

Kerry: 340,019
Bush: 330,848

Bush plus 10,000 libertarian activists compromising their principles:

340,848.

Making the obvious assumptions, next election NH could go for the Republican of two evils, if they buck the RINO sellout trend. (Unlikely.)

Geoff
Who had hopes for NH. Oh well. :rolleyes:

[444]

Is it just me, or does there seem to be a trend on this board to discredit the Free State Project. It seems that every week or so, someone posts something about how it will never work, or how it is failing: almost as if they were gloating over it's shortcomings.
Maybe I am way off base here, but if not, why is this happening ?
I am not a part of this movement and never even knew what it was until a couple months ago when I read the book Molon Labe by Boston Tea Party. I am neither for or against it: I just found it interesting.
If anyone is interested in The Free State Project, that book I mentioned above is a novel that involves the concept: only it takes place in Wyoming. In the back of the book, BTP gives a lot of details as to why he thinks they should have chosen Wyoming.

[c_yeager]

Maybe I am way off base here, but if not, why is this happening ?

It just might have something to do with the fact that it will never work, that it's failing, and that its a flawed concept.

[OF]

I'm with 444. Why does everyone feel the need to dump all over the FSP? What's the big deal.

You don't like the way it turned out, start your own FSP. :rolleyes:

- Gabe

[Chris Rhines]

444 -

It's not a trend on this board - it's a trend in the political community in general. And for what it's worth, the FSP is not undeserving of criticisim. They've pulled some boneheaded moves.

But it does get a bit annoying. Why the FSP is catching this degree of flack is anybody's guess.

- Chris

[OF]

Seriously. At least they're doing something. Maybe it's time for some General Patton:

"Lead me, follow me, or get out of my way."

- Gabe

[TallPine]

You don't like the way it turned out, start your own FSP.
Well ... I moved to Montana about 7 years ago ... doesn't that count? :p

[OF]

Who says you can't have an FSP of one! And seeing as how you can have an 'Army of One', you can have your own military, too! :)

- Gabe

[greg700]

I am a member of the free state project.

I have always believed it to be a bit optimistic, but worthy of my support, as it is the only project like it of any note.

If it peters out and dies, then so be it, but if it works then we will all gain something. While New Hampshire as a state went to kerry, the state laws (as far as I can tell) seem to be very amenable to my disposition.

If things change, I simply won't go, but the free state project has given me alot of insight into how I think things should be.

I believe it will have a lasting impact, even though it may never reach 20k members.

[Byron Quick]

The populatin of New Hampshire is below the maximum thought feasible for the FSP.

It also has two things of which I personally thought one would be essential: a seacoast and an international boundary. Wyoming has neither.

Personally, I would have preferred Alaska.

[newman32]

I was really looking to NH as a place to relocate to once I escape NJ, but now it has me thinking....

The problem with NH in my mind, is that its population (and political slant) is now starting to change from the massive influx of liberal Massachusetts people who move north for the tax-free, low-crime, et-cetera, and commute to work in Boston or whatever. They live in NH, but vote like MA. (They even voted in a Democrat for Governor.)

I fear it will eventually overwhelm NH's conservative character in the long term. :( The smallish population they have won't be able to offset the people moving north from Mass. They'll need more than 10,000 libertarians!

[goon]

Is it just me, or does there seem to be a trend on this board to discredit the Free State Project. It seems that every week or so, someone posts something about how it will never work, or how it is failing: almost as if they were gloating over it's shortcomings.
Maybe I am way off base here, but if not, why is this happening ? .

Personally, I follow the threads about it because I am watching to see how it turns out. If it works...
Rinse, lather, repeat.

I do think they should have picked a different state though.

[c_yeager]

I am a member of the free state project.


Why arent you in New Hampshire then?

[Glock Glockler]

I'd like to restate that fact that there was massive voter fraud which could very well have been responsible for NH going to Kerry. I have spoken with 2 other individuals this weekend, whom I had not formally had any contact with, and they both claimed that they knew of people from Massachusetts and even Rhode Island (I didnt know about that one) who came up and voted in districts where NH Democrats are located (after receiveing mail there to prove residency.

If you want to issue legitimate criticism about either NH or about the FSP, fine, but please dont issue blame because of outside interference.

[dustind]

http://www.freestateproject.org/about/essay_archive/benson2.php Details how Benson lost. He started his campaign in October and only spent 1/6th what he did two years ago. The estimated voter fraud was also larger than the 2% margin of his loss.

The new guy is anti state tax, and promised to veto any sales or income tax. He is also pro gun.

The four national races went to the incumbent somewhat pro freedom Republicans.

NH state races went more pro freedom than anti freedom.

NH just got a tiny bit more pro gun http://www.freestateproject.org/news/releases/gunrules.php Now any ccw permit, not just home state ccw allows you to get a NH out of state ccw. Hopefully this year NH will get Alaska carry.

Boston T. Party's book just showed a rehash of most of the Wyoming ideas. NH comes out ahead if you look at both sides. I was originally for Wyoming, but switched after checking into NH more.

Just for fun, an interview by Boris Kappa, AKA MicroBalrog (he used to post here) is here. http://www.freestateproject.org/about/essay_archive/sorens.php

The FSP has had a pretty good effect so far with only 312 members currently in the state. We have been welcomed in with open arms by almost everyone. The official move will not begin for a few more years, any thing we get done now is really a bonus.

[SodiumBenzoate]

It doesn't really matter that Kerry won NH. Remember, it's the Free State Project, not the Republican State Project.

[duck hunt]

I'm a signed member of the FSP and I'm with Sodium Benzoate. Considering the amount of freedom and privacy we've lost under GWB, I find it encouraging and logical that the home of the FSP didn't go for Bush.

[Cool Hand Luke 22:36]

I'm a signed member of the FSP and I'm with Sodium Benzoate. Considering the amount of freedom and privacy we've lost under GWB, I find it encouraging and logical that the home of the FSP didn't go for Bush.


N.H. went for that Kerry creature because the place is swamped with people who've moved up from Taxachusetts but are still somewhat Liberal in outlook.

[OtG]

New Hampshire went to Kerry by 9,171 votes.

All of our Congressmen are Republican.

Our Democratic is further to the right than most Republicans in any of the "liberal" states. And he only won by <14,000 votes. AND he supports NO changes to the state gun laws (already among the best in the nation).

Our State Congress is Majority Republican.

There are more registered republican voters.

If the Free State Project can provide even 5% of their goal, we stand a good chance of getting some Liberty Caucus style republicans in various offices.

This may be a defeat, but it's not catastrophic by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, if it galvanizes the small government, freedom and gun loving voters to realize that they may actually make a difference, then it can actually be a good thing.

It's really not the end of the world.

[Igloodude]

If I hadn't moved to New Hampshire before I heard about the Free State Project, I... would have moved here as an FSPer.

FSP is libertarian, not Republican. I'm not surprised it does take shots from Republicans/conservatives on this board.

I pity anyone commuting to Boston from NH - it is at least 45 minutes' regular drive, and double that during rush hour.