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Car insurance, like seat belts, are really good ideas but are not mandated by law in New Hampshire.

The exact wording of the bill that Governor Lynch is expected to sign this week or next says:
[T]he public policy established by Congress in the Real ID Act of 2005, Public Law 109-13, is contrary and repugnant to Articles 1 through 10 of the New Hampshire constitution as well as Amendments 4 though 10 of the Constitution for the United States of America. Therefore, the state of New Hampshire shall not participate in any driver's license program pursuant to the Real ID Act of 2005 or in any national identification card system that may follow therefrom.

By the way, if click on the generalcourt.org link above, you'll notice that each legislator has a "liberty grade." Just like in school, from "A" thru "F" -- the New Hampshire Liberty Alliance rates each and every one of the 400 State Representatives, based on how the actually vote on freedom-related bills, every year. Just one of the many things that become possible as a critical mass of pro-liberty activists concentrate on a single state.

By the way... one of the sponsors of the bill, Rep. Winters, is a Free-Stater -- check his acceptance speech

Are you frustrated at the loss of freedom and responsibility in America, while the growth of government and taxes continues unabated? Do you want to live in strong communities where your rights are respected, and people exercise responsibility for themselves and in their dealings with each other?

Bingo! Laws don't fix problems. No amount of words on paper will make phishers go away. No penalty, no matter how draconian, will change the fact that some people will attempt to defraud others. All more laws do is create more red tape, more bureaucracy, and necessitate that more taxes be spent.

The problem is, legislators and the average voter don't understand this about laws -- they think that the world can be made a batter place, if only we put just the right words on paper.
It's a vicious cycle of laws and more laws created by clueless politicians empowered by clueless voters.

In my opinion, the only realistic hope for breaking out of this vicious cycle is to concentrate people who understand this in one place.
People who believe laws should not be enacted to protect us from ourselves.
Which is why I moved to New Hampshire.

Three words: Free State Project

1. These have to be shown to work on a large scale. This is where I give hippies credit -- they tried creating communes and 'intentional communities' in the sixties stretching to today. To a large part, they didn't have staying power, much less spreading power. There are still intentional communities up and running today, but more or less, they failed. But they tried. They tried and failed. Compared to libertarians, that's amazing. I hear a lot of talk from libertarians, but I don't know of any libertarian cities or municipalities. I'm aware of the Free State Project, but AFAIK, it's just a list of people *intending* to move *someday*. There will be a lot of bugs and details to work through in an actual, functioning direct democracy.
   
2. Things have to get so bad that people are willing to give up on a system that has mostly worked for 200+ years all around the world. Sorry, I don't think average people are motivated enough to change their form of government. Things have to get really bad before people start looking for serious alternatives. Right now, the only people these kinds of projects will attract will be zealots and dogmatists. While such attempts are important and necessary, the vast majority of people will not live under a totally new system unless their currently lifestyle is un-maintainable.
   
3. Lastly, such institutions must be taught in schools. This is kind of 'after the revolution', but I think once you are living in a direct democracy, you have to teach the form of government to kids. Contrary to American belief, if you give kids -- children -- freedom and responsibility, they will learn to behave like adults. Allow them to fail. Our system of education, IMHO, leans towards fascist, infantilizing behavior in children, where they depend on the teacher for everything. In other countries, such as in Europe, kids are given much more free reign to complete their assignments, and they do alright. For several years of my elementary and middle school education, I attended a Montessori school, where we have a lot of freedom to get our work done. I was much better prepared for public high school, and got more out of it, than my public school peers. Kids will live up to their expectations; if you treat them like children, they will remain children. If you teach them to become adults, you will get adults at the end of their education.

Regardless, it's yet another usurpation of state power and authority by the feds. I'm waiting for New Hampshire to do the same thing (and kinda saddened that they weren't first).

Yea, seeing as how New Hampshire is the home of "Give Me Freedom or Give me Death" and "Do not Tread on Me" as well as the home of the Free State Project I'm kind of supprised Maine beat them to the draw.

I can not claim to know much about New Hampshire, but I can say that the Free State Project probably picked it for reasons exactly like this. That is to say, I am not surprised by a vote from New Hampshire that is opposed to government involvement in business.

Why aren't YOU a member of the Free State Project?

Ah, if only the Free State Project were in Vermont instead of New Hampshire, or they switched places. I'd rather live on the coast, and not have to travel through another state to get there. I'd even accept Maine. But unfortunately I don't have much choice as to where I live.

