FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Jason Sorens, President
Free State Project, Inc.
Phone: (828) 225-1951

Email: info@freestateproject.org
Website: www.freestateproject.org

Free State Project President Speaking in Delaware

March 7, 2003 - Jason Sorens, founder and president of the Free State Project, will address the Libertarian Party of Delaware state convention tomorrow. The Free State Project is an effort to identify the best state for libertarians and other advocates of strictly limited government to move to and live in, and to obtain commitments from those willing to move. Delaware is one of the ten states being considered by the Project, and once 5,000 commitments have been obtained, the state will be chosen by a membership vote. The Free State Project currently counts over 2,800 members committed to moving.

The Free State Project (FSP) was recently featured in stories in the Wilmington News-Journal and Baltimore Sun. "The Libertarian movement has existed for decades and produced leading intellectuals and Nobel Prize winners, but despite all that it hasn't had much influence on a national level," said Sorens for the Sun story. "I think it's time we concentrate our resources in a place where we have a shot at actually winning."

Delaware is known for its pro-business environment, but has been trending leftward in recent years, with its statewide ban on indoor smoking, Wilmington's "pre-crime" profiling database, and new gun registration proposals in Wilmington. Many Free State Project members believe that Delaware retains its heritage of economic liberty but is increasingly trampling on its citizens' personal rights. On the other hand, two reports on Delaware on the FSP website, freestateproject.org, are mostly positive, noting the favorable job climate and compact area.

The Libertarian Party of Delaware will be holding its convention on Saturday February 8th from 10 AM to 5 PM at the Smyrna Fire House Social Hall, 103 W. Commerce St., Smyrna (opposite First Presbyterian Church).

END

Original article (defunct):	www.delawareonline.com/newsjournal/local/ mascitti/10052003.html
Date:	10/05/03
Title:	So long, libertarians, and lots of luck in NH
Author:	Al Mascitti
Publication:	News Journal

---

So long, libertarians, and lots of luck in NH

by Al Mascitti • OPINION • 10/05/03

For the second time this year, Delaware lost out to New Hampshire.

First, state Democrats knuckled under to pressure and delayed Delaware's presidential primary a few days, so it follows New Hampshire's by a full week.

Then last week the 5,000 people who have signed up for the Free State Project - a plan to move 20,000 libertarian-leaning activists to one small state - chose New Hampshire as their destination over nine other finalists, including Delaware.

The project isn't officially linked to the Libertarian Party, but shares many of its goals, including ideas for reducing government. Project members intend to use their combined voting power to put their philosophy into action.

It's tempting to dismiss the project as a crackpot scheme for delusional naifs and single-issue wingnuts - a view its Web site (www.freestateproject.org) bolsters as much as dispels. But even the project's most modest aims would require big changes in paternalistic Delaware.

That, apparently, was part of the problem. Though several activists in the two-year-old movement wrote essays citing Delaware's strong points - including low taxes, low dependence on the federal government and a strong pro-business climate - the First State finished a pathetic eighth in the voting, ahead of only the Dakotas.

According to Keith Murphy, a project organizer from Maryland, infringements of personal liberty such as Delaware's indoor smoking ban and gun control efforts by the city of Wilmington gave members pause.

If that's all it took to make them turn elsewhere, it's probably just as well. Some of the pie-in-the-sky aims espoused by supporters will never come to pass, but you don't need to puff your cigarette outdoors to see Delaware lawmakers are antagonistic toward many basic libertarian goals.

For example, libertarians think it's foolish to prosecute crimes with willing "victims," like gambling and prostitution. Delaware, of course, allows gambling only when run by the state or the handful of racetrack owners who qualified by running their initial gambling operations into the ground. Sex businesses are even more tightly regulated - strip clubs, for instance, are subject to onerous laws aimed at making them economically unfeasible.

The "war on drugs" particularly vexes libertarians because it consumes vast resources and infringes on civil liberties. They wouldn't find much support for their views among Delaware lawmakers, whose love of mandatory sentences for drug offenses has helped swell state prisons to the bursting point.

Libertarians who rail against government infringement of property rights would have a field day in New Castle County. Not only did the Unified Development Code summarily change zoning for hundreds of properties, zealous officials now are going after that scourge of society, cars with "for sale" signs in their windows.

In the end, what seems to have most influenced many project members was the warm welcome extended by many New Hampshire lawmakers, including the state's Republican governor, Craig Benson, who told project organizers, "Come on up, we'd love to have you."

If members are naﶥ enough to change their lives over some encouraging words from a politician, they have a lot to learn before they change New Hampshire, let alone the world.

Al Mascitti's opinion column appears Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. Reach Al at 324-2866 or amascitti@delawareonline.com.

---

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These media articles are maintained on a non-commercial basis by The Free State Project, a non-profit organization, for historical, educational, scholarship, and research purposes. (For information regarding "Fair Use", see US Code Title 17, Chapter 1, Section 107).

Original article:	www.delawareonline.com/newsjournal/local/ 2003/10/02delnotlibertari.html
Date:	10/02/03
Title:	Del. not libertarians' promised land
Author:	Sean O'Sullivan
Publication:	News Journal

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Del. not libertarians' promised land

Free State Project opts for N.H.

by Sean O'Sullivan • Staff reporter • 10/02/03

The First State was no match for the Live Free or Die state among a group of revolution-minded libertarians.

