There are still all of the regular institutions of American state government: prisons, schools (or do I repeat myself?), law enforcers, and bureaucracies. But the people pay a little less in taxes than other states, and they put "Live Free Or Die" on the license plates.
We've moved from a condo in Massachusetts to a log home in a small "border town" in the state chosen by the Free State Project as the destination for liberty-minded folks. I wish I could list a multitude of freedoms I can now enjoy as opposed to one of the least free states, but New Hampshire still has a way to go.
In Massachusetts, we lived in a homeschool-friendly area with no evaluation requirements. Now we'll be threatened with child-neglect or some other nonsense if we don't let a stranger into our home to ensure our children conform closely enough to whatever the government folks think a rightful education is.
The Massachusetts government heavily taxes alcohol, but it remains one of the premier markets for whisky. I love the variety of liquor stores and how you might find an out-of-the-way shop on Cape Cod with one last dusty, old bottle of Ardbeg Uigeadail on the shelves. In New Hampshire, the government operates all liquor stores, which are unpleasant warehouses, all with the same selection and prices. Even with the reputation of low prices, I'll still do most of my shopping in Massachusetts, where I can find much more and usually at a lower price for premium drinks.
But this move was not just about going somewhere freer now. It was largely about community; living in a rural area where we can embrace the culture, and living in a place where there actually are a significant number of folks who get freedom (even if we are all still on the fringes). It was about living where we can afford a few acres of land and have access to woods and natural beauty. But mostly it was just about choosing the best place we could be a family.
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