You're right about the US party system, unfortunately it is so deeply embedded in our society that it may never go. We've never had a 3rd party that was a contender. So, what's the solution? Maybe we have to work on changing a party, albeit on a smaller scale. Check out http://www.freestateproject.org/. On topic, I too thought McCain was a viable candidate, but not any longer. Keep gov't away from the Internet and our rights.

Then don't! Sigh... why is everyone so stuck on the 2-party system?

When I voted this morning, out of the 15 or so odd candidates, there was only one non-two party candidate and they were a Green. The funny thing was that they had blanks for Libertarian, Greens, and Socialists because it was a generic sheet over the machine.

I suppose I could have written in myself as a libertarian, but that wouldn't really do much to change the course of history.

The only way you are going to get a 3rd party is move to the http://www.freestateproject.org/ or we get a Proportional Representation system

It died a long death from a thousand slashes years ago. However if you want it brought back then you should check out the Free State Project which in basd in the "Live Free or Die" state, Vermont.

Last year I told my employer they aren't paying me enough to work five days a week.

I took a 20% pay cut, and gained a three days off - four days on work week.

It takes a little tweaking of the financial priorities, but I found it advantageous. My life is better all around, and my co-workers envy the lifestyle. They wonder how I did it. The answer is simple: Negotiate your time to your employer like you mean it. Trust me, it is in a business's interest to squeeze you. Consider yourself a business of one, and squeeze back!

Remember the labor movement? No, of course you don't. Labor day is just a day off f labor, right? This is what it was all about: Better living standards. How many consecutive years have Americans reported 5% or better productivity growth? How many times does that have to happen before twice the output per unit of work is achieved? How long will the workers tolerate 4% raises during 9% inflation and 5% productivity growth? ... That's why I told my employer they aren't paying me enough to not have 3 day weekends.

Of course, having idle time to read and learn and travel has opened my awareness to the labor movement, American history, current movements and disgruntlement. The result so far? Libertarianism and joining the Free State Project. http://www.freestateproject.org/

If you are in America, and looking for something better, look to New Hampshire.

Some of us are standing up and doing something, by moving to New Hampshire as part of the Free State Project, and working to restore liberty to the state and become a shining example of freedom in this less-than-free country.

I for one am eagerly awaiting the Nov. 7 elections to see what this country's future is going to look like.

Some are predicting 1994 all over again -- I at least am fairly confident the Dems will get the House.

But regardless, I will not be leaving America because I am committed to the FSP

I prefer the Free State Project.

There seems to be a few people that do care. I just stumbled upon The Free State Project which at least gives me hope. Maybe I even join them and emmigrates to New Hampshire.

that's brilliantly put. I agree governmental reform is overdue. I just wish I thought it actually might. Maybe I'll see you in New Hampshire.

Someone needs to tell America the truth and stand up for whats right. I'm moving to Maine...

You're moving to the wrong state though it is near the state you should move to, New Hampshire. Join the Freestate Project.

Consider joining the http://freestateproject.org/

Read all about Your Rights being destroyed every day at http://hammeroftruth.com/

Join the http://freestateproject.org/

Browse news blogs for the mere chance of posting about the FSP, the LP, or HoT.

Consider joining http://freestateproject.org/first1000

Search and watch everything related to America: From Freedom to Fascism on google

Consider buying lots of gold ETFs

Feel very scared, not smug, that you realize you are in a police state enacted because of an eminant economic crisis.

Post on /. about all the above hoping readers will point out which datums merely require a tin-foil hat to remedy, which to point and laugh at, and which to really worry about.

Consider joining the http://freestateproject.org/

Read all about Your Rights being destroyed every day at http://hammeroftruth.com/

Join the http://freestateproject.org/

Browse news blogs for the mere chance of posting about the FSP, the LP, or HoT.

Consider joining http://freestateproject.org/first1000

Search and watch everything related to America: From Freedom to Fascism on google

Consider buying lots of gold ETFs

Feel very scared, not smug, that you realize you are in a police state enacted because of an eminant economic crisis.

Post on /. about all the above hoping readers will point out which datums merely require a tin-foil hat to remedy, which to point and laugh at, and which to really worry about.

Consider joining the http://freestateproject.org/

Read all about Your Rights being destroyed every day at http://hammeroftruth.com/

Join the http://freestateproject.org/

Browse news blogs for the mere chance of posting about the FSP, the LP, or HoT.

Consider joining http://freestateproject.org/first1000

Search and watch everything related to America: From Freedom to Fascism on google

Consider buying lots of gold ETFs

Feel very scared, not smug, that you realize you are in a police state enacted because of an eminant economic crisis.

Post on /. about all the above hoping readers will point out which datums merely require a tin-foil hat to remedy, which to point and laugh at, and which to really worry about.

