Welcome to Free State Blogs
Hello, folks!
Who Am I?
My name is Denis Goddard. My wife, 18-month old son, and I moved to New Hampshire in July 2005, as part of the Free State Project.
What Am I Trying To Do Here?
freestateblogs.net came about after a recent trip I made back to San Francisco, where I used to live (and to which I still travel several times per year for my employer)
While in California, I sat in on a meeting of the Libertarian Party of San Francisco.
A Little History
Now, I have been a card-carrying, dues-paying Libertarian for over a decade. While I lived in California, I was not active at all. I certainly never attended any LP meetings. Mostly I just paid my dues, grumbled to myself, and voted Libertarian when there was a candidate.
Now that I've moved to New Hampshire, and have many friends who are avid, activist libertarians (and Republicans who pine for the party of Barry Goldwater and the ideals of Ronald Reagan). What can I say... it's infectious. My wife Irena and I are now quite active politically. I'm sure there will lots more about that in future posts. But, back to the story of freestateblogs.net!
Pessimism and Activism in San Francisco
So... there I was at the SF LP meeting. There were about 10 people in attendance. Not a bad turn-out for a Libertarian party meeting, and the people were really, amazingly energetic, active and motivated. Awesome!
Then they started discussing their plans. It was depressing to hear... their best bets involved forming coalitions with the Green Party (who are overt, declared Socialists) to achieve what would be, to be frank, tiny, baby steps. Quite the Faustian bargain.
Bear in mind, this was just after the voters of California had rejected all four of the Governator's proposals. Those proposals themselves were tiny steps toward liberty; for example, by prohibiting labor unions (which are often compulsory) from using dues for political contributions (which are inevitably Democrat). For another example, the proposed state spending limit was also voted down. It's real simple: the people of California want Socialism. They vote for it overwhelmingly, at every opportunity.
Now, against that backdrop, surely the Free State of New Hampshire must be pretty attractive to the LP SF members... right?!?!
Boots-on-the-ground Intelligence
These people had heard of the Free State Project; there was even an active FSP member (Dr. Edelstein) in attendance. Yet, even he knew little or nothing about the positive goings-on in New Hampshire.
For example, in the same year Californians voted for Socialism four times, in New Hampshire:
- killed a bill requiring adults to wear seat belts (it remains your own Personal Choice in the Free State)
- killed a bill requiring drivers to carry auto insurance (again, your choice and your responsibility in NH)
- came within a hair's breath of passing a spending cap in Manchester, the largest city in NH (and which is almost certain to pass next year)
- hey, I could go on, but why rub it in their faces?
The more I described the political landscape in New Hampshire, the more interested these fine Libertarians became. Was all this for real? Was I making this stuff up? How come nobody was getting this positive information out to the world?
Credits: A Little help From My Friends
That was the seed. People out there might be willing to come to New Hampshire and help us work for Liberty here, if only they knew what fertile ground we're breaking even at this early stage.
Tony Lekas had the idea that there should be a Blogsite.
Seth Cohn had the technical know-how, and graciously even offered to host the servers. More importantly, he talked sense into me before I did anything half-baked.
Varrin Swearingen gave it the "official" thumbs-up from the FSP leadership.
An Aside to the SFLP
Hey, you guys are amazing! Folks as creative and hardworking as you could make so much progress so quickly here in New Hampshire, it's hard to watch you pouring water on the sand in California.
You should have a look at this:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/freestaters_nca/files/new_hampshire_vs_california.pdf
FreeStateBlogs.net
So, here it is. FreeStateBogs.net
The plan is to engage with representatives from some of New Hampshire's many excellent pro-liberty organizations: GO-NH, LPNH, NHLA, CNHT, RLCNH, and others. The hope is that they will use this site as a posting-board for information about their good work in promoting Liberty in the Free State of New Hampshire, so that other liberty-lovers who do not yet have the pleasure of living here, can see up close all the good work we're doing.
An Apology
This is my first attempt to manage a site using the Drupal content management system (or any system, for that matter). I apologize if the site is ugly, broken, or generally needs work. Any suggestions or feedback is much appreciated!
