The only OTHER choice – FSP

[Porcupine_in_MA]

Welcome aboard, Charles!
I think your vision of FSP may be similar to mine: http://freestateblogs.net/victories06
I see the best chance for Freedom as 150-200 electable, respectable libertarians moving to NH, taking office, and gettnig us "back to the Constitution", from which vantage point we can explore options.

Anyway, I know quite a few people like yourself, here in NH.
Even in HS and College, concentrating activists like yourself -- people who actively try to spread libertarian philosophy -- has a big impact, as compared with having at most one or two people in a school being the "libertarian wackos".

Which is not to say tou should move to NH yet -- but, please do consider doing so the moment you graduate. If you're planning on college, do strongly consider going to an NH college.

I want to second this. I wish I had "libertarian wackos" in the schools I've attended, ones that were outspoken anyway. I didn't find libertarianism until out of college.

[Gay_Libertarian]

regional copycat organization would be great

It had better be ready to support downsizing of all government -- not just bits of government which are held in contempt by social conservatives.  Otherwise, it will be as useless as the national organization.

[dharveymi]

I'm sorry I caused so much trouble.  I'm a big fan of the FSP.  I just think that all off the things that will work there could also work other places.  I don't think that partisan politics do a whole lot toward solving the problems we face.  Organizations like Downsize DC can be a model for other organizations which can serve the interests of everyone without waiting for a critical mass of libertarians to gain office.  Downsize DC uses persuasion to influence decisions, instead of instisting that people vote for Libertarians. Wouldn't it be great to persuade liberty minded people to take advantage of the party systems that already exist.  Nothing would be better than to have the Republican and Democratic parties taken over by libertarians.  It's not as hard as it may sound, have you heard of Howard Dean?  Both the Republican and Democratic parties are about getting votes.  Nightly, I hear about the calculus that one or the other party is using to get one or another member elected.  Win the most number of votes and you will win elections regardless to which party you belong.

Now in the marketplace of ideas, libertarians win hands down.  We need to stop sitting around thinking, "I can't run", "if I run, I can't win", and "if I win, I won't be able to make a difference."  I would love to see a libertarian Democrat win against a libertarian Republican.  From there, we must resolve to be different from or fellow government beurocats, and resolve to shrink and or eliminate our office, to recruit and help other liberty minded people to run for office, and to empower those that elected us.

I know, for people that think the government is the devil, it's hard to run for office, it's hard to join a party which doesn't share your values just for political reasons.  Are you serious?  Let's be practical.

We need solutions.  We can use statagies that work for Democrats, Republicans, or the Free State Project.  But let's not be nieve, this is a war, and we're loosing.

[Charles]

Well, once I get my masters degree I'm hoping to go to Dartmouth for a MBA than just stick around in NH if I can find a good enough job.  Is there a market for computer engineers in NH?

[Porcupine_in_MA]

Well, once I get my masters degree I'm hoping to go to Dartmouth for a MBA than just stick around in NH if I can find a good enough job.  Is there a market for computer engineers in NH?

Yes, indeed. A big one from what I understand.

[Gay_Libertarian]

NH isn't bad for computer jobs, and the booming Boston job market is a 1-hour drive away from southern NH.

[sillyperson]

Is there a market for computer engineers in NH?

Yes... Oracle Corp (where I work) has its second-largest development center in the US in Nashua, NH (the largest one being corporate HQ in Socialist California, from whence I escaped). Lots of high-tech in Nashua and Manchester.

A GREAT way to help the FSP between now and when you go to college, is to get active with the FSP IT group:
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/fspit/
Most of us who were active in that group, now don't have time for it, because we're active in NH-centric organizations (myself, for example, with the NHLA)

Read the docs in the Files section, and send an email to the group organizer & FSP IT director Steve Cobb (aka "simplulo"). Tell him Goddard sent you

There are some really awesome projects to work on for the FSP, especially if you know (or are willing to buckle down & learn) PHP, MySQL, and XML. Details in the Files section & from Steve.

[PorcupineSteve76]

Dharvey, I can actually say that here in MN, with as little effort I am doing, I am engaging through meetups, posting for the meetups around town, just good old activism. At some point, I am hoping that the efforts actually keep going, but, with as many people I have put and talked to for a year about libertarianism ideals and the FSP, I think I have hit a few connections. My meetups are slowly growing, but, more new people come all the time. Its not about "supporting" a political party, it's about actually doing some activism. What are you doing??????

[PorcupineSteve76]

Oh yeah, by the way, any Duluth/Superior FSPers or of the same mindset, my next meetup is October 21st at 7pm...email me at irishlibertarian76@yahoo.com for more info. Thanks. LIVE FREE OR DIE!!!!!!!!

[sillyperson]

LIVE FREE OR DIE!!!!!!!!

You rock, Steve 

[dharveymi]

PorcupineSteve76, I think meetups are great.  What is a meetup?  Where do you meet?  What do you talk about?  How do you advert for the group?  What is good old activism?  What do you do at a meetup?

What am I doing?  Not much.  I'm rather new.  I have big plans, but I really don't think this needs to be a competition (even if competition is good.)  I think we can work together, share ideas with one another and use the strategies of others that work best for us.  I think if meetups are working for you, I would like to know about them.  Tell us how you organize them, if they work for me, I'll be using them.

Personally, in the current two party system we currently have, I think transpartisan ideas that will benefit Republicans, Democrats, and the cause of freedom are more practical, but I'm not opposed to growing the Libertarian party.  I worry about current changes in the Libertarian platform, and am not a real fan of parties in general.  I believe in principle, I would be happy to support any candidate the supports freedom and liberty, regardless of the party to which they are registered.