DATE: Saturday, July 19, 2025
AUTHOR: Hon. Eric Brakey - Executive Director, Free State Project

If you are experiencing summertime sadness, then you must not be in the Free State — because there's no time for that here.

The mild summers of New Hampshire make this one of the most beautiful places to be this time of year to make memories with friends and family.

Even the mainstream media admits we are in the midst of a beautiful New Hampshire weekend!

But it isn't just the lakes, the ocean, and the mild summer weather that makes New Hampshire wonderful — the political climate makes a big difference too!

Across the border in Maine, however, there is good reason for summertime sadness.

Last year, when I left my home state for New Hampshire, the limited government movement there had endured a string of defeats.

In the 2010s, there was some cause for hope in Maine. Ron Paul libertarians and Tea Party conservatives formed a coalition that took the governorship and wrangled an eight-year-long tug of war for control of the Maine Legislature.

During that time, the Maine liberty movement led the country on important policy changes like Constitutional Carry, Right to Try, welfare reforms, and proactive steps to phase out the income tax.

***July 2015.*** Ten years ago, Maine Governor Paul LePage signed Senator Eric Brakey's Constitutional Carry legislation into law. (Three years later, Maine took a leftward turn toward statism, while New Hampshire kept building liberty).

In the backlash of the first Trump midterms (2018), however, our limited government coalition in Maine lost control of the House, Senate, and governorship as a center-left Democrat trifecta took hold.

Each election cycle thereafter — through COVID and every shockwave that followed — efforts to check this trifecta fell short. Sometimes by a mere few hundred votes scattered across the state, this center-left regime held control of all elected bodies.

Never penalized during elections for the excesses of COVID (including lockdowns, workplace shutdowns, vaccine mandates, and firing nearly 10% of the healthcare workforce for refusing to comply), Democrat officials grew bolder each cycle in growing government, eroding freedoms, and hiking taxes.

Meanwhile, in New Hampshire, the influence of the liberty movement — bolstered by the Free State Project — just keeps growing.

Today, libertarians are the biggest ideological faction within the strong majority NH House GOP — with nearly 100 legislative seats.

In New Hampshire, liberty legislators are leading the charge to abolish income taxes, enact universal school choice, eliminate vehicle inspection mandates, and so much more.

The Free State Project has made the difference between liberty and tyranny — as we recruit more libertarians to join our communities and build a free society where the maximum role of government is protecting life, liberty, and property.

Policies in these two neighboring states highlight stark contrasts — as your economic and personal freedoms shrink or expand depending on which side of the border you stand.

To all my friends still in Taxationland (or any of the 49 other states less free than New Hampshire), I invite you to shake off that summertime sadness and visit New Hampshire.

We do not have to accept a life where our freedoms dim and petty tyrants rule over us.

That's why we are building a homeland for liberty — a place to live, work, raise a family, find your tribe, and build a future for freedom that will last for generations.

If you don't believe me, then you just need to come see it for yourself.

Need an excuse to visit the Free State? Here's a good one for next weekend: the Freedom Palooza Music Festival.

In one week, the 2nd annual "Freedom Palooza" music festival kicks off at Roaring Brook Farm in the North Country.

The musical performances are great, the region is beautiful, and the North Country Porcupines are a welcoming community of liberty lovers to spend time with.

I have already purchased my ticket to camp out for the full weekend — and I look forward to singing a song or three with my friends in the Free State Acoustics.

Please join us this July 25-27 for Freedom Palooza in Northumberland, NH.

Visit for a day (day passes are available) or stay for the whole weekend at Roaring Brook Farm in the North Country of New Hampshire.

Grab your tickets and use my discount code — Porcupine2025 — to save 5% on your Freedom Palooza tickets.

In August, there are few good reasons to leave NH, but I am heading to Texas with a large delegation from the Free State.

(We must be crazy to leave mild and refreshing New Hampshire during the summer to head to hot and humid Texas, but there are a lot of crazy things I would do for Dr. Ron Paul!)

On August 9th, we are celebrating Ron Paul's 90th birthday — hosted by our friends at Young Americans for Liberty and sponsored by the Free State Project.

