Charming east coast idyll where fed-up residents have had enough - and now want their state to divorce the US

For decades, Live Free aliases Die has been nan motto successful New Hampshire.

But for a group of disgruntled residents seeking independence, nan motto is much than conscionable a philosophy.

The NHEXIT movement, which launched earlier this month, is pushing for New Hampshire to secede from nan US.

Members opportunity they are fed up pinch nan bloated cardinal authorities and resent paying much successful taxation dollars than they get back.

'There are 2.5 cardinal unelected bureaucrats successful Washington, D.C. and they are responsible for dragging nan federation to nan brink of bankruptcy,' activity leader Carla Gericke explained.

'Not only that, but they are siphoning money retired of taxpayers' wallets each year, trampling connected nan authorities of New Hampshire citizens,' she added.

The NHEXIT website states nan activity is 'dedicated to securing a sovereign and independent New Hampshire, championing nan principles of self-determination, liberty and nan preservation of our state's unsocial practice and values.'

But economical factors are a ample driving unit down nan movement. New Hampshire residents salary astir $3.53 successful national taxes for each dollar of support they person back.

The information from SmartAsset shows nan authorities is nan 26th astir limited connected nan cardinal government.

'Economically, it's not a bully woody for nan residents of New Hampshire. We could astir apt beryllium richer and much prosperous if we conscionable sewage free of them,' Gericke added.

New Hampshire is 1 of nan astir prosperous successful nan US, pinch a median income of $43,353, good supra nan nationalist mean of $37,585.

As nan first authorities to found independency from nan British Colonies, New Hampshire has a agelong history pinch libertarianism.

The state's motto, 'Live Free aliases Die' was officially adopted successful 1945. The words travel from those spoken by Revolutionary warfare leader General John Stark.

Gericke was herself antecedently progressive pinch nan Free State Project, a wide migration of much than 20,000 individuals who person moved aliases pledged to move to New Hampshire pinch nan purpose of concentrating their numbers successful a azygous authorities to, 'preserve liberty'.

But for Gericke, nan infinitesimal has travel to push for New Hampshire to break distant completely.

'I deliberation nan clip is right, arsenic I said, a batch of this is benignant of bubbling up arsenic a nationalist discussion,' Gericke said.

'We person seen, you know, nationalist divorcement commencement to trend.  So for me, nan clip is ripe successful nan sense. 

'With nan predetermination season, you know, group want to beryllium talking astir nan problems, but I want to commencement to talk astir nan solutions and I do judge states' authorities and much decentralization and perchance independent countries is nan measurement to go.'

The NHEXIT activity joins a agelong statement of secession movements successful nan US amid increasing divisions crossed nan country.

Texas, Vermont, Alaska and South Carolina among others each person aliases person had progressive independency movements.

In wide Oregon, disgruntled locals person begun a petition to secede and subordinate blimpish Idaho. 

While past week, a Free Louisiana activity besides sprang up amid a belief that astir politicians person an 'east-west seashore mentality' which is not serving nan confederate state.

In New Hampshire, a increasing number of conservatives person already pushed for nan authorities to time off nan union.

Earlier this twelvemonth Rep. Jason Gerhard projected that New Hampshire should break distant if nan nationalist indebtedness exceeded $40 trillion.

It presently stands astatine astir $34 trillion and nan authorities was yet voted down. 

A abstracted measure was introduced by Republican Representative Matthew Santonastaso calling for nan committee of a study into nan viability and effect of NHEXIT.

However, guidance voices warned astir further section if secession proceeds.

'From a governmental perspective, I americium conscionable very concerned that we muddy nan waters pinch insurrectionist talk,' Rep Jess Edwards said. 

'The 1 point that is very important to maine personally is to stress we are a serene movement,' Gericke said.

'The bills we introduced each very categorically authorities that this is simply a peaceable separation from nan national if it were to happen. We request to beryllium capable to talk astir difficult ideas and it shouldn't edifice to violence.' 

Gericke said that galore of her supporters are 'not really comfortable pinch this empire that nan US is building'

'They're now recruiting nan National Guard to spell overseas and legislature wars aren't being declared anymore. So moreover thing for illustration that, being capable to support our National Guard section to New Hampshire to service nan residents of New Hampshire would beryllium better.

'We'd beryllium richer. There'd beryllium little war, there'd beryllium little violence. From nan position of nan person you are to your government, nan much responsive it tin beryllium to you.'

Whether nan secession is legally imaginable remains to beryllium seen, pinch nan NHEXIT website acknowledging it would return a, 'a multifaceted approach, including legal, political, and negotiated efforts. Initially, it would impact a statewide referendum demonstrating nan will of nan people'.

Similar movements person already grounded successful Mississippi and South Carolina. 

Still, Gericke believes her imagination of a free New Hampshire could beryllium achievable wrong nan adjacent decade.

'I'm an eternal optimist. So I will opportunity thing is possible,' she explained. 

'People support saying there's this polarization, but past besides they talk astir nan uni-party, right? So which 1 is it? And nan reply was, well, it's benignant of nan uni-party, 

'So there's a strategy that is now marching connected that is creating outcomes that are unfavorable to states. 

'Is it possible? I do judge it's possible. Is it gonna beryllium tomorrow, but successful 10 years, rather possibly.'