Free State Wyoming vs. Free State Project (New Hampshire)

[WilliamShrugged]

That is a great question. It turns out that it doesn't really work like that. Studies have shown that the people who tend to move from Massachusetts to NH are predominantly conservative - even though MA is a liberal state. Basically what happens is we get the people who are fed up with high taxes and liberal politics in MA. And, on the flip side, people who live in NH but are looking for handouts (but not getting much, because NH doesn't roll that way), pack up and move to MA because they have better welfare. In short, being surrounded by more liberal states isn't nearly as bad as you might first think.

Well im not here to argue just putting my thoughts on the matter. We'll see what happens down the road. I hope NH works out. So other states can do the same. I also moved to Idaho because i am close to family and still in a area that has a libertarian like mentality (even though boise isn't). NH was a very far drive to a unknown area. I had the money to make the move, but had no idea where to start as well. Idaho, i had friends up here to help me with the move and find a job. I love what NH is doing and have told many people both here in ID and in NV about it. I hope ID can do the same.

 

[WilliamShrugged]

It sounds like you are talking about what happened to NV and to a lesser extent OR, WA and MT by movers leaving CA. It also happened to VT by movers leaving NY. To a lesser extend, you could say it's happened in PA by movers leaving NJ and NY.

It is true that the economy is better in New Hampshire than anywhere else in the Northeast. Likewise, it's true that the quality of life is better in NH than anywhere else in the US. There are liberals and statists moving to NH, it's true. They move to every state. Look at what is happening in Jackson Hole, WY. Check the voting patterns. The same thing is happening in Cheshire County, NH. However, the largest amount of movers to NH move from MA and it has been that way mostly for 100s of years. Just like 150 years ago, those movers tend to move to NH because of the freedom.



Even if your point of liberals in near by states mattered, and I don't think it does, it makes ID look pretty bad. Heck, I can make ID look even worse than NH using your comparison if I have fun with the numbers.

According to self-identified liberals, these are the states with the most liberals that border NH or ID ranked by the highest percentage of self-identified liberals in the US:
1. VT (625,741)
3. MA (6,547,629)
6. OR (3,831,074)
8. WA (6,724,540)
16. ME (1,328,361)

OR total = total population of folks that live in border states with highish percentage of the population that are self identified liberals 10,555,614
NH total = total population of folks that live in border states with highish percentage of the population that are self identified liberals 8,501,731

It looks like a heck of a lot more liberals border ID than NH.

You can do the same thing with Democrats if you want. There are a ton more Democrats in states bordering ID than NH. But I don't consider that the most useful information. Don't believe me? OR leans 47.5% (Democrat) to 35.8% (GOP) Democrat and WA leans 45.3% (Democrat) to 37.6% (GOP)

But let's look at movers. It is well known that more recent movers in NH came from MA than any other state. Likewise, it is well known that more recent movers in ID came from CA than any other state. While MA leans more liberal and more Democrat than CA, there is certainly more liberty in MA than CA. CA is run worse and the economy is much worse in CA than in MA.

BTW, a mover recently came to NH from ID Heck, we had a couple that moved from OR several years ago. Now they are both elected state reps. The wife is even in charge of a state house committee. She used to be on the board of directors of one of the two most powerful groups in the NH state house. Now he is helping run the other group that is one of the two most powerful groups in the state house.

Jeez... I picked ID due to its convenience for me and the fears of what can happen in the future. Its not as if i hate NH or anything. If you end up being right then i will just move to NH then. If not, i hope Idaho can repeat the same.

 

[Keith and stuff]

Someone on the FSP Forum mentioned CO vs. NH. Part of the talk turned to WY so I decided to reply. I even brought up this thread
http://forum.freestateproject.org/index.php?topic=24524.0

I love all of these state vs. state threads. I remember before the FSP voted to select NH, people spent maybe 10,000+ hours comparing states on the FSP Forum and website. That was way back in 2001-2003 but the arguments never get old to me. Although, they are a lot easier to have since now the choice is so obvious.