Free State Project
 

Free State Project

What's everyone think of this project? Basically, the group is set up to recruit 20,000 political activists of libertarian philosophies to move to a small state in the hopes of proving that many of our ideas will work. They already have 5.500+ of those 20,000 people signed up to move.
Last year, they voted for which state to move to, and chose New Hampshire. NH was picked partly because they have no state sales or income taxes, government spending is low, economic regulations are fairly low, and they have one of the 5 best job markets in the country (partly because of the aforementioned low taxes and lack of regulation).

Anyways, out of curiosity, what does everyone think of the project? Good idea? Bad idea? Won't work? Has to work?

Its an interesting idea. I think it has a chance of working, if they get enough people to go there. I dont know anything about NH. Is it nice there? How populated?

That'll all make a difference.

Wouldn't they affect more people sparsed throughout the country? Like, if they all go to one place, then there aren't any in the other places, and that makes me think they can't influence more people.

Y'know, like seperating countries by religion/culture usually ends up pretty hostile. So, making a state seperated by ideals doesn't sound like it would work too well. If that makes sense.

its relatively low pop was one of the reasons why it was picked. There was a previous thread about this long ago when they first announced that they had picked NH. It seems like a great opportunity, that is, if they can get everyone to follow through, and actually get enough popular support behind them. one important note is that bythemselves, the people moving there wont be able to change any state votes, but what they are there to do is to bring others into the Libertarian flock and gain a popular movement for the libertarian ideals. some ideals that states like ohio could really use.

The problem is, if they're too spaced out, they can't be effective.
500 activists in every single state means that you'll still lose most elections to Democrats and Republicans. 5,000 in one state means your'e in the running. 20,000 in one state means (especially in New Hampshire) you have more activists, fundraisers, etc. than both major parties combined. This way, we can win elections. Right now, the LP has like 600 office holders nationwide, about half in state legislatures, city councils, mayors, etc. and the other half in things like education committies, power utilities districts, etc. What do we get for it? Less publicity than parties with fewer people in office. However, if we take a Governor position, remember how much publicity Jesse Ventura got when he became Governor of Minnesota? Not all of that was from being a former wrestler. If we can get the LP a Governor, a Congressman, or a Senator, that will boost our publicity a lot, as well as making people less afraid of "wasting their vote". This will help us out nationally as well as locally.

Viper: Ohio could DEFINITELY use some more libertarians. You might be interested in the thread on job outsourcing I posted: Ohio is one of the states that's in the top 10 as far as tax burden and market regulation, and they're also (suprise surprise) one of the states losing the most jobs.
Which brings me to the main reason we started the move, to prove that our ideals can work out better than the ones being practiced by politicians currently in office.

Meh. I'll give this more attention once they actually achieve something. For now, it's just a pipe dream.

I understand this. But then what about the people outside of New Hampshire? I just think this makes the Libertarians easier to gain power, but harder to spread ideals. I just dislike a bunch of sparsely populated people congregating together to gain power.

Don't get me wrong, Libertarians obviously aren't a bunch of facists bent on power, but I don't think homogenous-osity is the way to go.

I disagree... they manage a congress seat, and all of a sudden they have major press. As it is now the only way you're really hearing about libertarians is if a friend is one or you go and look into it yourself... if they manage to be a third party in congress or senate the media is going to be all over it, allowing them to reach all kinds of people with their messages, instead of having to rely on grassroots measures.

I'm pretty sure they don't mean for EVERY libertarian to go there... just enough to accomplish the above goal.

too bad its NH. i'd love to move to the Free State... but NH? baah

i've been paying a little attention o the FSP for a while i have a bumper sticker for it, too! (altho, its black text on a clear sticker on my dark green car. you cna barely read it even if you look closely. oh well). my boss signed up and voted and everything.

i completely support like minded people living with like minded people. The essence of Self-Government falls appart if the entire system is just an average of what the whole wants. Small communities making the rules they feel comfortable with is a lot better, IMO.

I'd rather have people be interconnected, and having a mix of ideals when they grow up. I don't like the idea of this happenin:

"Oh dude, I just went down to the conservative part of town. Man, it was weird. They totally knew I was from the liberal side of town. Oh, have you checked out the Green part of town? They're a bunch of wackos man!"

Heh. Well, besides that funny exaggeration, I think societies work better when people are constantly coming against others' ideas. Debate is good. I like the idea of peoples of all races, creeds, religions, and ideals coming together and working together. It makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.