Mediaboss Marketing

To the Editor:

Nine New Hampshire legislators have submitted a resolution (CACR 2022-2243) for our state "to peaceably declare independence from the United States and proceed as a sovereign nation" -- i.e., secede from the union. (They don't seem to have given much thought to what the consequences of such action would be, were it ever to happen.)

This secession proposal comes from members of the Free State Project, a group of anti-government zealots from around the nation who have been moving to New Hampshire for the past two decades with the stated goal of taking over state government and creating a libertarian "utopia. They selected New Hampshire as their target because of our small population and our narrow political balance, making it possible for them to have a significant effect on legislative actions. According to the Free State Project Watch (freestateprojectwatch.org), there are more than 40 Free Staters in the New Hampshire legislature today, elected as Republicans. Some suggest the number, including sympathizers, may be as high as 100.

The primary goal of Free Staters is to reduce the role of the federal government, as espoused by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). ALEC says the framers intended for states to cede only a "miniscule" amount of power to a national government, and that over time the amassing of federal power "has led to overregulation and redundant bureaucracy." Even international relations should be in the hands of state legislators, ALEC says, as they are "stakeholders in many of the most important national and international issues of the day."

While it is true that in crafting our federal system, the founders stressed that power derives from the people and governmental functions should be carried out at the lowest level practicable, over time developments in commerce and technology have made it increasingly necessary to regulate matters at national or even international level. To reflect nostalgically on simpler days of the eighteenth century, before automobiles, airplanes and computers, is not a sound basis for running our country today.

Secessionists are by definition not patriots, and with their growing representation in our state and local government, Free Staters pose a palpable risk. They have been introducing proposals to slash local and state budgets, undermine public education, neglect roads, bridges and other infrastructure, and overturn community priorities. For more, see the websitegranitestateprogress.org.

What we can do about this, since Free Staters run as Republicans (and since other Republicans support many of their priorities), is to show up at the polls and elect Democrats. Regardless of impediments Republicans place in the way of voting, we need to fight our way through, and vote.

Don Nolte

Exeter

View post:
Opinion/Letter: Proposal for NH to secede from the USA - Seacoastonline.com