Adam Gancarz

Chatted with Adam Gancarz.

John: Many libertarians there in Georgia?

AG: There are a few, not as many as other states. 

John: How long have you been in Georgia now?

AG: Since 1995

JE: Any local meeting you go to?

AG: Peachtree NORML, sometimes the monthly county libertarian meetings.

JE: How many go to the county meetings there? Are they very active?

AG: I’m not burnt out, I just don’t know what to do. I am afraid of public speaking, haha. About 10 or so go to the meetings. During the conventions, we typically have more show up.

JE: My best ROI has been voting with my feet.

AG: GA is pretty bad too…it’s red, but they love big government, higher taxes, all that crap.

JE: Thinking of NH FSP or FL for my next move… but this virus has me tied down now.

AG: When my parents pass away I’m moving to NH. 2 reasons, I got family there and the free state project.

JE: Where are you from in NH?

AG: Haha parents say it’s too cold, and they are kinda right. I like NH except for the weather. Nashua, just outside of Boston, south of Manchester and Concord.

JE: Is that where you would settle again?

AG: Probably

JE: Yes, I want to go for the community… But I have lived in California and Texas… I here it might get cold up there?

AG: Oh yeah, that’s 100% the worst thing about living up there.

JE: I have this fantasy about going to the Great North Woods and starting some sort of Intentional/proprietary community, maybe just a year in NH to network with the free traders… then move to the conch republic hehe. The meeting here is anarchy. Whoever talks loudest.

AG: I wouldn’t think it would be an issue bc there are not too many of yall

JE: I have an issue: it is my issue. Youngest of 6, It is hard for me to interrupt when someone else is talking.

AG: Gotchya, maybe you should talk about this at your next meeting?

JE: I do best one on one.

AG: Same, I’m an introvert

JE: On Facebook… it is kinda like one on one… I do better here.

AG: Yeah, that’s where I do the majority of my activism…donations, voting on polls, leaving comments, etc

JE: Any advice on Facebook activism?

AG: I post on my wall, also look for polls that people have posted on Jo Jorgensen’s campaign page

JE: So, I should look at your wall and check out JO’s page… good advice

AG: Sure 🙂 Ron Paul said do what you feel compelled to do, that’s the best advice I can give 🙂

JE: How has NORML been for ROI, networking, etc? Do you smoke dope?

AG: Pretty good, they have monthly meetings where a good 20-30 people show up..and as far as smoking, on occasion, I will, you?

JE: I was stoned for 20 years… then sober for about 30. When it became legal in California I was stoned for another year… I can’t do it in moderation, it zaps my ambition and not very ambitious, to begin with…

AG: I’ll smoke it if I’m at a party and it happens to be there but I don’t ever possess any too afraid of cops, lo I’ve watched all of them know your rights w police videos but I’m still terrified of getting pulled over with weed

JE: If I am at a party… I breathe deeply…hehe, Colorado #4, Nevada #5

AG: For freedom index? I’m surprised about that for CO, not Nevada

JE: Freedom in the 50 states, yes but there is a 2 year lag time. I think FL and NH have medical

AG: True. The reason the free state project chose New Hampshire was that a few years back it was tied with Wyoming for the free-est state they do, yes… NH was ultimately chosen bc it was smaller

JE: There is a free state Wyoming…

AG: I listen to free talk live sometimes…they are always promoting the FSP

JE: and a free state Europe too now!

AG: Wow, they have an uphill battle in Europe that’s for sure

JE: Ever hear of Tocino?

AG: Nope

JE: Italian enclave in Switzerland. The prince of Liechtenstein is libertarian.

AG: Interesting, didn’t know that.

JE: He wrote the book,  “The State in the Third Millennium.” He got the country out of the currency business. They use the Swiss franc. No military and any village can secede if they want to; none have.

AG: No gold standard/competing currencies?

