FSP Sedition

[Dreepa]

http://forum.soulawakenings.com/index.php?topic=2115.0

[president]

dance (prematurely) on the FSP's grave.   

I saw a hearse carrying the corpse of the FSP on June 19, 2004. Are you telling me they have not buried it yet?

[kater]

I'm telling you that I wasn't talking to you and don't intend to again.

[president]

I'm telling you that I wasn't talking to you and don't intend to again.

I was just informing you of the death of the FSP, because you seem unaware.

[CNHT]

I think the thing to keep on doing is to demonstrate how the people who HAVE come here, are making things happen wherever they go.
All one need do is read this forum, and see our public calendars to know what we are doing and the effect we are having even in small numbers.

Agree, Jane. I don't know if it will be enough, but it's a darned good place to start.?

I once had someone in another state ask me if I knew Starchild, seeing as how he was in San Francisco and I was in Oakland...I said "Of course I know Starchild!"?

Secret meetings are not the way to go...and any org that continues that way should be suspect.
Even if folks go to meetings as members where they are not allowed to speak, they should still be allowed to attend and hear.
CNHT meetings, BTW, are open to all, even non-members who are curious.

Couldn't agree more. I have been on a Board, and been involved with plenty of nonprofits (and for profits, for that matter). I've never seen an organization with meeting minutes as minimalistic as those of the FSP. And in my experience, it's unusual for a nonprofit to have closed meetings.

And in fact I think in NH it's illegal for a non-profit to have closed meetings! Let me check on the exact law on that...but I do believe a 501c3 must have open membership meetings at least.
As for what we/you are doing here in NH, I think the networking and activities are great and have been effective and I don't think infighting will make people want to come here as much as seeing how connected we all are.

[JonM]

The FSP gave up on 501(c)(3), and it's a Nevada corp, chartered before the state vote took place.

[president]

http://www.sunnimaravillosa.com/archives/00000508.html#comments

Broken Promises
October 21, 2005
12:10 a.m., MT
Bear's Mood: Annoyed

Music: Vengeance (The Pact), by Blue Oyster Cult


Once upon a time, there was a Free State Project, which planned to convince 20,000 freedom-minded people to move to one state and work to reverse the trend of power-grabbing-government expansion. While I thought this was a nice idea, I did not sign up because the FSP participation guidelines required "porcupines" to vote in the targeted state. I held philosophical objections to voting.

Later, the FSP changed the guidelines from mandatory voting to a more general "political action" requirement. I could do that, so I signed up.

Back then, there was a catch to signing up: Once the FSP gained 20,000 members, everyone had to move to the targeted state within 5 years. But lest the members be kept in relocation-limbo indefinitely -- what if it took 30-40 years to reach 20,000 members? -- a deadline for recruiting was set: September 2006. If 20,000 was not achieved by then, everyone was off the hook, released from their contractual "statement of intent." That seemed fair.

Back then, the FSP was a volunteer operation. That changed too; suddenly, without consulting the membership (not required, but it would have been nice), the board of directors decided to pay a "CEO" about 3 times my own annual salary. It lost a few members then.

And comes another guidelines change: The board and director, now getting money, unilaterally decided the 2006 recruiting deadline was merely "informal;" the deadline would not count if they were "close" to getting 20,000 people. "Close" was not defined. So long as it might look as if the FSP could reach 20,000, the board could continue to draw checks.

I decided that the FSP had begun unstoppable self-destruction, but stuck to my own original statement of intent; a promise is a promise. To me at least.

After the FSP officially chose New Hampshire as the state to be "freed," I packed up and moved there. I was among the first to do so, and there are still only about 384 of us.

And now I learn that the board decided to "...strike the informal 2006 goal for obtaining 20,000 signatures..."" altogether. But they will generously "allow people who thought this goal was a deadline to opt out at the end of 2006." Perpetual money, and they need not even claim to be "close" to achieving any goals.

In fact, that "goal" was most certainly a deadline until they began screwing with it in a quest for perpetual employment. (Why not just run for Congress and pass incumbent protection acts, board members?) That original deadline served multiple purposes: It gave the FSP a measurable benchmark for recruiting. It set a timetable so people could plan their lives. It encouraged compliance by people who might want to weasel out later. And if the FSP failed, it let the organization die quietly, so we could try something else.

This is no longer the FSP I supported and joined. Consider me opted out now.

Bear

[CNHT]

The FSP gave up on 501(c)(3), and it's a Nevada corp, chartered before the state vote took place.

So what are they classified as now? I don't understand this part of things -- do they have to report earnings and such as a business? They don't need to run as a business, they just need to get their donated resources used to recruit...

I repeat that this is what I think their sole job is: Recruit recruit RECRUIT!

As someone who lived here in NH already, but came here for the same reasons FSPers are coming here, I understood this to be the ONLY reason for FSPs existence -- recruitment.

What you do when you get here is your business..

Perhaps the press is wrong when they describe folks this way: 'FSPers running for office...' etc and it should say "people brought here THANKS TO the research of the FSP"....??? The term "FSPers" makes it sound like you are still working for the org, which in a way you are, by example of what is to be done here in NH.

Let's face it, there are some who prefer civil disobedience and protests over working with the legislature -- everyone has their own style. I think we can all work within that and respect that of each other? As long as we don't sabotage each others' efforts.

What about those of us that have been here working toward liberty, for years, who never heard of the FSP until last year sometime?
Did that make us any less effective? I don't think so.

[CNHT]

Broken Promises
October 21, 2005
12:10 a.m., MT
Bear's Mood: AnnoyedThis is no longer the FSP I supported and joined. Consider me opted out now.

Bear

Ok this answers my question about money in the FSP org. But if this guy is opposed to voting, then how does he expect to change things in NH? The fact that we are so close to our government here is just the very reason voting *IS* so important because it DOES count.
How can one come here and not vote and expect to make a difference in changing things?

[president]

And then the FSP tried for 501(c)4 status...

http://www.freestateproject.org/about/corpbylaws.php

The activities of the FSP shall be limited to exempt purposes as set forth in section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code.

[president]

Broken Promises
October 21, 2005
12:10 a.m., MT
Bear's Mood: AnnoyedThis is no longer the FSP I supported and joined. Consider me opted out now.

Bear

Ok this answers my question about money in the FSP org. But if this guy is opposed to voting, then how does he expect to change things in NH? The fact that we are so close to our government here is just the very reason voting *IS* so important because it DOES count.
How can one come here and not vote and expect to make a difference in changing things?

This guy has some stuff wrong about the paid CEO thing. The FSP did want to pay the president (Amanda), but it never happend, as they never obtained the money.


FSP 2004 goals
http://www.freestateproject.org/about/goals2004.php

      Aggressively approach fundraising with a goal to obtain $90,000 before year end.

      Upon achieving financial targets, begin the search for a *paid* president, with salary based on experience and qualifications.

[Russell Kanning]

Broken Promises
October 21, 2005
12:10 a.m., MT
Bear's Mood: AnnoyedThis is no longer the FSP I supported and joined. Consider me opted out now.

Bear

Who is bear?

[president]

Kira 

[Russell Kanning]

Kira

you got me there

[CNHT]

This guy has some stuff wrong about the paid CEO thing. The FSP did want to pay the president (Amanda), but it never happend, as they never obtained the money.

OK a 501(c)4 must report earnings, but only if there are enough to report...

I don't see the benefit of paying someone like Amanda who has a full time job/is going to school as well. If you are going to pay someone to work in a basically 'volunteer' operation, then it had better be someone who can devote most of their time to the recruitment effort.
Seems that a PR person would be better.