Consider joining the http://freestateproject.org/

Read all about Your Rights being destroyed every day at http://hammeroftruth.com/

Join the http://freestateproject.org/

Browse news blogs for the mere chance of posting about the FSP, the LP, or HoT.

Consider joining http://freestateproject.org/first1000

Search and watch everything related to America: From Freedom to Fascism on google

Consider buying lots of gold ETFs

Feel very scared, not smug, that you realize you are in a police state enacted because of an eminant economic crisis.

Post on /. about all the above hoping readers will point out which datums merely require a tin-foil hat to remedy, which to point and laugh at, and which to really worry about.

Consider joining the http://freestateproject.org/

Read all about Your Rights being destroyed every day at http://hammeroftruth.com/

Join the http://freestateproject.org/

Browse news blogs for the mere chance of posting about the FSP, the LP, or HoT.

Consider joining http://freestateproject.org/first1000

Search and watch everything related to America: From Freedom to Fascism on google

Consider buying lots of gold ETFs

Feel very scared, not smug, that you realize you are in a police state enacted because of an eminant economic crisis.

Post on /. about all the above hoping readers will point out which datums merely require a tin-foil hat to remedy, which to point and laugh at, and which to really worry about.

Consider joining the http://freestateproject.org/

Read all about Your Rights being destroyed every day at http://hammeroftruth.com/

Join the http://freestateproject.org/

Browse news blogs for the mere chance of posting about the FSP, the LP, or HoT.

Consider joining http://freestateproject.org/first1000

Search and watch everything related to America: From Freedom to Fascism on google

Consider buying lots of gold ETFs

Feel very scared, not smug, that you realize you are in a police state enacted because of an eminant economic crisis.

Post on /. about all the above hoping readers will point out which datums merely require a tin-foil hat to remedy, which to point and laugh at, and which to really worry about.

Indeed. Vote 3rd Party, ANY 3rd party... but by moving to someplace together and being even moderately active will help even more... voting isn't just enough, sadly.

Those supporting Libertarians (and other assorted liberty-centric parties such as the Constitution party) should consider the
Free State Project, and move to New Hampshire. We're already having an effect here.

The religious zealots can move to South Carolina Similarly, the Greens could move to Oregon... Florida can remain a neutral zone, where all the aging folks will migrate toward once the little red light on their palms starts blinking. (joke)

Vote with your feet, not just your ballot.

I voted for the candidate I like. It should NOT come down to preventing some bozo from getting elected, but rather makeing a choice of a qualified person for office.

Unfortunately I was one of those who voted that way in 2000, instead of voting for who I wanted I specifically voted against Bush. Gore wasn't good but he was less bad than Bush to me. In 2004 I voted for Michael Badnarik, and if I lived in the district he's running for in Texas I'd vote for him again. In a way I think that brings up one of the problems Libertarians have, they should run for more local and state offices to get more visibility.

I believe that there will come a time when the people finally fed up with the repression of local, state, and federal governments, will rise up and claim their freedom.

Some are working on just this, the Free State Project is trying to get enough people to move to New Hampshire to regain freedom and liberty and reduce the size of government.

Fully Informed Jurors Association

Ah, only if more people knew about jury nullification. Unfortunately I've heard of cases where people were kicked off juries because they knew about it, that prosecuters and some judges are disqualifying people if they know about it.

If you want smaller government there's a third choice, join the Free State Project.

MA safety belt & motorcycle helmet laws (You're too stupid and irresponsible to make your own decisions about safety)
MA makes possession of consumer grade fireworks a felony (The message from the legislature to the voters: You're too goddamn stupid to handle things NH residents safely use all day)

Not just MA has safety belt and motorcycle helmet laws, most states of the USA do as well. As regards helmets, only a few states don't require them. Arizona and Minnesota are the only ones I can name though others don't require them either. And MN don't require them because of a ballot initiative, voters put on the ballot and approved of driving, riding, motorcycles without them. Most state also have restrictions on fireworks. As for NH, doesn't "Don't Tread On Me" come from there? NH is also where the Free State Project is taking place.

It's called the Free State Project I've already joined and gotten many other people to do the same. I've also joined the ACLU, NORML, and a couple of other organizations that I know better than to talk about in public. Sheesh, what more do you want?

Make no mistake: the Free State Project is not about moving someplace already free; it's about moving the most active pro-Freedom people to a place that can be freed, with a hell of a lot of hard work. See the 101 reasons NH should be the Free State info that the NH Libertarian Party put together before the vote was taken on which would be the designated Free State.

