For the purposes of anonymity, I?ll present my question hypothetically.
Let?s just say that I know a guy who ran as an LP candidate for State Rep in Illinois in 2004 and he waged a very aggressive campaign which raised $32K . He earned just under 9% of the vote in a 3-way contest in Chicago?s Northwest Suburbs. Last month, he ran on the same issue set in the Republican primary and came up just 550 votes short of defeating an 8 year entrenched tax and spend, nanny-state republican incumbent. This time his campaign spent 80K but the moral victory was that in dozens of media stories about the race he was tagged every single time as a ?libertarian turned republican? and republican voters nearly elected him anyway.
My question is: If he and his beautiful wife were to move to NH, would it be better to do so stealthily to strengthen viability of a potential future candidacy or should he make a very public pronouncement with fanfare to try and add momentum to FSP recruiting? Would association with the FSP bring with it "carpetbagger" demagogery?
Well, you must live in NH for two years before you can run for state rep. I would hope he would not distance himself from the existing free staters during that time just to keep under cover. The more the Free State movement takes hold, the less of a "baggage" it will be. As it stands, it's only baggage if you let it be. If someone asks, answer honestly, but you don't have to broadcast it if you don't want to make a big deal about being a free stater.
Quote from: Jon Maltz on April 12, 2006, 02:35 PM NHFT
If someone asks, answer honestly, but you don't have to broadcast it if you don't want to make a big deal about being a free stater.
You don't have to broadcast it, cus I will do it for you :P
Besides Grafton >:D.. I don't see there being too much baggage.
Quote from: dead president on April 12, 2006, 03:02 PM NHFT
Quote from: Jon Maltz on April 12, 2006, 02:35 PM NHFT
If someone asks, answer honestly, but you don't have to broadcast it if you don't want to make a big deal about being a free stater.
You don't have to broadcast it, cus I will do it for you :P
Just spell my name right.
I think that it is important to create relationships and not antagonize any of the differing groups like anarchists, FSP, Republicans, Libertarians, and those few others who join in our efforts to increase liberty. Some people seem to "know" the only way to succeed and it creates damaging rifts.
Cathleen
Stealth has many plausible alternatives. Fanfare leaves only one direction in which to go.
You're best learning how your town usually votes, and running as a democrat or republican, but an outspoken pro-liberty one, if you do.
I seem to recall reading that fewer than half of New Hampshire residents were actually born here, and many moved here decades ago for exactly the same reasons laid out by the FSP. Or, if they were born here, they stayed here or moved back for just those reasons.
There's not usually any need to be defensive about one's status as a Free Stater, once you truly know and understand these facts.
If you come in and become a good neighbor, and a good citizen, that's really the key, not the particulars of when and why you joined us here in the state.
Quote from: mvpel on April 12, 2006, 08:41 PM NHFT
If you come in and become a good neighbor, and a good citizen, that's really the key, not the particulars of when and why you joined us here in the state.
Being a good neighbor, I agree with 100%.
Being a good citizen? I can't figure out why anyone would want to be a citizen. Can someone explain it?
Now, be polite. We minarchists are polite to the anarchists, and don't feign ignorance of the arguments and principles, we'd appreciate the same courtesy.
Isn't this Ian being polite?
I think he can get much worse. :)
I, for one, cannot be a good neighbor and a good say .... US citizen. The US is torturing and killing people. I cannot be a part of that.
I think that the word citizen is maybe being used as 'neighbor' in that sense. Maybe a citizen of the town. I think that Russell is a good citizen of his town. There are less pot holes in Keene now.
My thought would be to play it up outside of NH, through libertarian channels if he has a name (to increase the # of people who will tip ove rthe edge and join/move), but for him to play that quietly amongst his neighbors once he gets here (but don't hide it either). Then, he should spend the 2 required years before he could run getting to know his neighbors, volunteering, etc., then he stands a good chance of getting in.
JM
Anarchist's can follow the Kanning/Dillon family's example!
Minarchists can follow the Loveless family's example!
Quote from: jgmaynard on April 13, 2006, 03:35 PM NHFT
My thought would be to play it up outside of NH, through libertarian channels if he has a name (to increase the # of people who will tip ove rthe edge and join/move), but for him to play that quietly amongst his neighbors once he gets here (but don't hide it either). Then, he should spend the 2 required years before he could run getting to know his neighbors, volunteering, etc., then he stands a good chance of getting in.
JM
This sounds like a smart plan.
Quote from: FTL_Ian on April 12, 2006, 11:23 PM NHFT
Quote from: mvpel on April 12, 2006, 08:41 PM NHFT
If you come in and become a good neighbor, and a good citizen, that's really the key, not the particulars of when and why you joined us here in the state.
Being a good neighbor, I agree with 100%.
Being a good citizen? I can't figure out why anyone would want to be a citizen. Can someone explain it?