Dr. Paul had a profound impact on me and many in our liberty movement. If the same is true for you, I hope you will consider making the journey to Lake Jackson to wish him a happy 90th and join in for this reunion of the Ron Paul R[3VOL]UTION.

Click here for tickets to Ron Paul's 90th Birthday BBQ.

Porcupine Report #72: “Ron Paul's 90th Birthday!” with Sean Themea

Eric welcomes Sean Themea, Chief Operating Officer at Young Americans for Liberty, for a spirited discussion on building a national youth-driven liberty movement. Themea shares his journey from New Hampshire to Texas and details YAL’s strategy of creating “Liberty Lighthouse States,” with New Hampshire at the forefront.

They discuss the impact of student activism on issues like school choice, free speech, and civil liberties, emphasizing state-level wins over federal distractions. Themea reflects on his first PorcFest experience, praising the Free State Project community and decentralized energy of the event. The episode also spotlights the upcoming Ron Paul 90th Birthday BBQ in Austin, TX and encourages young liberty-minded individuals to get involved with YAL's efforts.

Click here for the full episode.

Looking ahead, mark your calendar for Columbus Day weekend.

On Sunday, October 12, the Free State Bitcoin Digital Asset Conference (FSBDAC) returns with discussions on the cutting-edge issues and opportunities in the emerging realm of cryptocurrencies.
For the entire three-day weekend (October 11-13), our friends at Independence Realty are also organizing several events for Fall Fest in the Free State. There will be fun for the whole family, including apple picking, corn mazes, and more.

I'll be sharing more information about these events in future newsletters, but expect many good reasons for liberty lovers to join us in New Hampshire this autumn.

Speaking of the FSBDAC, I was glad to see that Bruce Fenton (who will be hosting the conference this October with his wife and FSP Board Member, Carolann Fenton) just made an appearance on the Tom Woods Show.

Thank you to Bruce, for using the opportunity to promote the value of the Free State Project to Tom's libertarian audience!

"Has MAGA Come Apart?" with Bruce Fenton | Tom Woods Show #2668

Bruce Fenton, Free Stater and host of the Satoshi Roundtable, joins the Tom Woods Show to talk about MAGA gone wrong, how he grades the Trump administration on Bitcoin, and why it's best not to betray what you stand for.

Click here for the full episode.

It is my honor to serve as Executive Director for the Free State Project.

If you would like to support our continued outreach efforts, then please CLICK HERE to become a patron of the Free State Project.

Thank you for supporting our mission to achieve "Liberty in Our Lifetime" — one new mover at a time.

Please read on for more of our weekly newsletter from the Free State, prepared by our Communications Director, Mahgdalen Rose.

For Liberty!
Hon. Eric Brakey
Executive Director
Free State Project

Carla's Corner

Operation Choke Point: Carla Gericke discusses how the federal government, under President Biden, targeted Free Staters in their war on Bitcoin and cryptocurrency.

Watch the full clip here.

From Apartheid to Liberty: Carla Gericke's Fight

Join Big Questions with Big John as host Big John interviews Carla Gericke, a libertarian leader and President Emeritus and Chair of the Board of the Free State Project in New Hampshire. From her South African roots under apartheid to her U.S. immigration journey via the green card lottery, Carla shares her path to activism. Learn about her landmark First Amendment victory for filming police, the Free State Project's mission to promote individual liberty, and her bold push for New Hampshire secession. Discover insights on libertarianism, property rights, and building a freedom-focused community. Watch the full interview!

News from the Free State

Maine Policy: A Tale of Two Budgets: How Maine and New Hampshire’s Latest Spending Plans Compare"
Cato: NH has the lowest public corruption in the nation
NH Journal: And the Best Place For Conservatives to Live in New Hampshire Is…
Patch: New Hampshire Voters Back Supermajority Requirement To Pass Property Tax Hikes
The Travel: This New Hampshire State Park Looks Just Like The Great Smokies—But With Way Less Crowds
Goldwater Institute: New Hampshire Lawmakers Send Right to Try Expansion to Governor Kelly Ayotte
Catholic Vote: New Hampshire’s Rep. Thibault demands transparency from FBI over targeting of Catholic communities
Lowell Sun: Editorial: N.H. adds no car inspections to its not-like-Mass. list
NY Post: Polite black bear stuns New Hampshire homeowners after ringing doorbell before exploring hot tub: video
The 74: New Hampshire’s Universal School Choice Expansion Is a Win for Students, Parents
Boston Globe: Rise of New Hampshire casinos means more competition for Massachusetts
NHPR: After state budget cuts, New Hampshire's art council has lost 6 of 7 employees
The Lion: School choice booming in New Hampshire after program becomes universal
Laconia Daily Sun: 30 reasons why New Hampshire stands out as a place to live