On Wednesday, The Free State Project, whose goal is to move 20,000 "freedom loving" people to a single state and use their political clout to create a libertarian utopia, selected New Hampshire over Delaware as the target for its coup.

Delaware was one of 10 states being considered for takeover and was an early leader among project organizers. But in a poll of the nearly 5,000 group members, Delaware finished a distant eighth in the selection process.

The group announced its selection Wednesday in New York City and its Web site, freestateproject.org.

Keith Murphy, a Free State Project organizer from Maryland, said what really hurt Delaware was the state's "absurd" smoking ban and gun control efforts in Wilmington.

"We see that as an invasion of personal liberty, and that turned off a lot of people," he said.

Murphy said there also did not seem to be strong support for The Free State Project among residents in Delaware, but a variety of groups in New Hampshire welcomed them with open arms.

Project organizers hope that over the next few years their membership of 5,400 will grow to 20,000, triggering the mass move to New Hampshire perhaps as soon as 2005.

The runner-up to New Hampshire was Wyoming, followed by Montana, Idaho, Alaska, Maine, Vermont, Delaware, South Dakota and North Dakota.

Project Vice President Elizabeth McKinstry of Ann Arbor, Mich., said New Hampshire won because it "boasts the lowest state and local tax burden in the continental U.S., the leanest state government in the country ... a citizen legislature, a healthy job market and, perhaps most important, local support for our movement," she said.

Project members also have noted the state's constitution, which protects citizens' rights to revolution and secession.

But the prospect of 20,000 libertarian-minded neighbors worries Democratic leaders and others who view them as a fringe group that wants to overthrow the government.

Kathy Sullivan, New Hampshire Democratic Party chairwoman, said project members "can best be described as anarchists."

Project members say critics have the wrong idea.

"We're not here to invade or take over. We're here to restore the American dream," said New Hampshire Libertarian Party Chair John Babiarz.

Half the project members have college degrees. Seventy-five percent are younger than 50 and nearly half make $60,000 or more annually.

The state already has more than 100 project members, who plan to ease the transition for the others with an "Explore New Hampshire" tour and by pointing free-staters to real estate offices.

The project has been resisted by those who oppose easing gambling restrictions, legalizing medicinal marijuana and strengthening gun rights, issues for which some project members plan to lobby.

But McKinstry says New Hampshire should not view them as trigger-happy pot-smoking gamblers. She says the project will promote charitable work and scholarship programs, and help citizens take back their government.

Doug Hillman, 39, is looking forward to leaving Graham, Ala., and moving his wife and four young children to New Hampshire.

Hillman was most impressed with Republican Gov. Craig Benson's attitude toward the project - "Come on up, we'd love to have you," he said last summer.

"That led me to believe that libertarian thought and libertarianism is more accepted in New Hampshire," he said.

Lisa Busch, New Castle County chairwoman of the Delaware Libertarian Party, said she was disappointed but not surprised Delaware was not selected.

She said New Hampshire lobbied organizers hard.

"Delaware didn't cater to any of that at all," she said, adding perhaps if the state had marketed itself more to the group, it would have fared better.

Associated Press contributed to this article. Reach Sean O'Sullivan at 324-2777 or sosullivan@delawareonline.com.

---

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These media articles are maintained on a non-commercial basis by The Free State Project, a non-profit organization, for historical, educational, scholarship, and research purposes. (For information regarding "Fair Use", see US Code Title 17, Chapter 1, Section 107).

Original article:	www.casperstartribune.net/articles/2003/07/08/news/wyoming/ 4f8b9da9b9e870baecf20a54a5516986.txt
Date:	07/08/03
Title:	Free State Project vote set for August
Author:	Nadia White
Publication:	Casper Star Tribune

---

Free State Project vote set for August

by Nadia White • Star-Tribune staff writer • 07/08/03

Liberty-minded activists will choose which sparsely-populated state will be the focus of their collective political might in a vote beginning in August.

Members of the Free State Project will have until Sept. 8 to vote on which of 10 states they would like to move to in order to advocate for limited government. Wyoming and New Hampshire are top contenders in the effort.

The Free State Project is an effort to sign up 20,000 advocates of limited government to move to a single state in which they can incrementally reduce the reach of government. That effort passed the 4,000-member mark earlier in June, prompting organizers to set a vote date.

The deadline to sign up to participate in the vote is Aug. 15, by which time the FSP should have more than 5,000 members, according to the group's projections. The deadline for members to return their ballots is Sept. 8, and the selected state will be announced on Sept. 15, according to a press release from Jason Sorens, the Yale University doctoral student who founded and leads the effort.

Tom Parker, a Louisville, Colo., resident who serves as the group's liaison to Wyoming, said the movement is a reaction to the current government climate.

"In terms of liberty, we see things drifting away with the latest moves like the USA Patriot Act, and the various wars, now Liberia, we feel our government is not playing by the rules of the Constitution so we're hoping to change things," Parker said. "By concentrating our numbers in one state we're hoping to have more influence and move things more toward liberty."

Eligible voters will be able to choose from among Alaska, Delaware, Idaho, Maine, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming. Once the group reaches 20,000 commitments, members have five years in which to move to the chosen state. Some members have already indicated that they will move as soon as the state is chosen, Parker said.

Dennis Brossman, a Wyoming Libertarian, said the project is very appealing.

" I am tempted by the project even if Alaska or Vermont were to try it. I prefer Wyoming, the climate and terrain and being in the heart of the 48 states, but the freedom experiment is very alluring to me," Brossman said. " I'd be willing to move to Alaska."

Brossman said the idea of newcomers changing the way things are done in Wyoming is nothing new.

"I think it's done in other realms, but not so openly and honestly," he said. "For example, in Lander and Jackson in the last 10, 15 years, we've had a large number of environmentalists move in and they heavily affect the policy in these areas."

He said he thinks the plan has a shot: "I think it's something that would be workable and doable. I don't think it's a pipe dream."

The Free State Project posts additional information on its Web site, (http://www.freestateproject.org).

---

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Original article:	www.delawareonline.com/newsjournal/local/ 2003/02/03freestateprojec.html
Date:	02/03/03
Title:	Free State Project may target Delaware
Author:	Sean O'Sullivan
Publication:	News Journal

---

Free State Project may target Delaware

By Sean O'Sullivan • Staff Reporter • 02/03/03

A bloodless coup to take control of the Delaware state government is being planned.

If successful, by 2010 an army of 20,000 will move in, ascend to power and eliminate virtually all taxes - along with nearly all government programs and regulations. No public schools, no health, welfare or social services, no liquor laws, no gun control or land use laws. Smoking would be allowed nearly everywhere, as would almost all forms of gambling and prostitution.

The free market would run riot.

Those are the goals of the Free State Project, an Internet-driven group that wants to organize 20,000 like-minded activists to move to a small state and create a libertarian utopia.

Delaware is considered to be one of the most promising states.

Political experts say the chance of success is remote. But Jason Sorens, a 26-year-old Yale political science graduate student, said he has 2,400 people signed up so far and committed to achieve "Liberty in our Lifetime."

Photo courtesy of the Free State Project

Free State Project founder Jason Sorens attends a December meeting in College Park, Md. Sorens and his group list Delaware as among the most promising states.

The movement is not officially affiliated with the Libertarian Party, but it has the support of national and Delaware Libertarian leaders.

The group does not want to secede from the union, Sorens said. Members want to work within the political system to nearly eliminate government and show the nation and the world "the benefits of liberty." Only the police and courts would be retained to protect residents from "force and fraud."

According to the plan, detailed at once the membership reaches 5,000, a state will be chosen. When 20,000 are enrolled - enough to organize, influence and control a small state - they will begin to move.

"We expect to have an impact [on the target state] by 2010," said Sorens, adding that changes should be "evolutionary, not revolutionary."

The target "free state" has to have fewer than 1.5 million residents, a decent job market, a culture that is "pro-liberty," a slight reliance on federal aid and, if possible, coastal access for free trade. Sorens' analyses put Delaware near the top of the list. Other states that rank well include Wyoming, New Hampshire, Vermont, Alaska and Idaho.

The Delaware Libertarian Party has invited Sorens to speak at the party's state convention in March.

The Libertarian Party has about 760 registered voters in Delaware. If the project moves to Delaware, it could mean a 2,600 percent increase for the party. However, it would still trail the 225,000 registered Democrats, the 176,000 registered Republicans and the 118,000 registered independents.

In the 2000 election, Democrat Ruth Ann Minner won the governor's race with more than 191,000 votes, defeating Republican John Burris by more than 63,000.

Joseph Pika, a University of Delaware political science professor, said the idea is novel, but doomed.

"I think they are misreading Delaware politics," he said. Delaware voters are moderate as a group and shun extremists, he said.

One member of the Delaware Libertarian Party conceded the plan is a long shot.

"I don't know if it will happen," said Jim Holliday, the chairman of the New Castle County Libertarian Party. "I personally am not putting much effort into it."

This kind of takeover has been tried once before in Delaware.

In 1895 and 1896, a group of "single taxers" moved to Delaware from Pennsylvania with the idea of persuading the state to adopt a plan where only land, not buildings on it, would be taxed. What was done on the land was not anyone's concern, according to the group.

The effort failed, but the invaders remained, founding the village of Arden, where that principle lives on.

Reach Sean O'Sullivan at 302-324-2777 or at sosullivan@delawareonline.com.

---

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Original article:	www.etherzone.com/2002/shie092002.shtml
Date:	10/20/02
Title:	Get ready Delaware, the Libertarians are Coming
Author:	William A. Shields
Publication:	EtherZone

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Get ready Delaware, the Libertarians are Coming

By William A. Shields • 10/20/02

If some Americans have their way, the slogan on Delaware license plates may soon read "The Free State" rather than "The First State".

Libertarians, constitutionalists and small government conservatives are organizing nationally, and are planning to move into and remake the political landscape of one state.