Keep in mind:

• There are only ~400 Free-Staters in New Hampshire so far. The target is 20,000; over 7,000 have signed up but not yet moved.
• NH was chosen just 2 years ago. You have to reside here 2 years in order to run for statewide office. This coming November will be the first opportunity to do so for the very earliest movers -- we have over a dozen people who will be running.
• We've already scored victories -- we have people elected to local office (school board, city council, etc), we killed a proposed statewide smoking ban, we slashed the red tape around home-schooling, and more.
• You're right -- in any other state, you're pretty much screwed. If this kind of thing bothers you, bothers you enought do do something, you should come join the rest of us who are not taking this shit lying down!

Check out the grief we gave to the cops on a past case where they misbehaved here, or see our fight against the National ID here

Keep in mind:

• There are only ~400 Free-Staters in New Hampshire so far. The target is 20,000; over 7,000 have signed up but not yet moved.
• NH was chosen just 2 years ago. You have to reside here 2 years in order to run for statewide office. This coming November will be the first opportunity to do so for the very earliest movers -- we have over a dozen people who will be running.
• We've already scored victories -- we have people elected to local office (school board, city council, etc), we killed a proposed statewide smoking ban, we slashed the red tape around home-schooling, and more.
• You're right -- in any other state, you're pretty much screwed. If this kind of thing bothers you, bothers you enought do do something, you should come join the rest of us who are not taking this shit lying down!

Check out the grief we gave to the cops on a past case where they misbehaved here, or see our fight against the National ID here

You're thinking of the FreeState Project. It was initially supposed to be Vermont, but New Hampshire Won out in the end.

You're thinking of the FreeState Project. It was initially supposed to be Vermont, but New Hampshire Won out in the end.

He was carrying only his boarding pass and a copy of the U.S. Constitution. Cheeky fucker!
He spent several days in jail, and got some really scary letters from the FBI (hi guys!).
Scanned copies of the letters, photos of the event, and his own musing are posted here.

Now, I don't agree with Russell's focus on "civil disobediance" -- I prefer to focus on political change (ie, getting good people elected into office, passing good laws, repealing bad ones, etc). In addition, I think this particular act of Civil Disobedience was poorly chosen -- he was trying to make the point that it should be the airlines, not the government, that sets the rules for any particular flight.

But still, ya gotta admire the sheer cojones of standing up to the FBI, and doing it with a sense of humor (see the letters he wrote back to the Feds, they're hilarious!)

Russ is just one of the hundreds of pro-Liberty activists out here in New Hampshire, one more member of the Free State Project

This is why many of us are moving to New Hampshire, joining the http://freestateproject.org/ [freestateproject.org], and working against these things. We nearly stopped New Hampshire from participating in REALID (the Republican Senators are selling out the state for a mere $3 million...) and we're not done yet.

You keep on recruiting like-minded people, and soon there'll be no limit to what you can almost do.

They've sworn up and down how they won't create a central database, but this sort of datamining is exactly what they have in mind...

Add in RFID chipped drivers licenses (not to mention the new passports which DO use RFID), and you have the making of a complete "We know who you are, who you hang out with, and where you were last night" totalitarian tracking system.

This is why many of us are moving to New Hampshire, joining the http://freestateproject.org/, and working against these things. We nearly stopped New Hampshire from participating in REALID (the Republican Senators are selling out the state for a mere $3 million...) and we're not done yet.

Free State Project?

If only it were Vermont instead, I won't need to drive through another state to get to the coast.

http://www.freestateproject.org/

The aim is to move a pile of libertarians to New Hampshire and shift the government towards a more libertarian one.

Either way, it makes a hell of a lot of sense for people in favor of PERSONAL CHOICE (or, if you prefer, "parental choice", when it comes to minors) to take control of the Legislature.

That's what we're doing here in New Hampshire. The first of us "early-movers" are running this November. We also keep a detailed Report Card of every member of the legislature, with a letter grade from "A" to "F", so we know which are the ones that already are pro-Freedom, and which are the bastard busybodies that need to be thrown out.

So true. You know that, I know that, the problem is the legislators don't know that... and that is the immediate root of the problem.

This is a problem I and thousands of other have taken action to fix now. Not in some fantasy land, not in some unspecified future, but now!.

Come join us... or just give us a test drive.

Oh, you finally noticed, that, eh?
Yes, the US Constitution is really quite shocking in that it would make the government hamstrung and inefficient -- if they spend their time worrying about this "Goddamn Piece of Paper", they'll never catch the Bad Guys in time!

Of course, that was the intent -- make it so freakin' clear as day that the government should not be efficient, should be thwarted in its natural desire to run roughshod over the citizenry.

