Free Staters make Keene NH a 'crypto mecca'

Keene New Hampshire Is Not Only a Libertarian Enclave - It's Also a Crypto Mecca - Bitcoin News - Jamie Redman:

September 6, 2019 - "New Hampshire is well known for having a large number of libertarian residents since the Free State Project (FSP) started a movement of political migration in 2001 [to] the low-population New England state. Libertarians in the region promote free markets, stand against war, and are either completely anti-state (anarchism) or believe in a very limited government (minarchism). Many of these activists who migrated to New Hampshire are strewn across the state but there are dense regions of libertarian proponents in places like Keene, Portsmouth, and Manchester. Due to the vast amount of free market believers, there’s a slew of businesses in places like Keene that accept digital currencies like bitcoin cash. The liberty loving blog, Free Keene, revealed that the Monadnock Decentralized Currency Network managed to persuade a bunch of mom-n-pop shops to accept cryptocurrencies over the years.

"In fact, throughout the lifetime of the Free State’s activism spent bolstering the concepts of liberty and voluntaryism, the people living there have created a cryptocurrency mecca. Free Keene blog author, Ian Freeman (also the co-host of Free Talk Live) explained ... that ... Keene has a wide variety of digital currency-accepting businesses and lots of them use the Anypay payment processor.

"Freeman details that according to data stemming from the Anypay and Marco Coino merchant map there are 15 bitcoin cash-accepting businesses in the region. This works out as a ratio of 'one business for every 1,533 people,' Freeman explained. The Anypay merchant map not only shows people where crypto merchants are located, but also displays when someone purchases something with cryptocurrency....

"The Bitcoin Embassy New Hampshire located in Keene is also well known for its Bitcoin radio advertisements that promote the benefits of cryptocurrencies and free markets. Starting in 2016, the commercials were syndicated on 'The Peak' (101.9 WKKN-FM Keene, 100.7 WTHK-FM Wilmington, VT, and 104.7 W284AB Jamaica, VT) seven days a week from 3pm-6am EDT. 'Bitcoin is a powerful local currency that can also be used internationally. It’s Keene to buy local, and Bitcoin empowers local business owners to keep more from each sale, rather than sending 3% outside of the area to credit card companies,' the radio ad’s message said.

"More recently, due to the frictionless and low network fees on the Bitcoin Cash network, activists in Keene have been opting to use and promote BCH regularly. Last summer, Freeman helped launch a new website called Cryptotip.org that creates cryptocurrency tips from bitcoin cash (BCH) and dash, making it easier for residents to tip people in sound money.... The cryptocurrency Dash has a decent-sized following in Keene too and many Dash supporters live in the FSP region.

"The ... Free Keene blog explained ... that 'Keene and Portsmouth, New Hampshire are two hotspots in the world of cryptocurrency'.... Alongside being a crypto mecca, Keene and New Hampshire also have a lot more to offer to people who are interested in libertarianism and plan to join the ongoing NH Freedom Migration."

Read more: https://news.bitcoin.com/keene-new-hampshire-is-not-only-a-libertarian-enclave-its-also-a-crypto-mecca/
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US Libertarian chair moves to Free State

There's a new Porcupine in town: Libertarian National Committee chair moves to Manchester from Arizona | Manchester Ink Link:

August 26, 2019 - "Nicholas Sarwark, Libertarian National Committee Chair, moved to the Queen City from Arizona this week with his wife and four young children. He says coming to New Hampshire has been the goal for a while.

“'When I first signed up for the Free State Project in 2002, I knew I wanted to live in the most libertarian state in the country. It’s a great place to raise a family and it’s closer to Washington DC and the Libertarian Party National Headquarters'....

"Nationally, the Libertarian presidential ticket of New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson and his running mate former Massachusetts Governor Bill Weld – now running for the Republican nomination – received more than 4 million votes or 3.28 percent of the total vote. NH State Rep. Max Abramson is among those seeking the Libertarian presidential nomination in 2020....

"As chair, Sarwark has played a prominent role spreading the ideas of Libertarianism, with his appearances in Reason magazine, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, Slate, Salon, and the Los Angeles Times, as well as on “Kennedy” and “Stossel” on Fox Business, “Stossel on Reason,” the “Glenn Beck Program,” MSNBC, RT TV, NPR, and many more....

"The Sarwarks are also participants in the Free State Project (FSP), a non-partisan, non-profit organization that encourages liberty leaning people of all stripes to come to NH to grow and strengthen the liberty community in the state. Some equate it to creating a real-life 'Galt’s Gulch,' a reference from fiction author Ayn Rand’s novel, Atlas Shrugged, including  Rachel Goldsmith, Interim Executive Director of the Free State Project.

“'The FSP is thrilled to welcome the Sarwark family to the growing community of liberty activists in New Hampshire.  We wish Nick and Valerie the best as they settle into their new home and, we look forward to their flavor of "Liberty in our Lifetime,”' Goldsmith said....