The organization is The Free State Project and their mascot is the porcupine, an animal that is cute and generally minds its own business. It is a creature that is harmless -as long as it is left alone.

The Free State Project will select a state where their numbers, (20,000 initially) will afford them the most political power. This means they need a state with a small population and therefore, a small number of voters.

Among other criteria being considered, as they select a state to invade, are a moderate climate, a good job market and a coastline with ports to facilitate world trade and possible autonomy at some point in the future.

By these requirements Delaware is floating to the top of the list of potential take over targets. Some other states being considered are Alaska, Maine, Wyoming and New Hampshire. By my estimation, Delaware will win this contest easily. In fact, I believe it is the ONLY state that should be considered, because it is the only state that is suitable for this purpose. So stand by Delaware, a new kind of immigrant is coming that's bound to turn the democrats and socialists downright xenophobic.

The Delaware libertarian party could soon become a strong political force, losing their "also ran" label and taking on all of the legitimacy and relevance they can handle. This is why the libertarians should drop whatever they are doing and throw all of their effort and support behind this project. The Free State Project is the answer to a libertarian's party building prayers.

And what do the citizens of the First State have to lose in a libertarian Delaware? Well for one thing we lose that expensive, ineffective and fraudulent drug war. Our police will have the time and resources to fight real crime, and our prisons will have plenty of space for violent criminals. Law abiding citizens will not have to live in fear of the police confiscating their cash until they can prove it is not drug money. The police state will wither on the vine as it loses its lifeblood - federal tax dollars.

First State citizens will lose most taxes including property taxes. In a libertarian Delaware, personal responsibility will rule. If you spawn kids, you will feed, clothe and EDUCATE them without demanding payment (at the point of a government gun) for these things from your neighbor. Citizens can take the money they save on taxes and enroll their children in the private school of their own choosing, such as a school that teaches the values that are cherished by parents, instead of the socialist, collectivist indoctrination of government schools.

Gone will be high auto insurance costs. In a free state no one will be forced by government to purchase unwanted items or services such as insurance. Insurance companies will have to lower their rates dramatically to entice persons to buy their product.

In a libertarian free state the role of government will be limited to protecting individuals from fraud and the initiation of force, as intended by the founders, and guaranteed by the Bill of Rights. In a free state the Constitution will be revered, respected, protected and defended, and the Bill of Rights will be ENFORCED. This means prosecuting any person within the state who infringes on anyone's right to keep and bear arms, including (and especially) federal officers.

If Delaware wins this contest among the Free State Project members, we may see large billboards at entrance points along the state line that read: Welcome to Delaware - The FREE State. Freedom loving people will flock to this special jewel on the mid-eastern seaboard. Strategically located and uniquely suited for liberty, Delaware will be that shining example of freedom envisioned by the Free State Project.

***

William A. Shields is a "once and always" U.S. Marine with 19 years experience as an air traffic controller. The former chairman of the Delaware Reform Party, and a past president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, EWR Local, he has held positions in the rail, aviation and marine transportation industries. A freelance writer, Mr. Shields owns and operates a small business in Wilmington, Delaware. He is a contributor to the American Reformation Project and a regular columnist for Ether Zone.

William A, Shields can be reached at: wshields@comcast.net

---

More media articles about the FSP

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FSP Mid-Atlantic Local Group

Welcome to the Mid-Atlantic Group page!

Please join us at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mid-atlantic_fsp/ for up-to-the-minute updates on Mid-Atlantic happenings! Here you can access the monthly meeting calendar, join our discussions, and learn how you can help us in local activism opportunities and projects, large and small, that will help us get to the 20,000 mark.

For those of you who cannot make it to our meetings, please let us know to help you start a meeting in your local area. Please feel free to contact us for help or questions. Thanks!

Phil Denisch pdenisch@freestateproject.org

Lynn Pina nhjobs@freestateproject.org

Rich Goldman rich1@umbc.edu

Local Groups

• To find your Local Group, click on your location in the map below!
• Want to learn how help your Local Group become better?

• Building a Local Group
• Database Usage Guidelines
• Packing Meetings
• Speaking Guidelines

• See some success stories in Real Activism.
• Find out about events at our Calendar of Events
• Discuss other outreach activities in our Local Group forums.
• Read the Local Groups Coordinator's Blog, make comments and give feedback.
• Of course you can always just E-mail the Local Groups Coordinator.