It's like mutal aid, a social compact. Written down so as to minimise misunderstandings. Since we are limited to the Earth, and nobody has come up with an effective way to stop people from reproducing (Except War). We need a framework that offers a code of justice. That way, if one of your not so good neigbors decides to borrow your girlfriend without her permission you're impowered by this moral imperitive to act on her behalf for her benefit. Without going to jail for your actions.
Bruehound,
I suggest this hypothetical friend of yours contact the New Hampshire Liberty Alliance:
http://nhliberty.org
They are quite politically savvy and have proven themselves to be effective.
Also, your friend should be aware that different cities and towns in NH have distinctly different leanings. Keene, Concord, and Nashua are infamously "liberal" (in the modern, statist sense); pretty much everywhere else is Red (as in voting pattern).
Candidates can run under multiple parties here in NH, for example your friend can run as an "R+L" (Republican plus Libertarian), and as such reap the benefits of those who vote straight-ticket for either party. The NH House Republican Alliance (http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&ct=res&cd=1&url=http%3A//www.nhhouserepublicanalliance.org/&ei=iyI_RP2TIM-2aKXFkZAE&sig2=w1xnUenv8z3m_cxmVVp_Zw) leans Libertarian compared to most Republicans nationwide, though not as far as the Republican Liberty Caucus of NH (http://rlcnh.org) would like.
In short, tell your friend to get his butt out here NOW, because some of us really do appreciate good Representation (http://freestateblogs.net/node/305), and are eager to help out with campaigns of pro-Liberty candidates.
Lastly, I'd also suggest that your friend not pay attention to anyone on the NHFree forum who starts attacking him for no good reason. I stopped visiting this site for several months (to the relief of some, I hope) because of the rather unconstructive tone.
Once you get involved in politics, as in running for office, some big government tax and spend types may very well use the FSP against you. If you are publicly known on the FSP forums by your real name, they will use whatever they can against you and your loved ones. And they don't let the truth get in their way either. Winchester, where I live, was filled with dirty negative campaigning for our March elections. They're scared to death that enough scrupulous peope might actually get elected to office to bring efficiency and common sense to the local political process.
Most people that they peddle their propaganda to just blindly believe what they are told. Unfortunately, it seems that many people have something to gain (or perhaps something to hide) by being in political office and are really not at all interested in the common good - only what's good for them and theirs.
If you're not running for office, no one really seems to care much is you're FSP (at least in my limited experience).
Quote from: Dreepa on April 13, 2006, 01:26 PM NHFT
I think that the word citizen is maybe being used as 'neighbor' in that sense. Maybe a citizen of the town. I think that Russell is a good citizen of his town. There are less pot holes in Keene now.
Check your definitions. Words are powerful:
citizen: a native or naturalized person who owes allegiance to a government and is entitled to protection from it (Websters)
Again, I don't think it's rude to ask why someone would want protection from the government. Why? The supreme court has ruled over and over again that the govt has no obligation to protect.
Quote from: FTL_Ian on April 15, 2006, 12:27 AM NHFT
Check your definitions. Words are powerful:
citizen: a native or naturalized person who owes allegiance to a government and is entitled to protection from it (Websters)
You stopped quoting too soon. My Websters says:
Main Entry: cit?i?zen
Pronunciation: 'si-t&-z&n also -s&n
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English citizein, from Anglo-French citezein, alteration of Old French citeien, from cit? city
1 : an inhabitant of a city or town; especially : one entitled to the rights and privileges of a freeman
2 a : a member of a state b : a native or naturalized person who owes allegiance to a government and is entitled to protection from it
3 : a civilian as distinguished from a specialized servant of the stateThe word does not always mean that someone owes allegiance to a state.
Kevin
The point is, that is what it means, regardless of the simpler definitions. Whereas this one is simple, period:
QuoteMain Entry: 1neigh?bor
Pronunciation: 'nA-b&r
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English nEahgebur (akin to Old High German nAhgibur); akin to Old English nEah near and Old English gebur dweller -- more at NIGH, BOOR
1 : one living or located near another
2 : FELLOWMAN
Words are powerful, words are tools. I'd prefer to be a good neighbor.
Quote from: FTL_Ian on April 15, 2006, 12:27 AM NHFT
Quote from: Dreepa on April 13, 2006, 01:26 PM NHFT
I think that the word citizen is maybe being used as 'neighbor' in that sense. Maybe a citizen of the town. I think that Russell is a good citizen of his town. There are less pot holes in Keene now.
Check your definitions. Words are powerful:
citizen: a native or naturalized person who owes allegiance to a government and is entitled to protection from it (Websters)
Again, I don't think it's rude to ask why someone would want protection from the government. Why? The supreme court has ruled over and over again that the govt has no obligation to protect.
Hmmm... "protection from the government" I wonder what that means.
Sorry, "protection services from the government" would be better.
I could use some of that protection from the government. They keep sending me bills.
Quote from: russellkanning on April 15, 2006, 03:07 PM NHFT
I could use some of that protection from the government. They keep sending me bills.
You're being pretty darn generous, Russell.
They're being downright damnably
rude to you, and to Kat too.
And you know how much we freedom-loving folks disapprove of rudeness! :pissedoff: