[ClearCase_guy]

I don't see how 20,000 people can change the politics of an entire state. Even a small state. And, given that only 4,500 people have signed up for the effort, and, given that a large percentage of these will fail to follow through with the plan, I'd say that this effort is a total joke.

[=Intervention=]

I don't see how one person could change the course of history, either. :)

[archy]

I don't see how 20,000 people can change the politics of an entire state. Even a small state. And, given that only 4,500 people have signed up for the effort, and, given that a large percentage of these will fail to follow through with the plan, I'd say that this effort is a total joke.

Probably much the same opinion some British tax collectors had about the handfull of troublemakers in warpaint, whooping it up and spilling the Crown's tea into Boston Harbour. I'm sure they figured the overreaction of a few hotheaded rowdies would never lead to any sort of political effort of lasting significance, but 229 years later, here we still are.

And of course, I'm sure the hot tar and itchy feathers were no fun, either. Some politically-inspired total jokes have funnier punch lines than others; you could ask the Nomenklatura of the Soviet Union about that, if it was still around.

-archy-/-

[A.J.Armitage]

I don't see how 20,000 people can change the politics of an entire state.

If all you're talking about is voters, that number can still change the politics of a state if the margins were close to begin with.

Given that someone willing to move to another state for political reasons s likely to do more than just vote, they can change the politics a lot.

And, given that only 4,500 people have signed up for the effort

A year ahead of schedual.

given that a large percentage of these will fail to follow through with the plan, I'd say that this effort is a total joke.

Hippies did it next door in Vermont.

I'm not an FSPer, but I wish them well.

[GraniteStateConservative]

If they move to Grafton County, it would make a big difference. We have 1 of only 6 senate districts held by a Democrat and he's a whopper of a lefty-- Clifton Below. He always wins by about a thousand votes or less (1998: 1001, 2000: 866, 2002: 1270). Kick Hanover/Dartmouth out of the district and he wouldn't have a prayer.

Also, while 74% of the state is represented by Republican or Republican/Democrat state reps, Grafton County's representation by that group is only 62%. The Governor had to fight hard to sustain a budget veto and it wouldn't have been so much work had we had another 10 anti-tax and spenders in the NH House.

[Final Authority]

It is not the 4500 people or even 45000 people who will align themselves as Libertarian but in the tradition of NH the bulk of the voters will make the right decision based on the issues without regard for party affiliation. It wasn't long ago the Governor Steve Merrill was considered libertarian when he brought several Libertarians into state government. He would still be governor today if he wanted the job.

I think many voters, if a choice to vote Libertarian and win elections was possible, could vote Libertarian and change the course of government. The real thing is though, NH is essentially a Libertarian state in that we enjoy liberties expressly and without comment in our laws. The one thing a Libertarian government could do is confirm those liberties and possibly alter the states highest court appointees. In my opinion the state of NH doesn't waste much in the way of state expenditures except for welfare possibly. The question would be, would Libertarians cut that too?