Region	Porcupine Group	Contact	Email List	FSP Forum	Meeting(s) <!-- ****************************************************************** -->
Northeast	New England (ME VT) (For NH, click here)	Rich Tomasso	Yahoo	Forum
	Mass & RI	Jon Maltz	Yahoo	Forum
	Connecticut	(Vacant*)	Yahoo	Forum	<!-- Fri 1/21 7pm at Molten Java Coffee Roasters in Bethel, CT. Details. -->
	Tristate (NYC NJ PA CT-suburbs)	(Vacant*)	Yahoo	Forum
	Central NY	(Vacant*)	Yahoo	Forum
	Western NY (Buffalo-Niagara-Rochester)	Jason Sorens	Yahoo	Forum
	Western PA	(Vacant*)	Yahoo	Forum	<!-- ****************************************************************** -->
Mid- Atlantic	Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD se.PA s.NJ n.VA)	Phil Denisch	Yahoo	Forum	Usually the third Saturday of every month. See the FSP Forum for details.
	Appalachians (WV w.MD w.VA)	(Vacant*)	Yahoo	Forum	Appalachians FSPers are more than welcome at the Mid-Atlantic meetings (above).
	Coastal VA & NC (se.VA ne.NC)	Bryan Stevenson	Yahoo	Forum	<!-- ****************************************************************** -->
South	Florida-all Florida-Suncoast	Tim Condon (Vacant*)	Yahoo Yahoo	Forum Forum	Regularly scheduled dinners in Tampa Bay.
	Georgia	(Vacant*)	Yahoo	Forum
	Alabama (AL w.FL)	(Vacant*)	Yahoo	Forum
	Arkansas	(Vacant*)	Yahoo	Forum
	Tennessee	Keith Carlsen	Yahoo	Forum
	Bayou (LA MS)	(Vacant*)	Yahoo
	Carolinas (SC NC e.TN)	Chris Rasch	Yahoo	Forum	Third Saturday of every month at Chris' apartment in Raleigh, 2-4 pm. <!-- ****************************************************************** -->
Midwest	Minnesota	Steve Bottari	Yahoo	Forum	For more info see Meetup.com
	Wisconsin	Richard Whitnable	Yahoo	Forum
	Chicago- Milwaukee (s.WI n.IL ne.IN)	Tim Bauman & Vito Vitkauskas	Yahoo	Forum
	Midwest (MI n.OH ne.IN)	Jeremy Couch	Yahoo	Forum
	St. Louis (e.MO w.IL)	(Vacant*)	Yahoo	Forum
	Bluegrass (KY s.OH s.IN se.IL)	(Vacant*)	Yahoo	Forum	<!-- ****************************************************************** -->
Plains	Breadbasket (SD ND NE)	(Vacant*)	Yahoo	Forum
	Kansas (KS w.MO)	(Vacant*)	Yahoo	Forum
	Iowa	(Vacant*)	Yahoo	Forum	<!-- ****************************************************************** -->
Mountain	Big Sky (MT ID WY)	(Vacant*)	Yahoo	Forum
	Utah	(Vacant*)	Yahoo	Forum
	Colorado	(Vacant*)	Yahoo	Forum	<!-- ****************************************************************** -->
Southwest	Arizona	(Vacant*)	Yahoo	Forum
	New Mexico	Amanda Odom Powell	Yahoo	Forum
	Oklahoma	Holland O. Van den Nieuwenhof	Yahoo	Forum
	North Texas U of TX - Dallas	James Strater (Vacant*)	Yahoo Yahoo	Forum
	South Texas	(Vacant*)	Yahoo	Forum	<!-- ****************************************************************** -->
Pacific	Pacific NW (OR WA)	(Vacant*)	Yahoo	Forum
	N. California	(Vacant*)	Yahoo	Forum	Bay area local group meetings
	San Diego County	Andrew Del Vecchio	Yahoo	Forum	Irregular meetings, but periodic events with other libertarian orgs.
	Nevada	(Vacant*)	Yahoo	Forum
	Hawaii	(Vacant*)	Yahoo	Forum
	Alaska	(Vacant*)	Yahoo	Forum
Region	Porcupine Group	Contact	Email List	FSP Forum	Meeting(s)

* = No one has stepped forward to lead this group, but the email list has been created and is ready for use. If you would like to volunteer to be the local group leader, please contact the Local Group Coordinator. <!-- ********************************************** Map --><!-- LGstat: G=good, B=bad(no local coordinator) --> function chosen(LGstat,LGname){ window.status="Local Group Region "+LGname if (LGstat=="B") { var newwin = window.open("","Volunteer","height=270,width=400") var mailtoaction = "mailto:localgroups@FreeStateProject.org?subject=FSP-LG Coord: "+LGname var mailbody = "I would like more information about becoming a Local Group Coordinator for the "+LGname+" region.'" var wintxt = "Free State Project: Local Groups" wintxt += "

Analysis of Presidential Elections
in the 10 Candidate States

by Keith Carlsen

In Tennyson's report Analyzing the Freedom Orientation of Existing State Populations, he analysed the results of the 2000 presidential election and what it means to the FSP and its members. The gist of that report is in this table:

Voter Predisposition to Vote for Small-government Candidates
(2000 Presidential Election)

Rank	State	Percentage
1	Wyoming	151%
2	Idaho	141%
3	North Dakota	73%
4	Alaska	70%
5	South Dakota	66%
6	Montana	53%
7	New Hampshire	-3%
8	Delaware	-35%
9	Maine	-21%
10	Vermont	-37%

Source: Analyzing the Freedom Orientation of Existing State Populations

By looking at the 2000 election, we see that Wyoming and Idaho come out far above all of the other candidate states. However, one election is just that – one election, and cannot be considered the whole picture.

Nine most recent presidential elections

Here is the data from the nine most recent presidential elections: 2000 – 1968. This data presents a more complete picture of all recent Presidential elections.

