Democrat NH Legislator Wants to Make State "So Unwelcoming That Some Will Choose Not to Come"

Jan. 4, 2013 - A state legislator in New Hampshire thinks that restricting people's freedoms is a good idea. Really. Cynthia Chase, 69, Democrat and fan of Saul Alinsky, is worried about a movement called the "Free Staters," who are Libertarians determined to "free" New Hamphire. Chase is a member of New Hampshire's House of Representatives. She represented the Cheshire 3 district from 2010 to 2012, and has represented the Cheshire 8 district since December 5, 2012.

"Thanks to the Free State Project," says their Facebook page, "thousands of liberty-minded people are moving to New Hampshire, working within and without its political system to reduce the size and scope of government. The plan is to inspire 20,000 or more pro-liberty activists to join our efforts to reduce burdensome taxation and regulation, reform state and local law, opt out of federal mandates, protect individual rights, expand free markets, restore constitutional federalism, and much more."

In the video above, Tom Woods of Liberty Classroom discusses Chase's disturbing comments. "I reported on this story in the most recent issue of my e-letter," wrote Woods on Dec. 28. "New Hampshire State Representative Cynthia Chase is appalled that people who believe in nonviolence (i.e., people who belong to the Free State Project) are moving to her state. She suggests that the way to keep freedom-seeking people out of the state is to take away some of New Hampshire’s freedom."

Freedom hater: Cynthia L. Chase

"In the opinion of this Democrat, Free Staters are the single biggest threat the state is facing today," wrote Chase in a comment at BlueHampshire.com on Dec. 21.  "There is, legally, nothing we can do to prevent them from moving here to take over the state, which is their openly stated goal.  In this country you can move anywhere you choose and they have that same right.  What we can do is to make the environment here so unwelcoming that some will choose not to come, and some may actually leave. One way is to pass measures that will restrict the 'freedoms' that they think they will find here."

Would Cynthia Chase pass laws that apply only to "Free Staters?" That would be a violation of the U.S. Constitution, and probably of the NH constitution as well.

Here's an irony: No doubt Chase has no problem with illegal immigrants moving into her state and demanding all kinds of exemptions and freebies. She no doubt has worked to make "the environment" in NH as welcoming as possible for them, but she would like to work against the free movement of fellow American citizens. Chase is, apparently, very selective in her xenophobic paranoia.  Another irony: Cynthia Chase is herself an outsider. She's not even a native of New Hampshire. She is from Rhode Island and admitted to the Sentinel Souce that she has lived in the Granite State only since January 2006.

BlueHampshire is a "progressive" website, where "progressives" can express their "progressive" anti-liberty sentiments. Cynthia Chase comments there as "cyndychase." Her profile reveals that she considers Saul Alinsky a hero. Her bio says that she is a "Retired kindergarten teacher, former naval officer, adjunct prof. at KSC, married, mother of 2 and grandmother of 2 1/2. In my first term proudly representing Cheshire 3 (Keene)." 

To freedom haters like Cynthia Chase, those goals sound good. To rational Americans, they are frightening. Chase is so freaked out about the Free Staters that she's publicly calling for measures that would make New Hampshire inhospitable to them. Apparently, Chase and her like-minded Democrats have not considered that this will also make New Hampshire a less desirable place in which to live for many other people as well, including her own constituency.

Related:

• NH Democrat: 'Free Staters are the single biggest threat the state is facing today' Reason
• Free State movement not embraced by all Granite Staters Union Leader
• NH ‘Progressives’ Brag About Xenophobia and Bigotry FreeKeene.com
• “You’re not welcome here!” Says the NH State Rep. From Rhode Island FreeKeene.com
• John Stossel interviews Free State Project Prez & Founder YouTube
• Free State Project website