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Third parties need to prove viability at a smaller scale before the presidency is realistic. As misguided as the Free State Project was, at least they tried doing it in the right order.
Third parties make little sense as long as you have a first passed the post system. Change to proportional representation and you'll get more choice automatically.
Well sure, but that seems even less likely to happen any time soon.
If a third party gets 5% of the national vote, they are entitled to federal funding the next election. Granted, it's not a huge amount, but it gives them a seat at the table and would be a big first step at ending the two party system. A third party vote is not as useless as you make it out to be. The goal isn't winning, it's just getting 5%.
Now, personally I don't think that will ever happen. Closest we got was in 2016 with the libertarian party getting 3.2%. I don't think people are as willing to vote 3rd party these days.
Ross Perot got almost 20% in 1992 and ~8% in 1996 and the Reform party has gone nowhere since then.
The fact you've heard of the Free State Project is kind of impressive actually. I don't pay that much attention to it, but if I ever got to the point where I thought it would work, I'd be moving there.
It didn't end all that well.
I think I have read this article before, but I really ought to get the book that is referenced here and try reading it and see what it's like. I think the Free State Project is still around, but I'm not sure. However, even if it's not, I know there are still quite a few libertarians living in New Hampshire that moved there for that reason, and so it would be by far the most libertarian state around. Take a look at free talk live and the porcfest and forkfest as examples. They have New Hampshire branded goldbacks, Use gold and cryptocurrency as money, And generally get arrested for activism for telling the government that they are A bunch of murdering psychopaths.
Edit: NBC Boston did a documentary about them rather recently.