	2000		1996		1992		1988	1984	1980	1976		1972	1968
State	Candidate	%	Candidate	%	Candidate	%	Cand.	Cand.	Cand.	Candidate	%	Cand.	Candidate	%
AK	Bush (R)	58.6	Dole (R)	50.8	Bush (R)	39.5	Bush (R)	Reagan (R)	Reagan (R)	Ford (R)		Nixon (R)	Nixon (R)
DE	Gore (D)	55.0	Clinton (D)	51.8	Clinton (D)	43.5				Carter (D)	52.0
ID	Bush (R)	61.2	Dole (R)	52.2	Bush (R)	42.0				Ford (R)
ND	Bush (R)	60.7	Dole (R)	46.9	Bush (R)	44.2
NH	Bush (R)	48.1	Clinton (D)	49.3	Clinton (D)	38.9
ME	Gore (D)	49.1	Clinton (D)	51.6	Clinton (D)	38.81							Humphrey (D)	55.3
MT	Bush (R)	58.4	Dole (R)	44.1	Clinton (D)	37.6							Nixon (R)
SD	Bush (R)	60.3	Dole (R)	46.5	Bush (R)	40.7
VT	Gore (D)	50.6	Clinton (D)	53.3	Clinton (D)	46.1
WY	Bush (R)	67.8	Dole (R)	49.8	Bush (R)	39.5

1 Ross Perot beat George Bush in Maine with 30.44% to 30.39% of the popular vote.
Sources: www.multied.com/elections and www.uselectionatlas.org/USPRESIDENT/frametextj.html

(Note: I stopped doing research at the 1968 election because in the 1964, 1960, and 1956 elections, most of the candidate states voted for the same candidate and because the farther back you go, the less representative the data is to the reality of today. Even in the 1970s and 1980s most of the candidate states voted for the same candidate. Before 1956, well, most current Americans were not even alive or at the very least, not even voting back then.)

Republican Totals

The Republican presidential candidates from 1968 to 2000 generally sold themselves as, or were perceived as, or pretended to be, more pro-small government than the Democratic Party presidential candidates. Generally this is the case and is clearly evident by the specific campaign literature and ads of the above presidential candidates.

So we can rank the states by the number of Republican presidential candidates that won their state elections:

Amount for Republicans from 1968 to 2000

Rank	State	GOPs Won
1	Alaska	9
	Wyoming	9
	North Dakota	9
	South Dakota	9
	Idaho	9
6	Montana	8
7	New Hampshire	7
8	Vermont	6
9	Delaware	5
	Maine	5

Reagan and Goldwater

What about races where a candidate from a major party ran on downsizing the federal government?

This has occured twice in somewhat recent times. In 1980 Ronald Reagan (R) ran for president and in 1964 Barry Goldwater (R) ran for president. Both times, their major issue was Downsizing DC. Reagan communicated the message better and won the 1980 election while Goldwater lost his election.

According to Harry Browne and many others, the media even tried to portray Reagan as more libertarian than he was. Ronald Reagan did not act as a libertarian once in office, but that is how he ran for his first election.

(Note: Votes for the LP candidate, Ed Clark, are included with Reagan's, because Reagan used many of Clark's ideas and this is the best election ever for an LP candidate.)

1980 Election - Vote for Ronald Reagan

Rank	State	Percentage
1	Idaho	68.4%
2	Alaska	66.0%2
3	North Dakota	65.5%
4	Wyoming	65.2%
5	South Dakota	61.7%
6	Montana	59.5%
7	New Hampshire	58.2%
Entire U.S.		51.8%
8	Delaware	48.0%
9	Maine	46.6%
10	Vermont	45.3%

2 Ed Clark got 11.7% of the 66.0% total.
(He got < 3% in all the other FSP candidate states)
Source: www.presidentelect.org/e1980.html

Barry Goldwater only had the opportunity to run for office because the paleo-conservative and the libertarian Republicans were able to take over the Republican Party primary and hand the nomination to Barry Goldwater. The national GOP did not even support his bid for president after he was nominated. All records show that Barry Goldwater was set on dramatically reducing the size of government and those in change of the GOP wanted nothing to do with him or such ideas.

1964 Election - Vote for Barry Goldwater

Rank	State	Percentage
1	Idaho	49.1%
2	South Dakota	44.4%
3	Wyoming	43.4%
4	North Dakota	41.9%
5	Montana	40.6%
6	Delaware	38.8%
Entire U.S.		38.5%
7	New Hampshire	36.1%
8	Alaska	34.1%
9	Vermont	33.7%
10	Maine	31.2%

Source: www.multied.com/elections/1964state.html

Average of Reagan and Goldwater elections

Rank	State	Percentage
1	Idaho	58.7%
2	Wyoming	54.3%
3	North Dakota	53.6%
4	South Dakota	53.1%
5	Alaska	50.1%
5	Montana	50.1%
7	New Hampshire	47.2%
Entire U.S.		45.1%
8	Delaware	43.4%
9	Vermont	39.5%
10	Maine	38.9%

Conclusions

I computed this table by averaging the "Amount of Republicans from 1968 to 2000" and "Average of Reagan and Goldwater elections" rankings:

Total Average Ranking According to this Report

1	Idaho
2	Wyoming
3	North Dakota
4	South Dakota
5	Alaska
6	Montana
7	New Hampshire
8	Delaware
	Vermont
10	Maine

Now that we have the whole picture, let's compare it to just the 2000 presidential election:

State Rankings

Rank	Tennyson 2000 Report	This Report
1	Wyoming	Idaho
2	Idaho	Wyoming
3	North Dakota
4	Alaska	South Dakota
5	South Dakota	Alaska
6	Montana
7	New Hampshire
8

Delaware 9 Maine Vermont 10 Vermont Maine

Amazingly, they are very similar, almost eerily similar. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe, just maybe, the 2000 presidential election really does provide us with a very good look at the ideology of the candidate states. None of the candidate states move more than ONE position in the state ranking.