"The Free State Project is a non-profit organization, educating the public about the benefits of limited government, and community in New Hampshire. The hope is that the 'liberty movement' finds fertile ground in NH and spreads across the country. For more information see FSP.org."

Read more: https://manchesterinklink.com/theres-a-new-porcupine-in-town-libertarian-national-committee-chair-moves-manchester-from-arizona/

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NH Libertarians get 1st primary in 20 years

Aaron Day files for governor, setting up Libertarian Party primary with Jilletta Jarvis - John DiStaso, WMUR:

June 15, 2018 - "The Libertarian Party of New Hampshire has a gubernatorial primary campaign. And party officials are pleased because, they say, it will raise the profile of the low-tax, small government-minded party in the Granite State.

"Aaron Day of Bedford, former chair of the Free State Project and the Republican Liberty Caucus of New Hampshire, filed his candidacy for governor Friday, setting up a primary with Sandown businesswoman Jilletta Jarvis, who filed last week. The winner of the Sept. 11 primary will be on the Nov. 6 general election ballot....

"The Libertarian Party this year has major party status and will have a spot on the ballot for the first time since 1996, said Secretary of State William Gardner.... Gardner said the Libertarian Party had primaries for governor in three elections in the 1990s....

"The LPNH is back on the ballot in 2018 because in 2016, its candidate for governor, Max Abramson, received 31,243 votes, which was 4.3 percent of the general election vote, more than the 4 percent required threshold....

"In the primary, undeclared voters are free to take a ballot of the party of their choosing and then may, if they wish, change their registrations back to undeclared....

"Day, a longtime conservative activist in the state, ran as an independent for the U.S. Senate in 2016 and, many believe, spoiled Republican Sen. Kelly Ayotte’s bid for re-election by receiving 17,742 votes.... But that was then. 'This time it’s completely different,' Day said Friday ... 'I’m actually running this time,' he said, adding, 'I no longer believe in the Republican Party'....

"Jarvis, who also is running a serious campaign complete with a website and a media staffer, welcomed the notion of having a primary competitor. 'I actually think it’s a good thing to have a primary because more people will take notice,” she said....

"As of Thursday evening, Libertarian candidates had also filed in both of the state’s congressional districts, three of the five Executive Council districts and two state Senate districts. Also filing were 13 Libertarian candidates for the New Hampshire House."

Read more: http://www.wmur.com/article/aaron-day-files-for-governor-setting-up-libertarian-party-primary-with-jilletta-jarvis/21566076
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WWE wrestler Kane to run for mayor

WWE's Kane Runs For Mayor - Being Libertarian - Brandon Kirby:

March 25, 2017 -  "Best known for lighting people on fire and chokeslamming his enemies, World Wresting Entertainment’s Glenn Jacobs, better known as Kane, sets his sights on the political ring to run for Knox County [Tennessee] mayor, according to the Associated Press.

"Standing at 6’9 and weighing over 324lbs, The Devil’s Favourite Demon had a successful 22-year career in the WWE.... Outside of the world of wrestling, Jacobs and his wife own and operate Jacobs Insurance Associates, LLC, offering auto, business, flood, home, life, and motorcycle insurance.

"The successful businessman and entertainer’s bid for mayor is sure to excite libertarians. Jacobs is actively involved in libertarian politics, supporting Ron Paul’s presidential campaign, is a member of the Free State Project, and spoke at the New Hampshire Liberty Forum and the Ludwig von Mises Institute.

"In an interview with Fox Business, Jacobs cited Harry Browne, Milton Friedman, Murray Rothbard, and Mary Ruwart as influences on his political thinking. The former world champion also cited the non-aggression principle as his guiding principle.

"In an interview with Tom Woods, Jacobs elaborated, 'Then I realized that it really is a philosophy that we’re talking about, you know — the nonaggression axiom, that the government should be bound by the same moral laws that the rest of us are. Once you realize that, you’re like, "Oh!" Your entire world opens up, and then your entire paradigm changes.'

"In the interview he also indicated that he believes taxation is theft."

Read more: https://beinglibertarian.com/wwes-kane-runs-mayor/
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Free Staters help create NH real estate boom

The homebuyers aiming to make New Hampshire a Libertarian utopia - Nathan Brooker, Financial Times:

November 1, 2016 - "Get him on the upcoming presidential election and Trevor Parscal, a 32-year-old technology worker originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, .... says[:] 'Trump and Hillary sound pretty much the same to me. They are both squabbling over how to spend more and more of the taxpayers’ money.... I wouldn’t vote for either of them,' he says. 'I’m going to be voting for Johnson.'

"Gary Johnson is the presidential candidate for the Libertarian party, the self-proclaimed third party of US politics. Broadly, the party campaigns for a reduction in the size of government and taxes, though at its fringes it is renowned for getting a little oddball....

"Parscal is not only planning to vote for him but has moved his family 3,000 miles across the country to support the Libertarian cause, from California to Concord, New Hampshire. He is a participant in the Free State Project, an effort to get 20,000 like-minded Libertarians to pledge to move to New Hampshire, a fairly rural, sparsely populated state, where 20,000 activists might wield some political heft.

