Hawaii has not had a culture of freedom since its illegal occupation started in 1893 with the overthrow of the Hawaiian Monarchy. While a monarchy is far from the ideal level of freedom Libertarians seek, the people and culture under that rule lived much closer to true freedom than what is found in Hawaii today. Hawaii currently ranks #49 in front of only New York as the least free state in the nation according to the CATO Institute's yearly “Freedom in the 50 States” index. The voters have been raised in a culture that doesn't embody freedom and it shows by their electing of representatives who continually take away their rights.
If the Libertarian Party ever wants to be successful at changing the politics in Hawaii, we must first change the culture of its citizens to embrace the freedom that has long been lost. The Libertarian Party needs to lead the return towards liberty by creating and growing a community around shared values. We must practice what we preach in our everyday lives to show others what a culture of freedom is truly about.
Due to the current one party regime and the engrained culture, it is highly unlikely that the LP will be able to gain majority control of politics across the state, like the “Free State Project” in New Hampshire has done. However, if we focus solely on changing the culture of one island, this would allow liberty minded representatives to control all branches of government for the county and up to ⅓ of the state legislature (depending on population growth). At which point, succession as a new state or independent country becomes a possibility, creating a quicker pathway to true freedom, rather than convincing the entire state. With enough farmland, 2 sea ports, 2 airports, and a relatively small population, the Big Island has what it needs to operate independently from the rest of the state if it desires.
If the LP leads the way of changing the culture and lays down the initial infrastructure needed, the Big Island has the opportunity to attract those who are unwilling to move to New Hampshire’s climate, to create an island home for Libertarians, Voluntarist, AnCaps, and Hawaiian Nationals. The Big Island, while having the cheapest land and housing in Hawaii, simultaneously has the highest population of current liberty minded individuals, including the majority of the current Libertarian Party of Hawaii statewide membership, making it the most likely island for an overall culture shift to be successful.
If you were already considering a move to New Hampshire, I encourage you to do it. New Hampshire has a 2 decade head start with a proven track record, more Libertarians moving there will only increase the success. However, if you've considered the Free State and have come to the decision that you will not be moving there for whatever reason, the Free Island Project may be your next best option. Unlike NH, there will be no coordinated “mass migration”. In Hawaii, the best time to buy land is always “today”. Hawaii County (Big Island) is the last island with affordable housing and history has shown us that the prices continually rise and never come back down.
Whether you live on another island or on the mainland, if the Free Island Project sounds like a goal that you would like to be a part of making a reality, buy your property on the Big Island and contact the Libertarian Party of Hawaii! The Free State Project started with one person writing an article and it grew from there. Well, the Free Island Project letter has been written, let's see what it grows into.
Aloha!
~ Aaron Toman
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