Whatever the conclusion, one thing is for sure: Time and time again, both Idaho and Wyoming stand out in the above rankings.

The First State Report

by William A. Shields

(See also Delaware Report #1.)

Nearly two years ago I told a few politically active friends of mine about an idea I had called The Delaware Plan. The plan was similar to the Free State Project, but I never considered that the plan would work in any state except Delaware. I am still convinced (although willing to be persuaded otherwise) that Delaware is the only state that will work for FSP purposes.

Having lived in Delaware almost all of my life, and having chaired a political party here (Reform/Buchanan), I'm as close to the action as it gets. I am delighted to be able to help the Free State Project by making this report, and I truly hope it helps our members and supporters make an informed choice. If you do not agree with any of my premises, please fire off an email to me at wshields@comcast.net. Like I said, I'm willing to be persuaded.

Political realities

Delaware is one of the easiest states in which to gain ballot access. The Libertarian Party has had ballot access and will surely maintain it easily. All that is needed is a low number of registered party members and a form filed with the Secretary of State. 240 Reform Party members got us on the ballot in 2000. Please keep in mind that easy ballot access helps libertarians by enabling other parties like Greens (tree huggers), Natural Law (rug pilots), and others, to siphon votes from the two big-government parties that I need not mention by name.

It's as easy as one, two, three

A primary strategy that I have seen mentioned is to take over county governments. The number of counties in Delaware is three (3). It doesn't get any easier than that. As far as local (municipal/town) offices go, only two – Wilmington and Elsmere – have partisan party elections. This means you needn't have political party backing to get on the ballot. This makes almost all local offices ripe for stealth campaigns if a candidate is so inclined. Want to be Mayor of a State Capitol (Dover)? Put your name on the ballot and hit the campaign trail.

Here are the statewide voting totals for the 2000 election cycle. This represents the number of actual votes cast, broken down by party and the percentage of registered voters that number represents

Democrats	145,829 (68%)
Republicans	117,595 (69%)
All Others	69,629 (59%)

To crunch all of Delaware's election numbers for the Y2K cycle go to www.state.de.us/election/reports/agp2000.htm#STATEWIDE

As has been pointed out elsewhere, Delaware's voting population numbers are among the lowest of states being considered, and the only state that yields a low voter population and a livability factor you will find in no other state with similar numbers.

Area

Yes folks, size does matter, so let's talk about it. If a political activist in Delaware has to travel to a meeting anywhere in the state, he or she has a trip of 100 miles or less to make. One can make a trip from anywhere in Delaware to the State Capitol (Dover), conduct a two-hour business meeting, and still be home in time to watch TV. Let's face it, if we are going to organize and mobilize liberty in our chosen state, we can do it more easily and more cheaply in Delaware. Other states' vast wilderness areas may sound attractive to some, and may look good on a post card, but a two-day dog sled run that yields four signatures on a petition is not my idea of a workable organizing plan. You can almost measure Delaware with a ruler, so here are the numbers:

Delaware ranks 49th in the nation with a total area of 1,982 square miles.
Delaware is 96 miles long and varies from 9 to 35 miles in width.
New Castle County is 438 square miles.
Kent County is 594 square miles.
Sussex County is 950 square miles.

Delaware has a unique and important role in our nation's economy

Want us to be able to negotiate with the federal government from a position of real power? Consider: nearly every Fortune 500 company is headquartered in Delaware, as is nearly the entire credit card industry. Nearly all U.S. flagged oil super tankers such as the infamous Exxon Valdez are home ported in Wilmington, Delaware. The reason for this is the Chancery Court of Delaware – which is fast, predictable, and very pro-business. A political party that takes over Delaware gains a small piece of the geographical pie, but a huge slice of the American economy. I promise you, should this happen (FSP) in Delaware you will get the Feds' undivided attention. I'm not sure if this is good or bad, but it's either really good or really bad. (Now that I think of it, you couldn't write a movie script this interesting. All rights reserved.)

There is no sales tax in Delaware which is why there are numerous shopping malls strategically located to draw retail dollars from neighboring states. The Christiana Mall, for instance, is located on I-95, equi-distant from New Jersey (via the Delaware Memorial Bridge) and Elkton Maryland (to the southwest). The retail industry is huge in Delaware and it provides many jobs for entry-level types and semi-retired seniors. Help wanted signs are posted everywhere, although most are for low-paying retail and fast-food jobs. Still, one fact cannot be denied: tax freedom along with a strategic location amidst population centers goes a long way toward achieving economic prosperity.