"'We hit that number in February of this year,' says Matt Philips, the president of the project. 'Every-body has five years to move to New Hampshire.'

"Those that do might want to call Mark Warden of Porcupine Real Estate. A Free Stater himself, Warden moved to New Hampshire from Las Vegas in 2009 and now acts as the project’s unofficial real estate broker. 'It’s been snowballing,' he says. 'I do between 40 and 50 transactions a year'.....

"Philips sees a natural affinity between Free Staters and New Hampshire. 'There’s an inherent Libertarian streak in the culture here,' he says, 'embodied by the state motto, which is "Live Free or Die".' There is no broad-based income tax in the state, no sales tax, liberal gun laws, no knife laws, no motorcycle helmet law and no law requiring you to wear a seatbelt. These things play well with Libertarians.

"Not everyone has welcomed them. A group of Free Staters who set up in the town of Keene have been causing a stir with their acts of civil disobedience. Some have refused to remove their hats inside the local courtroom and some have been smoking marijuana in the central square, openly. They’ve been given a nickname: 'Keeniacs'.

"Still, Parscal is upbeat. 'There’s nowhere in the US that’s a good example of Libertarian philosophies right now,' he says. 'If New Hampshire can become that, then hopefully we can attract people [here] who already feel that way and even convert some people as well.' Warden, for one, expects the phone to ring off the hook."

Read more: https://www.ft.com/content/73cb867a-9c31-11e6-8324-be63473ce146
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Bitcoin goes retail in Portsmouth, New Hamphire

Making Bitcoin Real: Portsmouth, NH, Businesses Begin Accepting BTC - Joel Valenzuela, Cointelegraph:

August 26, 2016 - "Another establishment has begun accepting Bitcoin as payment in what is fast becoming one of the most Bitcoin-centric towns in the United States.

"Street, a posh restaurant featuring food inspired from around the globe, began accepting Bitcoin earlier this month. The integration came as a result of outreach by Steven Zeiler, a local software developer and Bitcoin evangelist, who has also succeeded in getting a local yoga studio he frequents to take Bitcoin.

"Matt Carano, owner of The Music Class (which also takes Bitcoin) and former owner of the Pão Cafe,  one of the first restaurants in New Hampshire to take Bitcoin ... appreciates the ability to use Bitcoin locally, not just through online transactions....

"According to Mike Vine, technology evangelist for the Blockchain-based content-sharing platform LBRY, New Hampshire’s vibrant Bitcoin scene can be traced back to the Free State Project involvement....

"The Free State Project hosts the Porcupine Freedom Festival, or PorcFest, a weeklong festival in a mountain campground with a heavy emphasis on Bitcoin and decentralized technology. Largely thanks to the efforts of the Free State Project movers, New Hampshire ranks as one of the world’s most Bitcoin-friendly places.

"A touristy, seaside town of only 20,000 residents in a mostly rural state with a low population, Portsmouth is an unlikely destination for a vibrant Bitcoin community. Yet, in addition to the above mentioned businesses, it is also home to several Blockchain startups.

"Vine also founded the Praxeum, a Portsmouth-based co-working and community space, with Carano. He sees New Hampshire as a future renowned hub of Blockchain and decentralized tech innovation....

"Arcade City, the Blockchain-based ride-sharing service with a new app slated for release on September 1st, was founded in Portsmouth, and owes its origin to the Free Uber campaign, which protested against the city’s ride-sharing regulations by Bitcoin-funded swarm activism."

Read more: https://cointelegraph.com/news/making-bitcoin-real-portsmouth-n-h-businesses-begin-accepting-btc
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Porcfest as glimpse of libertarian paradise

In New Hampshire, Living for a Week in Libertarian Paradise - ABC News - Kathleen Ronayne, Associated Press:

June 24, 2016 - "T-shirts promoting 'Bitcoins not Bombs.' An ice cream stand selling cones of 'Bananarchy.' A refurbished school bus housing young men debating the presidential candidacy of Gary Johnson. "

"Welcome to PorcFest, a weeklong camping festival billed as a libertarian utopia of sorts in the mountains of New Hampshire. Run by the Free State Project, the annual festival attracts 1,500 people from across the nation, who started trickling in Sunday.

"Called 'porcupines,' the animal that serves as a logo for libertarians, they come to share ideas and be among others who dream of a small government society where taxes are limited, trade is free and people are allowed to eat, imbibe and inhale whatever they please. The festival, officially called the Porcupine Freedom Festival, offers a glimpse into the kind of libertarian paradise Free State Project leaders hope to one day create statewide....

"This year's PorcFest comes at a key moment for the Free State Project, a plan devised in the early 2000s to persuade 20,000 libertarians to move to New Hampshire en masse. New Hampshire was chosen, in part, because of its "Live Free or Die" motto and the relative ease of getting elected to office: The state's citizen legislature has 424 seats. In February, the movement earned its 20,000th "signer," the threshold that is supposed to trigger a mass move within five years.

