by Ian | Mar 13, 2023 |
A few weeks ago, 70 state reps voted to end drug prohibition entirely and last week, 90 state reps voted to end prohibition on dimethyltryptamine (DMT)! Here’s the full video from the house floor featuring reps Jason Gerhard, Matt Santonastaso, and Jonah Wheeler speaking in favor of the bill, HB 216, which sadly lost 274-97. However, 26% is a good first try.
Clearly, younger state reps understand the urgency of ending the insane war on drugs and as the older prohibitionist reps die off and are replaced by free staters as our number and influence increases, we will be ever closer to ending the madness of drug prohibition in our lifetime.
by Ian | Feb 24, 2023 |
Despite spending a dozen years in federal prison for helping tax freedom advocates Ed and Elaine Brown in 2006, Jason Gerhard is still taking on the evil IRS. Now a NH state representative, Gerhard filed a House Resolution, HR 16 that -if passed- would officially ask the IRS three tough questions:
- Where is the word “income” defined in the Internal Revenue Code?
- Where in the Internal Revenue Code is it written that the average American, who does not exercise a federal privilege but simply trades their time for money, is liable to pay the federal income tax?
- Why have numerous Internal Revenue Service publications, directors, and members of the United States Congress, among others, stated that the income tax is “voluntary”?
Unfortunately, the state house voted 283-60 – full roll call here – to kill the resolution. Thanks though to the sixty reps who voted for it, including Keene’s Jodi Newell. Here’s the full video from the house floor discussion and vote:
by Ian | Jan 30, 2023 |
Last week at the state house, liberty activists spoke on various bills in front of the Criminal Justice Committee including:
- HB 581 – would end the entire War on Drugs by striking RSA 318-B completely.
- HB 360 – would end prohibition of possession and apparently also growing and selling of cannabis by anyone over 21.
- HB 328 – would legalize possession of possessing hallucinogens including LSD, psilocybin, mescaline, and peyote for people over 21.
- HB 470 – would legalize possession of drug testing equipment.
HB 581 – Finally, after years of compromised legislation trying to slowly scrape away at drug prohibition, one brave state representative, Matt Santonastaso, has put forward a bill that would in one fell swoop, end the entire War on Drugs. Sadly, only Bonnie and I came out to support Rep. Santonastaso and testify in favor of this epic legislation. We need more reps willing to take a risk with their “political capital” and actually put forward principled bills like this. Sure, it has no chance of passing, but the conversation needs to happen, and it needs to keep coming back and growing in its support. We also need bills to do other principled things like end government schooling, abolish the liquor commission, and abolish the state police. Hopefully we’ll see more liberty reps step up to the level of Matt Santonastaso in the coming years. Here is full video of the hearing:
HB 360 – One of several cannabis-related bills in the session this year, HB 360 is probably the best one I’ve seen as it does not contain any provisions to tax or regulate cannabis. It simply removes it from being a prohibited substance, although only for those over 21. It’s overall a great bill and would be awesome if it passed, though another bill that has taxes and regulations has the support of the house minority and majority leaders, so don’t get your hopes up. That said, it’s good to see the ideas discussed. Here’s full video of the hearing: (more…)
by Ian | Jan 23, 2023 |
Last week at the state house, liberty activists spoke on various bills in front of the Criminal Justice Committee including:
- HB 216 – would end prohibition of DMT, dimethyltryptamine
- HB 144 – would restore gun rights to non-violent ex-felons
- HB 31 – would end prohibition of blackjacks, slung shots, and metallic knuckles
HB 216 – would end the prohibition of dimethyltryptamine aka DMT – filed by heroic 100% liberty rep Matt Santonastaso of Rindge. Though last year the criminal justice committee recommended to kill the psilocybin decrim bill, we once again patiently explained to them the religious use of a different chemical, DMT. Derek Januszewski, founder of the Ayahuasca church based in NH, “Pachamama Sanctuary” spoke in detail about his experience administering the potent hallucinogenic tea to thousands of willing people on a spiritual journey. Other ministers from the Shire Free Church and Church of the Invisible Hand also weighed in. The only person opposing the bill was a goon from the State Police, who trotted out the usual fearmongering about driving while impaired. When questioned by a younger state rep named Wheeler, the statie couldn’t answer to what extent any hallucinogens were involved in traffic accidents. He instead claimed he’d look into it for the state rep. Full video of the hearing:
HB 144 – would restore gun rights to nonviolent ex-felons in NH – filed by newbie liberty rep Jason Gerhard of Northfield. Gerhard spent more than a dozen years in federal prison for bravely standing with tax freedom advocates Ed and Elaine Brown. He never harmed anyone and neither have a ton of people who have been saddled with the “felon” label for the rest of their lives. Gerhard’s bill would restore non-violent ex-felons’ right to bear arms in New Hampshire. Full video of the hearing: (more…)
by Ian | Nov 27, 2022 |
Thanks to the hard work of liberty superactivist Justin O’Donnell, “101 Reasons to Liberty Lives in NH” has been completely re-done and updated in written form. It’s now called “Live Free and Thrive: 101 Reasons Liberty Lives in New Hampshire, and So Should You!” You can download it here as a PDF, for free. It’s also available for Kindle and in paperback form.
The original list, created two decades ago, has long needed an update as there have been so many amazing successes since then thanks to the thousands of people who have moved here for the Free State Project and NH Freedom Migration.
The new list will also be made into a documentary film and if you’d like to contribute to its production, please click here.
by Ian | Nov 24, 2022 |
NHexit.US
The NHexit.US blog has a detailed story looking at what happened to the 13 state representatives who voted for the NH Independence bill this year, CACR 32. How many of them were re-elected? Turns out, of those who ran again and made it to the general election, 100% of them were re-elected!
Despite the democrats trying to make secession an issue, and despite the fears of the state reps who were too cowardly to vote for the bill, we now know that being in favor of NH independence, or at least being in favor of letting the people vote on the question – which is all the bill would have done – is not a guaranteed end to a state rep’s career.
For a full breakdown of how the NH Independence reps fared in this year’s election, see the article here at NHexit.US.