JE: 35,000 of the richest people on the planet

AG: I bet

JE: No gold standard. Trouble is… he says if they had open borders… they couldn’t handle the numbers… I can’t afford to live there…

AG: A lot of libertarians argue about border control. I couldn’t either. I have a good job here and don’t plan on quitting it, so I’ll be in GA for a long time. Moving out of the country will most likely never happen for me

JE: There are a few little enclaves, Andorra, Cayman Islands, Monaco, Channel Islands… but you gotta be rich to afford them

AG: Yeah, and more and more America is falling behind other first world countries, it’s sad. I love this country too much to watch it happen without acting. 

JE: And they are too small to be on the Human Freedom Index. Yes, this is my homeland… it is sad to watch. I think about Estonia #15 tied with the USA but with a cost of living half what the US has…

AG: probably BC its cold as shit haha, wouldn’t wanna live in a northern climate. NH would be about as far north as I’d wanna go.

JE Fraser Institute has economic freedom in the provinces, and there is another for India.

AG: Cool. I’m still gonna go down with America even if it is a sinking ship. I’m pretty patriotic about this country.

JE: Hey I understand. Still, there is a big difference between California and Texas, New York, and Florida.

AG: Oh I bet haha, A lot of people from up north migrate to FL for retirement…big old-timer community there.

JE: yes, my plan is to check out Florida in the winter and NH in the summer but this virus has got me!

AG: Not a bad plan. we usually do a family trip up to NH in the summer. We won’t this year bc of the corona. Did you catch it?

JE: No, just don’t feel safe traveling yet. But I know people who went to porcfest, and FSP says come.

AG: That’d be a long drive for you from TX. When is Porcfest?

JE: June 22-25

AG: That’s really close to when we have our family vacation

JE: Yes, something came up and I missed it

AG: Oh, that sucks. Yeah, FL in the winter and NH in the summer is ideal if you enjoy milder climates; not too hot in the summer, not too cold in the winter. Being from GA I’ve been to FL a bunch of times. I like it down there.

JE: Yes, that would be nice. Where would you live in FL?

AG: Probably Orlando, the place with the most opportunity.

JE: I got a map of Florida after sea level rise. Yes, I think Orlando will be on the coast. Sea level rising? Due to global warming? I don’t know what I believe about that.

JE: Me either… but inland it is cheaper. How do I say this? More like NH ppl?

AG: lol northern retirees, yep

JE: Did I ask how you became libertarian?

AG: it was partially George W and the patriot act, then I did some research on medical cannabis,  finally Ron Paul, and I was sold. It was right around 2012, before 2016

JE: You followed him from the republican party? He ran GOP 2012, then Libertarian 2016?

AG: I was iffy w Bush since he wasn’t acting like a fiscal conservative. I was more or less a pro-war libertarian for a while until I heard Ron Paul speak.

JE: What is it about RP… that is so convincing?

AG: He brought up some issues in regards to foreign policy that I never thought about, then I did some thinking and realized our foreign policy is incredibly screwed up and read that our founders advised against entangling alliances, then I changed my opinion to non-intervention. But Ron Paul was a big part of that, he was the most honest guy in the debates and I agreed with his principles and eventually turned to a dove as opposed to a foreign policy hawk.

JE: Do you remember what he said about foreign policy?

AG: Yep, basically trade relationships with all who want trade relationships and don’t get involved militarily.

JE: Send more tourists and business people, fewer military and politicians?

AG: Yep

JE: Anything else instrumental in your change?

AG: Realizing the republican party didn’t want to legalize marijuana was another big one. I read a lot about the medical benefits of weed and I was sold on that, too.

JE: Tes, so, how have you grown since becoming libertarian?

AG: Understanding the non-aggression principle, getting involved in meetings, donating, etc. Realizing the government wasn’t here to help us, that they are all power-hungry, haha.

JE: Yes, so do you have any advice for new libertarians or the curious?

AG: I would say start off with principles…it’s wrong to hurt people and take their stuff. Even if its the government, and the government is no different and shouldn’t have extra rights. So start with the nonaggression principle.