The job market in Delaware is favorable compared to the other states being considered. The chemical, banking, and pharmaceutical industries are thriving with no signs of a downturn, despite the presently dismal stock market condition. I'll not go into too much detail here as Delaware's superior job market, as compared to other FSP candidate states, has been established elsewhere.

Location, location, location

On the eastern seaboard of the United States, Delaware is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean and Delaware Bay, as well as by the states of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. Delaware's location affords easy access to the major metropolitan areas of the northeast. Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, and Baltimore are all within a 2-hour drive. According to legend, Thomas Jefferson described Delaware as a "jewel" among states due to its strategic location on the eastern seaboard. Hence, a sometimes used nickname, the Diamond State.

The Port of Wilmington, Delaware is number one in the nation for imports of meat, frozen juice concentrates, and fresh fruit.

Taxes and retirees

Invest or Retire in Delaware?

Property taxes: Delaware's property taxes are among the lowest of any state, ranking 43rd in the nation.

Retirement: The following table shows the total annual sales, property, and income tax bill for a retired couple living in Delaware and surrounding states. The couple is assumed to have $50,000 of annual income and live in a home worth the median market value of 2,000 square-foot houses in their town.

State	Rank	Sales Tax	Property Tax	Income Tax	TOTAL
Delaware	#2	$0	$1,350	$790	$2,140
	23	$2,268	$2,250	$560	$5,078
New York	43	$3,025	$3,086	$446	$7,279
Maryland	45	$1,968	$4,975	$520	$7,363
New Jersey	49	$2,268	$4,945	$342	$7,555

Housing: Average price for existing three-bedroom house: $80-150,000 and up. Mobile homes $25,000 and up.

Personal income tax: State personal income taxes for residents are assessed on Delaware taxable income. Delaware taxable income equals Delaware adjusted gross income minus personal exemptions and standard or itemized deductions. Delaware adjusted gross income is derived by adding to the Federal adjusted gross income and receipts from the securities of states or political subdivisions other than Delaware and its political subdivisions. Income from obligations of the United States, disability and/or elderly credits and pensions up to $3,000 (age 60 and over) is then deducted from the federal adjusted gross income. Nonresidents are taxed on the portion of income derived from sources within Delaware. The current state tax rate schedule is graduated and includes six rate reductions.

State taxes: Delaware has reduced its personal income taxes at all income levels. The state has never had a general sales tax or an inventory tax. There are no state real property taxes, and the local real property taxes are very low. The total state and local tax burden is competitive with most other states.

County taxes: Sussex County taxes are based on a 1974 appraisal and assessed at 50 percent of the 1974 market value. The county tax rate for the year is $0.445 per $100 of assessed property value. This is the eighth year that the rate has been $0.445. This tax includes the county's cost for general obligation bonds, libraries, paramedics, and the general operation of the county.

City and town taxes: Municipal governments and school districts are financed in part through real property tax receipts. Real estate in incorporated areas is subject to local property taxes, school district property taxes, and vocational school taxes. The total property tax burden depends on the tax rate, the property assessment, and the assessment ratio.

Delaware always ranks high with publications catering to retirees. The primary reason is the low tax burden. Consider this from CNBC: moneycentral.msn.com/articles/retire/basics/9838.asp

The winners …

Okay, we won't keep you in suspense any longer. It's no secret that corporations love to set up shop in tax-friendly Delaware. Now retirees might want to do the same. Our hypothetical retired couple in Dover, Delaware doesn't spend a dime on sales taxes (there are none). Social Security benefits are spared the state levy, and up to $12,500 per person of other retirement income is tax-free. Our couple's only tax obligation is a $543 property-tax bill on their $133,000 home, making the First State first on our list of tax-friendly locations for retirees.

Next on the list is Alaska, but it's a distant second – literally. Although Alaska has no state income tax or sales tax, and the capitol city of Juneau waives its 5% local sales tax for residents 65 and older, housing prices have skyrocketed recently and so have property taxes. The median sale price of a 2,000 square-foot home in Juneau last year was $240,000. Most residents would owe more than $2,700 in property taxes, and even with a $150,000 exclusion for senior citizens, our retired couple owes $1,032.

Other FSP candidate states ranked at the very bottom of this list (check the site for yourself).

Better living through chemistry

When the Du Pont family arrived in Delaware in 1799, they saw potential power in the flow of the Brandywine Creek. They turned their vision into a chemical empire that survives today. Now it is time for the Free State Project members to notice Delaware's special chemistry in the numbers that speak volumes about Delaware's viability for our noble purpose. You don't need a degree in chemical engineering to figure this one out.

Among the states being considered by the FSP, Delaware has a small number of voters, combined with an acceptable livability rating, taking into consideration the relatively moderate climate, and the favorable economic outlook.

Granted, if Delaware is chosen by the FSP, I won't have to move. And, my sister would love to add 20,000 names to her real estate business Rolodex. However, I want the FSP to work as envisioned, and not fail.

Delaware will give us our best chance.

December 11, 2002

The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent those of the Free State Project, its Officers, or Directors.