PorcFest XXII

We are in the process of publishing content from this year's Porcupine Freedom Festival.

Just as we did earlier this year with the NH Liberty Forum, we will be publishing PorcFest content on a rolling basis, several times a week, across multiple social media platforms. Please find below all content published since our last newsletter (plus a bonus item from Matt Kibbe)!

You can find all video content from FSP events on YouTube and all audio-only content on our Spotify podcast channel: "FSP Talks."

"The Lunatic Farmer" with Joel Salatin.

In this riveting PorcFest 2025 talk, Joel Salatin —self-described “lunatic farmer”— calls for a "Food Emancipation Proclamation" to restore food freedom in America. He shares how industrialized agriculture, backed by government overreach, has destroyed local food systems, stripped communities of food sovereignty, and replaced transparency with regulatory smokescreens. Salatin highlights how absurd it is that Americans can't legally buy a homemade pot pie from a trusted neighbor like “Aunt Penny,” yet can easily purchase ultra-processed junk. He draws powerful parallels between past food reform movements and today’s opportunity to decentralize and democratize food production through community relationships and internet-era accountability. Salatin envisions a revitalized rural economy, safer food, and responsible consumers—all by removing regulatory roadblocks and allowing voluntary transactions. His passionate call to action challenges the audience to think differently about food, freedom, and the future.

Watch his full remarks from PorcFest XXII.

"Tyranny Hates Journalism" with Steve Robinson.

Steve Robinson, publisher of The Maine Wire, details his fight to expose corruption, censorship, and cronyism in Maine through fearless investigative journalism. He shares how his team uncovered Chinese organized crime operations, public school pharmaceutical abuses, and corrupt no-bid state contracts—all ignored by Maine’s legacy media. Robinson critiques the media’s laziness, government funding, and complicity in covering for the political elite. He advocates for journalism rooted in skepticism of power and transparency, rather than prestige or access. Despite immense pressure, Robinson believes truthful reporting is a necessary tool to reclaim liberty.

Watch the full welcome at PorcFest XXII.

"Building a Monero Circular Economy" with Douglas Tuman of Monerotopia.

Douglas Tuman lays out the case for Monero as the future of true peer-to-peer digital cash. Drawing from his background as an engineer, attorney, and former congressional candidate, Tuman explains why Monero is more private, fungible, and censorship-resistant than Bitcoin. He shares his journey into the crypto space, the risks he took advocating for Monero, and how he’s actively working to build a real circular economy with tools like XMR Bazaar. Unlike speculative coins, he says Monero’s culture emphasizes real-world utility and privacy by design. With projects like Monero Talk, Monerotopia, and decentralized marketplaces, Tuman shows how Monero empowers individuals to opt out of surveillance finance and live freely.

Watch his full remarks from PorcFest XXII.

"Kibbe on Liberty" w/ Lyn Ulbricht.

Many people receive unjust sentences in federal prisons, but few have the kind of mother who will devote more than a decade of constant activism to get them released. When Ross Ulbricht was given two life sentences for founding an encrypted marketplace called the Silk Road, his mother, Lyn, founded FreeRoss.org, bringing his case to the attention of the liberty movement, the crypto movement, and eventually President Trump, who offered Ross a full pardon on his second day in office. Now, Ross is free and speaking out about the secret horrors that go on inside prison walls. Instead of taking a well-earned break, Lyn has started Mothers Against Cruel Sentencing to advocate on behalf of others given cruel and unusual prison terms.

Watch the full interview from PorcFest XXII.