"Matt Philips, the group's president since March, estimates 2,000 people have already moved. The group is now working to convince other signers — some of whom committed more than a decade ago — to join them. Philips knows all may not come, but his ultimate goal is to hit 20,000 incoming residents....

"Guns are indeed allowed freely at PorcFest; a posted flyer reminds gun carriers: 'Be respectful. Be careful. Be safe.' Marijuana is freely smoked too, as most participants believe the drug should be legal.

"Food and other goods are sold in a mini marketplace for cash or Bitcoin, the virtual currency that operates outside of government regulation....

"Philips said he hopes for a future where Free Staters can openly identify themselves as members of the project and begin to rapidly expand their message statewide."

Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/hampshire-living-week-libertarian-paradise-40104633

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World's largest libertarian meetup June 19-26

PorcFest, 'largest gathering of libertarians in the world,' to meet in New Hampshire - Washington Times - Jennifer Harper:

June 11, 2019 - "While Democrats and Republicans are busy planning their national conventions in July, Libertarians have the upcoming Porcupine Freedom Festival — or “PorcFest” — next week.

"Staged in the piney woods of northern New Hampshire, this political and cultural gathering is described by organizers as the 'the libertarian version of Burning Man,' and 'the largest gathering of libertarians in the world.' They expect about 1,700 attendees.

"The prickly porcupine is the official emblem, “Don’t tread on anyone” is the  motto. Now in its 13th year, the event has been organized by The Free State Project, a liberty-minded non-profit seeking to inspire like-minded folk to make their homes in the Granite State....

"'With [Gary] Johnson breaking double digits in the polls, everyone’s asking: Who are these people? While the Libertarian Party convention was a good primer on the quirks and qualities of your average libertarian, there’s no better place to see what they’re all about than PorcFest,' a spokesman told the Washington Times. 'Visiting PorcFest is the best way to see Libertarianus Americanus in his or her natural habitat,' he added.

"There will be meet-ups for dogs, drum circles, much music, multiple family outings, a costumed gala, plus classes in bonfire making, 401K tax traps, fiber arts, homeschooling and 'gun etiquette'.... PorcFest’s lineup of speakers includes author and Fox News contributor Kristin Tate, Atlas Society founder David Kelley, George Mason University economist Christopher Koopman, Reason magazine editor-in-chief Matt Welch and several state lawmakers.

The event begins June 19, at a campground about two hours north of Manchester. Find the PorcFest here."

Read more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/jun/11/porcfest-largest-gathering-of-libertarians-in-the-/
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Ltn. Perry won't file with Election Commission

This Libertarian Presidential Candidate Refused to File With the FEC Because He Believes it Shouldn’t Exist | TheBlaze.com - Kate Scanlon:

May 10, 2016 - "Libertarian presidential candidate Darryl Perry has refused to file campaign paperwork with the Federal Election Commission because he believes there is no constitutional reason for the agency to exist.

"'There shouldn’t be a federal agency that oversees campaign finance,' Perry told TheBlaze in an interview Tuesday. Perry said that a federal agency with the power to control campaign finance through regulations has the power to hinder independent and third-party bids in favor of the current two-party system.

"A Birmingham, Alabama, native, Perry moved to New Hampshire as part of the Free State Project, an effort to create a Libertarian majority in the Granite State.

"Perry said he is seeking the Libertarian nomination for president because he believes the party has 'drifted away' from its core beliefs to present a 'watered-down' version of its philosophy....

"Asked if his refusal to file with the FEC has negatively impacted his campaign in any way, Perry replied that his decision to accept campaign contributions only via alternative currencies — such as Bitcoin or gold — has hindered him more. He has declined to accept regular currency because he believes the federal reserve should be abolished.

"Perry said that a general election between two 'unpopular' candidates could present an opening for Libertarians to make an impact in November. '

"'On paper it looks like an excellent opportunity,” Perry said, adding, 'At the end of the day, Republicans will vote Republican because they fear the Democrats more than they support what they claim to support, and Democrats will vote Democrat because they fear Republicans more than they support what they claim to support.'

"Perry said that if a Libertarian candidate were to be allowed on the stage for a debate in a general election, it could be a game-changer for the race."

Read more: http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2016/05/10/this-libertarian-presidential-candidate-refused-to-file-with-the-fec-because-he-believes-it-shouldnt-exist/
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Free State Project reaches goal of 20,000 pledging to move to New Hampshire

Free State Project reaches milestone - News - seacoastonline.com - Portsmouth, NH - Brian Early:

February 3, 2016 - "The Free State Project, the political migration organization that seeks liberty-minded people to relocate to New Hampshire, reached its goal Tuesday of gathering 20,000 signers who pledge to move to the state within five years of reaching the 20,000 milestone.

"Free State Project President Carla Gericke announced the 20,000th signer at a press conference at the Radisson Hotel in downtown Manchester Wednesday morning, as many Free Staters traveled to the city to celebrate the event, which is to 'trigger the move.'

