The Free State Project has announced that New Hampshire is the target for a political experiment.
The free staters are a nationwide libertarian movement that claims more than 5000 members.
They hope to persuade 20,000 people to move to the state and create a low-tax, small government haven.
NHPR�s Trish Anderton has more.
NEW HAMPSHIRE BEAT OUT NINE OTHER STATES IN A GENERAL VOTE OF FREE STATE PROJECT MEMBERS.
LIBERTARIANS HERE HAD BEEN WOOING THE FREE STATERS FOR MONTHS.
THEY EVEN HOSTED A WEEK-LONG GATHERING THIS SUMMER TO SHOW OFF THE BEAUTY AND THE POLITICS OF THE GRANITE STATE.
SO IT'S NOT SURPRISING THAT NEW HAMPSHIRE ORGANIZER JOHN BARNES IS A LITTLE GIDDY.
my reaction to the news? FANTASTIC! I am so happy.
THE FREE STATE PROJECT BELIEVES GOVERNMENT SHOULD EXIST ONLY TO PROTECT LIFE, LIBERTY AND PROPERTY.
IT DOESN'T ENDORSE CANDIDATES OR LEGISLATION.
BUT ITS MEMBERS TEND TO SUPPORT INDIVIDUAL FREEDOMS, FROM GUN RIGHTS TO GAY RIGHTS.
SOME MEMBERS ADVOCATE LEGALIZING PROSTITUTION AND DRUG USE.
THEY DON'T LIKE TAXES, AND THEY FAVOR SCHOOL CHOICE OR OUTRIGHT PRIVATIZATION OF SCHOOLS.
THE STATE'S MOST PROMINENT LIBERTARIAN, FORMER GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE JOHN BABIARZ, SAYS THEGROUP'S PRESENCE HERE WILL BROADEN THE SCOPE OF POLITICAL DEBATE.
we're gonna have marketplace of ideas, we can pick and choose, it'll energize activists and repubs and dems - this is not just libertarians, there's inds and dems and repubs and constitutionalists in this group.
THE FREE STATERS HAVEN'T OUTLINED A FIRM STRATEGY FOR GAINING POLITICAL POWER.
BUT THEY SAY AT LEAST SOME MEMBERS WILL RUN FOR OFFICE.
Free stater BRIAN CHRISTESON ran FOR ONE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE'S U-S SENATE SEATS as A LIBERTARIAN in 1998.
CHRISTESON DOESN'T EXPECT TO SEE FREE STATERS START THEIR OWN PARTY.
BUT HE SAYS THEY MAY FORM GROUPS AROUND PARTICULAR CAUSES.
I think you'll see a lot of single issue orgs around libertarian issues like med marijuana, second amend, 4th amend - theres a whole bill of rights to fight for in a lot of diff ways.
OF COURSE, GETTING 20-THOUSAND PEOPLE TO UPROOT JUST OUT OF POLITICAL CONVICTION IS NO EASY MATTER.
ASKED WHETHER THE GROUP WILL HIT THAT GOAL, EVEN ORGANIZER JOHN BARNES IS PESSIMISTIC.
uh . well . probably not. but we'll get a bunch.
THERE'S REASON FOR DOUBT, ACCORDING TO PROFESSOR MICHAEL BARKUN OF SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY.
BARKUN IS A POLITICAL SCIENTIST WHO STUDIES UTOPIAN ORGANIZATIONS.
HE SAYS THE FREE STATERS RESEMBLE CERTAIN OTHER GROUPS SUCH AS THE COUNTY MOVEMENT, WHICH HAS ORGANIZED TO REJECT FEDERAL CONTROL IN SOME WESTERN STATES.
BARKUN SAYS THE FREE STATERS HAVE WHAT COULD BE A SIGNIFICANT ADVANTAGE OVER THOSE GROUPS:
THEY'RE CLOSER TO THE POLITICAL MAINSTREAM.
groups like the county movement and others of a similar character insiste the pol structure is illegitimate so they won't work within it. In that sense the free state proj is of a quite different character.
NONETHELESS BARKUN SAYS MOVEMENTS LIKE THIS DON'T HAVE A STRONG TRACK RECORD.
HE'S NOT IMPRESSED BY THE NUMBERS:
BARKUN SAYS PLENTY OF GROUPS COULD GET 5-THOUSAND PEOPLE TO SIGN UP AND VOTE FOR SOMETHING ON THE INTERNET.
FINALLY, HE ADDS, IF THE FREE STATERS DO BEGIN HAVING AN IMPACT, THEY'RE LIKELY TO INSPIRE COMPETITION.
in this case I think one can be sure that groups will form in reaction to that and at least partially nullify its effect.
BUT FOR THE MOMENT FREE STATERS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE AREN'T WORRIED.
THEY'RE BUSY CELEBRATING THEIR VICTORY.
JOHN BARNES BELIEVES HIS GROUP'S INTENSE LOBBYING CAMPAIGN MADE A BIG DIFFERENCE.
I have to also credit craig benson. he was the only governor with the cojones to stand up to big gov interests and welcome the free state proj to our state.
THE STATE DEMOCRATIC PARTY DERIDED THE GOVERNOR FOR THAT SUPPORT.
They say THE FREE STATERS HAVE A RADICAL ANTI-FAMILY AGENDA.
THE STATE G-O-P WAS MORE WELCOMING.
PARTY LEADERS SAID WHILE THEY DON'T AGREE WITH THE FREE STATERS ON EVERY POINT, THEY DO SUPPORT THEIR OVERALL GOALS OF FREE SPEECH AND LIMITED GOVERNMENT.
THE FREE STATERS SAY THE FIRST ACTIVISTS SHOULD SHOW UP HERE BY THE END OF THE YEAR.
THEY HOPE TO MOVE 20-THOUSAND TO NEW HAMPSHIRE BY THE YEAR 2011.
FOR NHPR NEWS I'M
