FSP News April 2006

New Hampshire activists score again as the New Hampshire Senate voted down HB1177, the Bill to ban smoking in restaurants and bars across New Hampshire.

New Hampshire Smoking Ban Goes Up in Smoke, Free State Observer - "A small cadre of approximately twenty freedom fighters, both outnumbered and outfinanced by ban supporters who were organized on a national level by the American Heart Association, successfully tipped the scales of the outcome...". More on the story below in In New Hampshire, Free State Blogs section.

Come get a taste of freedom!

The Third Annual Porcupine Freedom Festival will be held June 23rd to July 1st at Roger's Campground in Lancaster, NH. Join in the celebration of freedom with your new Free State friends. Preparations are being made, the schedule is developing and the registration form for the We'll Be There list is up.

We're also gearing up for the PorcFest Silent Auction fundraiser. If you have items you would like to donate, we'll advertise them on the website and arrange delivery to the PorcFest. Friends and liberty organizations may like to contribute. Please contact Jean.

Come get a taste of freedom; you won't want to live anywhere else.
We need the help of Porcupines and Friends all over the United States! There are great volunteer opportunities to help staff FSP outreach tables at Libertarian Party state conventions and at the Vans Warped Tour music festival dates. Please check over the two schedules on the FSP Forum threads linked above for complete details about this. Outreach tables are a wonderful opportunity to talk about the FSP to those who might have never heard of the FSP, those who have followed our progress for a while but never had anyone to talk to about it and those who just need a nudge to join and move to New Hampshire with us! We provide the FSP materials to hand out and you provide the smile and the handshake.

FSP endorsed by the Liberty Forum of Ohio - "There is to be no doubt: without such a grass-roots movement as the Free State Project, the usurpation of our rights will only continue to grow until this country needs one day be drenched in the blood of patriots, for a third time. Surely, the Free State Project has provided us with a peaceful alternative to such future bloodshed. Let us not forsake this opportunity to accomplish what those before us were willing to die for: good government, not against, but for the people." Full Liberty Forum endorsement text.

Action of the Month - Talk with Friends, Family and Neighbors

Most of us don't have a problem talking with each other about freedom, or the lack thereof, but talking with someone who may not be as "liberty-minded" is not an easy task. But by a large margin, word of mouth is the most common reason cited by Participants as to why they joined. If you need to refine your philosophical and more practical points, check the essays section and the wonderful 101 Reasons and you'll be sure to have everything you need. "Remember not only to say the right thing in the right place, but far more difficult still, to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment." - Benjamin Franklin

The First 1000 breaks 200. People often move for good reasons – jobs, family, relationships, or just a change of scenery. Have you ever considered moving to protect our very freedom? Are you considering moving to New Hampshire by December 2008, or have you already moved but not signed the First 1000 pledge? Be looking in your snail mail for a new First 1000 brochure and letter from Dr. Jason Sorens, FSP founder and Chairman. Be a part of the excitement in New Hampshire - sooner rather than later!

The messages on the Florida Free State Project email list flew thick and fast: "Are the winters really as cold as they say? What are the people like up there? How many Libertarians are there? Is there a network to help people moving into the Free State?" All questions promised to be answered by a couple who actually "went and did it." - from the new essay by Tim Condon, Free State Porcupine Visiting!

Safety and health are certainly important considerations for many in deciding where to live. New Hampshire retains its 4th place ranking in the just released Morgan Quitno 2006 Safest State awards. Neighboring state Vermont is ranked 3rd, with Maine 2nd and Mass 21st.

The 2006 Healthiest State awards also just came out. New Hampshire retains its 2nd place ranking and similar to the Safest area above, Vermont is ranked 1st Healthiest, Maine 4th and Mass 6th - a safe and healthy stretch of New England real estate to be sure! But check the link to the U.S. Census state tax collections below for some sharp differences. Last month, New Hampshire was awarded the #1 Most Livable state honor for the 3rd year in a row.

"The Libertarian Party of Florida has decided to officially endorse the efforts of the Free State Project. From the deep south to the far northeast, the Libertarian Party of Florida congratulates and thanks the Free State Project for their work in support of freedom in New Hampshire. Keep up the good work, for all Americans."

Free Talk Live announces the 14th syndicated affiliate radio station, 1490 WWPR AM, broadcasting in Tampa Bay, Florida - a market population of 2.6 million. KLID AM 1340 was also added to the line-up this month in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, adding another 40,000 in market population to the potential audience. FTL makes it easy for you to contact your local radio station to suggest that they carry the show. The FSP is one of the show's sponsors and its hosts are FSP Participants. The growth of FTL, our ads, and all the talk about liberty and the FSP brings us lots of new Participants - thanks guys! Have you tuned in? Listen to one of the affiliate radio stations, the live webstream, archived shows or the podcast. Once you've heard FTL, VOTE for the show as the top podcast of the month. You can vote once a month and help spread the words of liberty and the FSP.

You'll note the new FSP matchbook and bookmark pictured in this newsletter. Order some of these new outreach tools at our merchandise page. Every libertarian and freedom-lover you know should get one of each. When you hand a book of new FSP matches to a smoking friend, tell them that the NH Senate just killed the smoking ban on principle! Inventory Sale! Help us make room for the new PorcFest 2006 gear by purchasing last year's designs - still great, and at reduced prices.

Various FSP volunteer positions are available for dedicated Porcupine activists! There's a great opportunity for an activist to help out as Events Coordinator. The busy season has just started for events all over the U.S. and the FSP should have a presence - help make it happen! Visit our Help Wanted page for details, and remember that you can live anywhere and still help. For additional ways to be an FSP activist, visit the Volunteer Center.

The newly revised FSP Website is expected to launch within the next week or two, with both immediate changes in look and design, as well setting the stage for future new features and larger community connection. Graphic artists and cartoonists are needed, both for this and other projects. Contact us!

 

In New Hampshire

REAL ID battle ongoing in NH. An Act prohibiting New Hampshire from participating in a national identification card system. GraniteStateID is a coalition of activists across the state, bringing Left, Right, and Libertarian together. Concord Monitor - Foes Blast Real ID

Free State Blogs - Chronicles of Progress Toward Freedom in New Hampshire. Keep up with the activists in New Hampshire, if you can! This month:

  • New Hampshire's Taxpayer Revolt! by the Coalition of New Hampshire Taxpayers
  • "Against the Grain" with Gardner Goldsmith - Cato/REAL ID audio from his radio show
  • Audio of many NH Senators on the smoking ban
  • New website mobilizes NH citizens against REAL ID
  • More Free Staters win local government seats!
  • Free State Observer - NH activism, smoking ban, Russo film

Down at the bottom, that's where most liberty-lovers like to be when it comes to taxes. In the latest U.S. Census numbers, New Hampshire comes in 48th in state and local government tax collections per capita. Look up your state here.

New Hampshire will be replacing the new highway signs "You're going to love it here" that started going up last year with the state motto, "Live Free or Die".

One of our earliest movers, Calvin Pratt in My New Hampshire Civics Experience, talks about his new life as an activist in New Hampshire. Cal has been standing up for liberty for nearly 40 years and is currently the Research Director with the New Hampshire Liberty Alliance.

Visiting New Hampshire? The New Hampshire Division of Travel & Tourism website has a great deal of information for you, and stunning photos of the Free State! Our own New Hampshire Center is packed with excellent resources and links as well!

Rumors of perpetual Winter in the Granite State are laid to rest with the emergence of Spring flowers in early April! The down jackets are away in the closet for the year, and have been for some time, as this winter was very warm, and this trend is likely to continue. If cold weather was the only thing stopping you from moving...

The NH Liberty Calendar lists the upcoming events of 30 liberty-minded New Hampshire organizations. The NH Underground Calendar also lists liberty-oriented NH events.

FSP News back issues are available. Got FSP news leads? - content submissions are due by the 12th of each month.

FSP News circulation: 10,991

Are you ready to JOIN THE FSP, move to New Hampshire and help achieve Liberty in Our Lifetime? Join NOW

 Participants: 7,087

Participants in NH: 399

as of April 15, 2006