"The pledge that 20,000 people have signed states, 'I hereby state my solemn intent to move to New Hampshire within five years of the Free State Project reaching 20,000 participants. Once there, I will exert the fullest practical effort toward the creation of a society in which the maximum role of government is the protection of individuals' rights to life, liberty and property.'

"Gericke said in an impromptu speech Tuesday evening at an FSP moving party, “We believe in peace, we believe in prosperity, we believe in making everyone’s lives better, we just don’t agree with the way it’s being done.' Moving parties are among the various support networks FSP participants have created to assist others with moving into the state. It serves as a sort of welcome wagon to new participants into a new community....

"About 10 percent of the FSP pledges have already moved into the state, according to the FSP website, and many have already made changes in the state, including a federal first-amendment case involving Gericke.

"In 2010, Gericke was arrested for illegal wiretapping after she tried to film a traffic stop in Weare that involved her friends. While the charges were dropped prior to trial, Gericke sued the town, the police and the officers involved in her arrest in U.S. District Court. In 2014, the court affirmed the public’s right to record police performing public duties.

"Last year, Free Stater Rep. Amanda Bouldin, D-Manchester, filed the bill that became law, which made it easier to obtain Narcan, the opiate antidote. Bouldin is also credited for starting the private charity Shire Sharing. Gericke said the charity started with feeding 52 families and has grown to feed 1,000 families last Thanksgiving. Other participants have worked to pass the medical cannabis law and jury nullification law that affirms the rights of juries to judge the application of the law in relationship to the facts in controversy....

"While there are those who have moved from other states to New Hampshire, there are also about 2,600 residents known as Friends of the FSP. One of those is Dover native Kelly Halldorson, who now lives in Rye.

"'I didn’t sign the pledge, because I already lived here,' she said. 'I’m thrilled to have more people come that are liberty oriented. The idea that so many more will be coming is wonderful.' Halldorson home-schooled her children and cited the work of Free State legislators who have helped to either roll back or fight legislation that would further restrict home-schoolers."

Read more: http://www.seacoastonline.com/article/20160203/NEWS/160209706
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Free State Project over 90% of way to 20K goal

Libertarian group Free State Project says it is nearing its goal to move to NH with 20,000 people | New Hampshire - Meghan Pierce, Union Leader:

January 3, 2016 - "New Year's morning the Free State Project announced it has reached 92 percent of its goal of signing up 20,000 people to move to the Granite State.... As of Friday, 18,406 people have pledged to move to New Hampshire within five years of the project reaching its goal of 20,000 signatures.... This new number of signers also reflects a jump of two percent over the past few weeks.

"'We attribute that most of this growth is coming from targeted Facebook advertising,' Carla Gericke, Free State Project president, said Friday. 'We're pushing a lot more money into this and we're hoping to trigger the move in the next few months.'

"The Free State Project was inspired by a 2001 essay written by Jason Sorens, a Yale graduate student at the time. He theorized in the essay that if 20,000 committed activists moved to a single state with a small enough population, they could successfully shape policy and culture to create a more free and open, Libertarian society....  [M]ore than 10 percent have already moved to New Hampshire and these 2,000 plus 'early movers' have already had an impact....

"Early movers have participated in civil disobedience in Keene, where liberty activists calling themselves Robin Hooders fill expired parking meters just ahead of parking enforcement officers. As well as in Portsmouth, where liberty activists led Free Uber, a group battling city officials over the legality of being an Uber driver operating in the city....

"Early mover and Croydon School Board Chairman Jody Underwood has lead the fight for school choice in her town, maintaining that state law doesn't prohibit school districts from paying tuition to private schools, especially when it is in the best interest of the student.

"Many have also served in state government, including single mom and state representative for Manchester's Ward 5, Amanda Bouldin....

"Like many Free Staters, Bouldin believes community, not government, should care for those in need. So five years ago she started Shire Sharing, which, according to its website, is a “collaborative effort among liberty activists to address social ills through voluntary action and private charity.... This past November the charity delivered Thanksgiving meals to more than 600 households across the state....

"Some people have disparaged the Free State Project for not yet reaching its goal after more than a decade, Gericke said, but that has actually worked out for the best....

"There is already a community of Free Staters who support the newcomers in various ways — showing up to help them move in, holding 'orphan Thanksgivings,' and recommending local doctors or auto shops, she said....

"To fund the Facebook campaign ... go to www.facebook.com/FreeStateProject.org, It has already raised more than $8,000 toward a $40,000 goal."

Read more: http://www.unionleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20160103/NEWS06/160109902
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NH libertarians offer free rides New Year's Eve

Giving Drunks a Ride Home On New Year's Could Be a $500 Fine in the "Live Free Or Die" State - Keith Farrell, Libertarian Republic:

December 31, 2015 - "If you’re giving a drunk person a ride home in Portsmouth, New Hampshire this New Year’s Eve you could face a stiff fine. To be sure, you better not accept any gas money or a tip for your time. It’s part of the city’s crackdown aimed at the ride share service Uber. For one local man, the regulation spurred the idea to launch a free ride service for the holiday in protest.