But what percentage of the US population is even vaguely aware of the rights enshrined in the Bill of Rights? How many even understand the difference between the fact that these rights are stated to make them clear to all, not to "grant" them?

The dismal answer, of course, is: not enough to make a damn bit of difference. Despite 35 years of the Libertarian Party trying to wake people up to the issue, the erosion of liberties in the US has continued apace. If things keep going as they are, the us will be a Fascist state (if it isn't already).

People of the United States! Realistically, you have two basic options!

1. Keep doing what you're doing, and going where you're going -- to a wierd mix of Fascism (Republicans) and Socialism (Democrats) and a tiny, impotent group of Libertarians
2. Concentrate the free-thinkers in a State that still has some vestiges of a Culture of Liberty

The choice is yours!

Back on the topic at hand: I too am wary of government money being spent in this way. But if the money is going to be spent, I'd rather it be spent to build the network that is the least offensive to my libertarian sensibilities as possible.

What we're calling, alternately, 'User-Driven Infrastructure Development' or 'Bring Your Own Router', is a minimal city backbone mesh network, with the majority of the coverage being provided by users buying and installing their own equipment. Want to extend the mesh down your street? Go buy a $100 mesh router, put it in your window, and plug it in. Your neighbor can get onto the mesh using your router, but maybe in her house the signal is only available in one room...so she goes out and buys a mesh router, places it in that one room, and extends the signal throughout her house and to the next street over, where the other guy has a week signal, so he goes out to the store....

You get the idea. There's a lot of refinements that can be made to make it work faster, have better coverage, etc. I am not going to go over them here. This is all built on the high-quality, open-source mesh networking technology RoofNet, which can run on commodity hardware. I am doing some improvements to it and building mesh routers for rooftops, etc. You can do the same. Excuse me while I tout my business, but you may be interested, and it is relevant: XA Networks.

As I mentioned in another post on article, we are building this for the City of Cambridge (of which Boston is a suburb). I've also sold equipment to other places in the US, Africa, and India. It's good, cheap technology...and it's NOT PROPRIETARY!

Now, given that:

• Private businesses have a huge motive to avoid losing data -- when they do, customers are free to go elsewhere (and we do!)
• You're not free to "go elsewhere" when your Government loses your data
• Governments are likely to have way more sensitive and intrusive data than private businesses
• You typically know exactly what info, say, the credit card company has about you. You typically have no idea what info the government has about you.
• No database is 100% secure, no data is 100% safe -- especially not from humans with administrative access and plenty of reasons to leak the data
• Which do you trust to get IT right: a make-or-break project for a company, or Yet Another Government Project?

With all the above in mind, surely it makes sense to limit what data the Government collects, and to keep that data compartmentalized in local databases, rather than a nice, juicy, massive, single federal instance? Right!?!?!

Yet, that's exactly what is happening right now, with the "Real-ID" bill. (Here's what Bruce Schneier has to say on that).

Every single U.S. State except one has lined up like crack addicts to accept the federal money to implement Real-ID. That one State is New Hampshire, aka the Free State.

Here's a link to some pretty cool info about how and why the NH House rejected Real-ID:
http://freestateblogs.net/node/306

http://www.freestateproject.org/

If you fit the libertarian bill, we welcome you with open arms. There's an active team of pro-freedom people in NH, a very large one at that. Just getting involved in state and local politics is all you need to join.

If you have any questions about the state or anything just shoot me an email (mcovey at gmail. com)

As for tech jobs in NH, Oracle Corp (where I work) has amajor development center in Nashua, NH -- I got myself transferred there from Socialist California. Check jobs.oracle.com And of course, check the FSP NH Info page for jobs, housing, etc http://www.freestateproject.org/nhinfo/

Imagine that: legislators who can still read a constitution... and agree with parts of it that don't just expand their own authority.

Signed: A Free State Project http://www.freestateproject.org/ member, living happily in NH, the #1 Most Livable State (Morgan Quinto Press).

"Necessity is the excuse for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of the tyrant and the creed of the slave." - William Pitt English statesman

The Free State Project is an agreement among 20,000 pro-liberty activists to move to New Hampshire, where they will exert the fullest practical effort toward the creation of a society in which the maximum role of government is the protection of life, liberty, and property. The success of the Project would likely entail reductions in taxation and regulation, reforms at all levels of government to expand individual rights and free markets, and a restoration of constitutional federalism, demonstrating the benefits of liberty to the rest of the nation and the world.

Move to New Hampshire, if this passes: http://generalcourt.org/bills/2006/HB1582

And if you're up for it, join the Free State Project.

I'm so glad I live here... and so glad that that bill is on the table, and has a lot of support.