Geek?
If you're interested in Oracle databases and software configuration management, I have a separate blog for that kind of thing.
Digg
Here's some Boots on the Ground Intelligence.
You want to know about filthy rich Socialists shafting the public out of their hard-earned dollars. Check out local government in Dover, NH where I live. Below is a letter to the editor which appears on www.seacoastonline.com Dover Community News for last week. It's by our crusading free market protector who is on the City Council due to a taxpayer revolt which isn't quite successful yet. Take a look at the numbers and tell me that gubment isn't legalized graft. We need Freestaters in Dover to make common cause with us in routing the bloodsucking vampires who like to refer to themselves as "public servants". Sam Adams would have had them tarred and feathered long ago!
Check out some hard-core Reaganauts at www.johnstarkreview.com
During Paul Beecher’s final days as our entrusted City Manager, he signed a new contract with Dover’s Police Chief for $3,189,310.27. Included in this 10-year contract was an acceleration of paid vacation, which reached 34 weeks in the final year of the contract. During this final year, his salary and benefits would cost the taxpayers of the City of Dover $473,229.92. It is public knowledge that an employee’s pension is based upon their highest salary years. Together with health insurance benefits for life, this contract would cost this community millions and millions of dollars, during and well after his contract expires.
Everyone in this community recognized the close relationship between the City Manager Paul Beecher and Police Chief William Fenniman. It is unconscionable and does not conform with the City Charter that on Paul Beecher’s last day he could bind the city to this unfunded contract. The City of Dover empowered and appointed William Fenniman as our Chief of Police to serve and protect our community. Under the cloak of darkness, that trust has been betrayed through this undisclosed contract.
There is a misconception that the City Manager can bind the taxpayers of the City of Dover to any contract which does not follow the city charter or is within the limitations of the merit pay plan. In the past couple of weeks, Mr. Joyal has attempted to bind us to the unauthorized early retirement of prosecutor George Wattendorf in the amount of $347,000. He is now renegotiating the Police Chief’s contract without the formal authority of the council.
Under the right to know laws of New Hampshire, I was successful in obtaining the salaries of municipal employees. At that time it was reported that chief Fenniman had wages paid in calendar year 2004 of $112,064.09 - in contrast, the wages paid to the Police Chief of Manchester, a city with four times the population of Dover, was $97,534.
Judge Fauver, in his ruling, ordered full disclosure. Why only now do we find out there is an undisclosed contract worth more than $3,000,000?
If we don’t fight the legitimacy of these contracts at this time, can every City Manger enrich their pals? Who really has control over our wallet? Is it the City Manager or is it the elected City Council? Does Foster’s really know about this $3,000,000 contract? If so, would they ever report it? Call your Mayor and your City Councilors and express your concerns.
David Scott
City Councilor, Ward 3
Great to hook up with in-state freedom-fighters!
Muckraker,
Thanks for sharing this info. The CNHT sure has its work cut out for it -- as do all of us trying to "starve the beast!"
It's a great feeling to move into this state, and have like-minded, small-government freedom lovers like yourself make us feel welcomed and wanted. Certainly much nicer than the welcome we get from the few, but troublesome, overtly Socialist NH State Reps. Theyare not at all pleased we are here, trying to derail their smoking bans, their mandatory-yet-unfunded "kindergarten for all children" bills, their "punish Walmart" bills, and assorted other nonsense! Let that idiocy rot in the People's States of California and "Taxachussetts", where it belongs!
I read and enjoyed the front-page articles on the John Stark Review. The NH House Republican Alliance are just the kind of small-government, Goldwater Republicans that Libertarians like myself can feel proud to work with ... at least for the 80% of cases where we agree on the issues! :)
I would strongly advise any NH residents who love Liberty, and who want to join forces with the Free Staters who have moved in, to check out the New Hampshire Liberty Alliance. These folks are incredibly effective and active, working tirelessly to analyze bills, fight the bad ones, and get the good ones passed. I hope NHLA can make a strong effort to reach out to NH natives like yourself in 2006.