"'I just want to get as many people home safely as possible,' said Christopher David.... David is a libertarian and a Free State Project activist. He says that the Portsmouth regulation and enforcement of ride share restrictions are motivated by pressure being exerted by special interests; specifically the owner of the area’s largest taxi company, Great Bay Taxi. As is usual in areas where Uber has begun to operate, companies like Great Bay Taxi lobby to restrict Uber’s operation as a way of limiting competition. In Portsmouth, it has gone even farther.

"Great Bay’s owner, John Palreiro, actually pulled his cabs out of the city the night before Thanksgiving in protest. He threatened to do the same on New Year’s Eve unless the city cracked down and began enforcing an existing ordinance against Uber.

"The restrictions and pressure angered David, who used to drive for Uber.... In protest, David has organized a free ride share service for the evening. He’s already had 40 passengers sign up for rides. David and the 10 drivers he has organized will be doing a great service for the community, providing safe rides for people who will most likely be inebriated.

"Originally, David and his drivers were going to accept tips, but when local police got word of their plans ... Portsmouth Acting Deputy Police Chief Frank Warchol disagreed. If the drivers offer completely free rides, 'then it doesn’t fall under the ordinance,' he said. 'If they accept donations, they would fall under the ordinance.'

"The penalty for violating the ordinance is $500 for the first offense, $1,000 for any subsequent offense.

"So David assures me that for tonight all rides will given completely free of any compensation. But he doesn’t plan on stopping there.

"'My plan is to launch a decentralized competitor to Uber,' David informed me.

"He’s already in the process of developing an app which he says will launch in about a month’s time. It’s called Arcade City.

"'The police are already threatening to fine users and it isn’t even out yet,' David laughed.

Read more: http://thelibertarianrepublic.com/giving-drunks-a-ride-home-on-new-years-could-be-a-500-fine-in-the-live-free-or-die-state/
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Snowden keynote speaker at NH Liberty Forum

Edward Snowden To Appear At New Hampshire Convention: NSA Whistleblower To Be Keynote Speaker Via Video Link - Aaron Homer, Inquisitr:

December 21, 2015 - "Edward Snowden, the NSA whistleblower who exposed the government’s bulk phone data collection and other surveillance practices, will be the keynote speaker at a New Hampshire convention of libertarians, The Valley News is reporting.

"Snowden will speak to the New Hampshire Liberty Forum via a video conference from Russia, where he’s been granted political asylum while he faces federal charges here in the United States. The New Hampshire Liberty Forum is an annual conference held in Manchester, New Hampshire (population: 109,000). The 2016 Liberty Forum will take place February 18-21."

"The Liberty Forum is sponsored by the Free State Project, a political advocacy group with the stated goal of moving 20,000 libertarians – or, as the Free State Project describes their audience, 'liberty lovers' – to New Hampshire. Once there, the 'liberty lovers' can affect change through local activism and, if they chose, through voting. The movement is not officially associated with the Libertarian Party, although the Free State Project is founded on libertarian ideals, such as smaller government and individual rights....

"[T]he Free State Project has been courting Snowden for a convention appearance for some time, but wasn’t able to make it happen until this year. They got help from other privacy activists, including Thomas Drake, another NSA whistleblower.

"Edward Snowden became a household name in June 2013, when the self-described “computer wizard,” at the time working for National Security Agency (NSA) subcontractor Booz Hamilton, illegally copied and then released tens of thousands of pages of classified information to journalist Glenn Greenwald, who then released them to the public.

"Snowden’s files revealed surveillance systems within both the United States (via the NSA) and Europe (via the British government’s Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ)) that, among other activities, collected bulk so-called “metadata” on Americans’ telephone communications records, as well as some of their internet activities. Those data collection programs were carried out without warrants, in violation of the Fourth Amendment.

"After releasing his files, Snowden was charged with espionage, theft of government property, and similar charges, He fled the country, eventually making his way to Moscow, where he was granted asylum and where he remains to this day....

"Snowden will host a 30-minute presentation and Q & A session at the Liberty Forum convention."

Read more: http://www.inquisitr.com/2649633/edward-snowden-to-appear-at-new-hampshire-convention-nsa-whistleblower-to-be-keynote-speaker-via-video-link/
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'Keenevention' draws liberty activists

'Keenevention' draws libertarian activists | New Hampshire - Meghan Pierce, Manchester Union-Leader:

November 1, 2015 - "Liberty activists flocked to the third annual "Keenevention" over the weekend.

"Bringing a female perspective to the event was the Ladies Panel hosted by Renee Kate, host of radio show Seditious Sirens. Katie McCall of Stone Manor, Ellen Ball of Puke and the Gang podcast and Ann Leverette of Seditious Sirens sat on the panel.

"The panelists talked about their experiences moving from other parts of the country to New Hampshire to be part of the Free State Project.

"The Free State project is a movement to get 20,000 libertarians to agree to move to New Hampshire.

