Why Choose Montana for the Free State Project? Check out these facts:
Making Government Work - When it comes to Real
Representation, MONTANA has:
· Only one Congressional Representative. Adding even
10,000 people will cause us to get another
Congressional District in 2010, when we should be
ready to run a candidate in a NO INCUMBENT race
for the U.S. House of Representatives
· Many libertarian Republicans are currently serving in
state government, in both the House and the Senate.
· Citizen initiatives and referenda for creating or
removing laws, officeholder recall, and constitutional
amendments.
· Term limits, currently leaving nine seats open for
quickly electing freedom lovers into office.
Small is Beautiful - When it comes to Government,
MONTANA has:
· Incentive for local governments to disband entirely, as
some have done. Incorporated towns receive no state
money, while unincorporated ones do.
· Senate and House districts that are compact and
population-based to simplify and ease campaigning.
· Several very low-population counties (under 5000
people), for those wanting to influence a county first.
· Only 50 state Senators and 100 state Representatives,
so we can easily have a real influence at the statehouse.
To Serve and Protect - When it comes to Law Enforcement,
Only MONTANA has:
· Few cops. Law enforcement jurisdictions are highly
restricted with a very light law enforcement presence.
· Home search standards required to search a vehicle.
· No vehicle safety or emissions inspections program.
Montana, a Sovereign State. When it comes to Independence,
in MONTANA:
· Federal law enforcement must cooperate with locals.
· Montanans responded to government road closures by
simply reopening federal forest roads.
· Montana neither ratified nor took part in Prohibition.
Concerning Property Rights, MONTANA:
· Has banned federal purchase of state lands.
· Has few building permit / building code / zoning laws.
· State law requires a majority vote of the landowners for
a rural area to be zoned or annexed into a town.
Upholding the 2nd Amendment. MONTANA:
· Has exempted our citizens from the Federal Gun Free
School Zones Act, showing a will to defy the feds.
· Does not require a concealed carry permit in 99.6% of
the state. A gun in a backpack or a lady's purse is not
considered concealed, and needs no permit.
· Always allows a concealed weapon inside your vehicle.
· Where 95% of homes contain firearms, with 27 being
an average number of guns per household!
· Where you cannot be held criminally or civilly liable
for a crime committed with a gun stolen from you.
Few Taxes - Reducing the Pain. MONTANA:
· Has no state sales tax.
· Our highest bracket income tax just fell from 11% to
6.9%, while capital gains taxes fell from 11% to 4.9%.
· Has low property taxes and a "Tax Me More" fund.
· Vehicle registration fees decline as your car ages.
A Good Place for Business. In MONTANA:
· Gambling is legal as a small business.
· Any business owner who has the $250 fee can get a
beer and wine license. No other restrictions.
· The legislature just abolished the minimum wage for
home health care workers... unanimously.
· There are three major transcontinental fiber-optic cables
providing great rural high speed internet access.
Lived Freedom and Personal Responsibility. MONTANA
has:
· One of the best homeschooling laws. No hassles, testing
or parental educational requirements.
· No obscenity laws, or first amendment restrictions.
· No open container laws and few anti-nudity laws.
· Protection of publicly intoxicated persons from arrest
unless actively endangering themselves or others.
· Little enforcement of polygamy or prostitution laws. In
fact, Butte had an established brothel that stayed in
business until 1982. Today, it’s a unique tourist
museum.
· Fifteen year old drivers.
· No motorcycle helmet law for adults.
Truly The Last Best Place. MONTANA:
· Is commonly perceived by Americans as a highly
desirable place to live, with many authors, film makers,
and cultural trend setters calling the Big Sky State
home.
· Has world class outdoor recreation opportunities.
· Has our own railroads, & even some passenger service.
· Can be self-sufficient as a major food exporter.
· Is a net energy exporter. Lots of gas and oil and coal.
We encourage independent energy use by individuals.
· Has a long, porous international border.
· Has a population of only 900,000 people: big enough to
have large towns for those who like them, small enough
to provide plenty of rural area for those who need that
· Decentralized population – state politics not dominated
by one urban area
· Is bordered on 3 sides by other FSP candidate states
(ID, WY, SD, and ND.) To the north are the most
freedom-oriented Canadian provinces (Alberta, Saskatchewan,
and British Columbia). These friendly
neighbors mean room to expand into a huge Free
Region.