"According to its website, the Free State Project is at 88 percent of its goal. When it reaches 20,000, any participants who haven’t already moved to New Hampshire are expected to make the move....

“I think we’re at 88 percent on the way to 20,000,” Leverette said. “So in five years I think that we’ll be at our goal. I think we’ll be triggering the move.”

"The next five years will be an exciting time for liberty activists, she said....

"As the mother of teenagers, McCall said she is excited to see the next generation of libertarians in New Hampshire.

“I think the biggest change is going to come with the second generation because I am blown away at the idea of all of these kids being raised with these philosophies and being around libertarians the whole time. That generation is going to be awesome, so I’m super excited to see my kids hanging out with other libertarians’ kids and the teenagers and the questions they are asking and the way they are approaching life and the way they are approaching each other in their interactions,' McCall said.

"Keenevention and Free Keene blog founder Ian Freeman organized the event again this year.

"The three-day convention included a panel of state legislators and panels on Bitcoin, New Hampshire secession, jury nullification and moving to New Hampshire.

"Keynote speakers included Libertarian presidential candidate Darryl W. Perry."

Read more: http://www.unionleader.com/Keenevention-draws-libertarian-activists
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Libertarians to invade New Hampshire in 2016

The Libertarians planning to take over New Hampshire - Telegraph - David Millward:

November 20, 2014 - "The Free State Project was founded more than a decade ago by Jason Sorens, who was studying for a doctorate at Yale at the time.

"His dream was to trigger a mass migration of 20,000 libertarians to a state with a small population by early 2016. The idea was to follow the example of the Mormon migration to Utah in the mid 19th century.

"A number of states including Maine,Wyoming, Vermont and Alaska were considered as candidates for the movement before supporters decided on New Hampshire.

"The granite state, which has no sales tax or income tax - though property taxes are high - was the overwhelming choice....

"'We want to create a society where the maximum role of Government is the protection of life, liberty and property,' Mr Freeman told the Telegraph....

"But not everyone in New Hampshire is welcoming the libertarians with open arms.

"Cynthia Chase, a Democrat member of the state legislature, described them as 'the biggest threat the state is facing today' and 'wolves in sheep’s clothing'.

"In a progressive blog she wrote: 'There is, legally, nothing we can do to prevent them from moving here to take over the state, which is their openly stated goal....

"'What we can do is to make the environment here so unwelcoming that some will choose not to come, and some may actually leave.'"

Read more: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/11241203/The-Libertarians-planning-to-take-over-New-Hampshire.html
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Free Staters win 15+ seats in NH statehouse

Free Staters Win 'At Least' 15 Seats in NH State House; Libertarian Leaners Win Many More - Hit & Run : Reason.com -J.D. Tuccille:

"According to Ian Freeman at Free Keene, at least 15 explicit Free Staters — a record number — will be ushered in as lawmakers in the 424-seat body. Many more candidates from both major parties endorsed by the libertarian-friendly New Hampshire Liberty Alliance will also take seats.

"Writes Freeman:

According to a handy list compiled by “Free State Project Watch“, a project by pro-state group “Granite State Progress“, at least 15 people they alleged to be Free State Project participants have won the 2014 general election!!!

This is huge news. The previous counts of Free Staters in the state house were 12 in 2010, 11 in 2012, and now at least 15! It’s impressive that so many have won elected office already and the official move for the Free State Project has yet to even happen. (The FSP move doesn’t officially start until we reach 20,000 participants and we’re currently over 16,000.)

"Freeman adds, 'the majority of New Hampshire Liberty Alliance-endorsed candidates won tonight as well! (NHLA-endorsed candidates vote for liberty more often than not – they aren’t necessarily principled libertarians.)'

"About the latter group, Dick Desrosiers, Chairman of the Hampton Democratic Committee, complained last month that they dominate the New Hampshire legislature and 'introduce and pass legislation to remove any and all government impacts on liberty and property rights and diminished the importance of protecting and promoting the common good.'"

Read more: http://reason.com/blog/2014/11/05/free-staters-win-at-least-15-seats-in-nh
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'Libertarian utopia' at Porcupine Freedom Festival

Inside the libertarian version of Burning Man: Guns, booze and bitcoin - The Washington Post - Ben Terris:

July 2, 2014 - "Like any good bonfire, the evening ritual at the Porcupine Festival deep in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, includes a drum circle, plumes of marijuana smoke, shared bottles of whiskey and spirited debate.

"There are also guns. Lots of guns....

"Once a year for the past 11 years, this campground in the northern part of the Granite State turns into a libertarian utopia. And this year, roughly 2,000 people — mostly white men — have paid between $45 and $100 to experience for one week what life would be like without the onerous mechanisms of laws, if the market ruled to the exclusion of all else. Want to wear a loincloth and sell moonshine, shop at an unregulated market that accepts Bitcoin and silver, or listen to a seminar called “How the Collapse of the State is Inevitable”? Then this is the place for you....

"Porcfest — as it’s known here — is put on by the Free State Project, a group dedicated to recruiting at least 20,000 libertarians to move to New Hampshire. The idea — that a group of this size can make a difference in a state with a low population — came from an essay in 2001 by then-Yale doctoral student and current Dartmouth lecturer Jason Sorens. Thirteen years later, the FSP has had nearly 16,000 people sign a 'statement of intent' to move. The plan is that when 20,000 people sign the list, it will 'trigger' a large migration. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 1,500 people have moved already."

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/inside-the-libertarian-version-of-burning-man-guns-booze-and-bitcoin/2014/07/01/74d9d996-ffcf-11e3-b8ff-89afd3fad6bd_story.html
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Free State Project testing ground for freedom-enhancing technology

The Free State Project: A Libertarian Testing Ground For Bitcoin, 3D Printers, and Drones - Kashmir Hill, Forbes:

June 12, 2014 - "Long before billionaire venture capitalist Peter Thiel dreamed up the idea of a floating libertarian island nation, a 24-year-old Yale grad student named Jason Sorens proposed a far more down-to-earth experiment for those who wanted to live the limited government lifestyle: that a critical mass of 'freedom-loving people… establish residence in a small state and take over the state government.'

"The 'Free State Project' call to action was in 2001. By 2003, five thousand people agreed to take part and they held a vote to decide which low-population state would be the staging ground for the libertarianvasion, which would be triggered when 20,000 people signed on. New Hampshire (population: 1.3 million) won ... and early movers began trickling in to help the state fully realize its 'Live Free or Die' motto....

"Thirteen years later, there are over 2,000 Free Staters scattered around New Hampshire and the petition is now 4,000 signatures short of triggering the full move....

"I was invited to snowy New Hampshire this February ... because Free Staters were interested in two things I write about: Bitcoin and corporate privacy practices. I discovered that this isolated group has fully adopted Bitcoin, and that it’s extremely enthusiastic about other 'freedom-enhancing' technologies such as 3D-printers and encryption. Everyone I met in the Project owned Bitcoin and was willing to accept it for goods and services. Of the couple thousand people living there, at least seven own 3D-printers. Though the idea originally was to get a critical mass to influence the political process, many in the movement now feel that the freedoms they want may be better realized through technology that routes around the government rather than engaging it directly."

Read more: http://www.forbes.com/sites/kashmirhill/2014/06/12/the-free-state-project-a-libertarian-testing-ground-for-bitcoin-3d-printers-and-drones/
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Free Staters ruffle local feathers in Grafton, NH

Libertarians Move In To Make A Small N.H. Town Even Smaller - Jack Rodolico, NPR:

March 9, 2014 - "Maureen O'Reilly beams with pride as she shows a visitor around Grafton, N.H., a town so small it doesn't even have a traffic light.

"'Have a look at this,' O'Reilly says, pointing to a postcard view of hilly rural New England. 'How beautiful is this? It's really pretty in the fall, really, really pretty.'

"But behind the beautiful view, locals are dividing into opposing camps. About 50 Libertarians have moved into Grafton from around the country, splitting the town over their push to shrink its government....

"About 15 years ago, a prominent Libertarian hatched the idea of moving Libertarians to New Hampshire, with the hope of having a big impact in a small state. They called it the Free State Project, and a handful of Free Staters settled in Grafton.

"O'Reilly was surprised by how quickly Free Staters started pushing their agenda.

"'Almost seems as if they walked in the door and started running for office and hold positions,' she says. 'It's not the typical way someone who's a New Englander does things.'

"Free Staters say Grafton should withdraw from the school district, cut the $1 million budget by 30 percent over three years, and carve Grafton out as a 'U.N.-free zone'....

"Even though Grafton has always had a Libertarian streak, Free Staters are a minority and locals have mostly blocked their agenda. Still, Free Stater Jeremy Olson is confident they could shift the balance if they reach out to locals."

Read more: http://www.npr.org/2014/03/09/288069880/libertarians-move-in-to-make-a-small-n-h-town-even-smaller

Free State Project gaining in New Hampshire

Libertarian movement gaining steam in New Hampshire | Fox News - Joseph Weber:

May 25, 2013 - "Libertarians eager to move beyond mere ideological victories are making progress in a long-term effort to migrate to one state to concentrate efforts and reshape communities based on their ideals of less government and individualism.

"The grand social experiment can be traced to a 2001 essay by a Yale doctoral student who lamented about Libertarians’ failure to get candidates elected and argued the best way to make a real impact is for 20,000 activists to move to a relatively small state with low taxes and job opportunities, then making inroads in government, communities and courts.

"New Hampshire won in a 2003 online vote. And 10 years later, more than 1,200 activists have already moved there, with roughly 13,000 others pledging to follow after the 20,000 sign up for the so-called Free State Project.

"Though their numbers remain relatively small, and achieving full strength appears at least several years away, Libertarians now living in New Hampshire say they have already had several successes, including at least a dozen members winning seats in the 424-member state legislature."

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/05/25/libertarian-movement-in-new-hampshire-10-years-later-successes-more-challenges/
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