Why we prep
Here's another reason why you – and your friends and family – should prep:
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- California Has Issued More Than 1 Million Driver's Licenses to Undocumented Immigrants
- California to auto-register drivers to vote, sparking fraud concerns
As if you need another reason to leave the "Gold-Plated State," the two articles linked above should be making you hum that old REO Speedwagon tune, " Time for Me to Fly." There are a ton of progressive websites out there that will tell you that just because illegal aliens are registered to vote, it doesn't mean that they can. But of course, that still doesn't explain the necessity for automatically registering new voters simply on the basis of receiving or renewing a driver's license.
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California is a lost cause. Oh sure, someday it might regain its sanity; but that won't occur without a whole lot of hurt happening first. And who in their right mind would want to put themselves or their family through the coming Calipocalypse? It's time for you to fly.
And that's one of the reasons we prep.
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The mailbox
I do love reading the comments that I get on my columns. Most of them are just locker room chatter … you know, like suggesting unconstitutional ideas such as restricting the movement of Americans on the basis of their political philosophy. While I might – in spirit – be sympathetic with the idea, I'm not ready just yet to toss out the Bill of Rights. If you're really interested in keeping progressives away from your state, then I suggest the best way is to keep your state unwelcoming to progressives by keeping it God-fearing and morally straight. That's like sunlight to the liberal undead.
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Last week, in an example of how to seriously begin the process of finding a new, more freedom-loving home, I chose three states that best suit my own personal tastes. I then chose one of those states, Montana, and began to classify it on the basis of my "hierarchy of needs." Although I got a lot of good information together on Montana, it's important to remember there are two other potential states on my list – Idaho and Wyoming – and before I make any final decisions, I still need to perform exactly the same investigation for each of those two states as I did with Montana.
It's also important to remember these are MY choices. Your choices may be entirely different. One of last week's comments by KevinR does a good job of demonstrating how there are many places within the boundaries of the United States that can be suitable for those folks looking for more freedom:
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Montana is a wonderful state to consider. As is South Dakota, at least the western section of South Dakota, as there is no tax on your retirement.
The problem with Montana and South Dakota, and I believe Wyoming is that there are lotteries for certain hunting. Idaho is a great place also, and as previously stated in the past, Alaska is great, the Homer area and the Kenai Peninsula, and the Southeast area around Juno and Ketchikan, and both the Homer area and the Southeast part of the state has plant hardiness zones of 4b to 7b with the Kenai Peninsula in the 4b to 6a along the coastal area and the southeast part of the state has between 4a to 7b and perhaps some 8a on the islands. Fresh fish, and a means to garden, and hunting is a little easier.
Of course Virginia and West Virginia have good opportunities also, as they have good gardening options, and hunting and some fresh water fishing, with some salt water along the coast of Virginia.
Yes, there are many options, some for every person basically, from hot southern Florida and Texas and even Washington and all the rain, and some might like Vermont, Upstate New York, or Maine.
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Each person must decide what they want, and what foods you want to grow, including fruit trees and nut trees, and what other resources you want or need.
Let's assume, for the sake of brevity, that after comparing the states of Idaho, Montana and Wyoming against my hierarchy of needs list, I've chosen to concentrate on Montana. It's at this point that we finally whittle down our preferred location to areas within the state.
First off, I'll begin with personal choices. I am ultimately a western hillbilly. I don't want to live on a mountaintop, but neither do I want to live on endless plains. Given those preferences, my first choice would be somewhere in the mountain and valley terrain of western Montana. Using the various maps presented in last week's column, as well as some additional online research, I've decided to begin my initial property surveys in southwestern Montana. Specifically, I'm interested in the counties of Beaverhead and Madison.
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Why? First off, the violent crime rate is extremely low. Secondly, large portions of the Beaverhead and Madison Counties are in the 5a plant hardiness zone. That means with some care I can grow a sustainable garden. Both counties have extremely low overall population densities (10 or so people per square mile) and have relatively low unemployment rates (below 5 percent).
Another benefit to living in either of these two counties is they're relatively close – but not too close – in proximity to the fourth-largest city in Montana, Bozeman. At around 45,000 residents, Bozeman's a fairly good-sized town. This means, if I am so inclined, I can take advantage of various amenities such as employment opportunities, a varied and plentiful supply base, a moderately-sized state university, and adequate medical facilities.
A quick check of average residential and bare-land prices in Madison and Beaverhead Counties shows it's quite easy to find land for less than $1500 an acre. As one of many examples, check out this listing.
Of course, there are other considerations in choosing either of these counties as a potential Shangri-La. You'll be within a 100 miles of the Yellowstone caldera, a frequent panic Power Point for doomsday preppers. While I don't consider that much to worry about, other people do; and if you're one, then southwestern Montana may not be the place for you. But if you currently call your home Southern California, just bear in mind that while Yellowstone might erupt in only a few thousand years, it's a pretty sure bet that California will explode within the next twenty.
Then of course there's the weather. No matter where you live in Montana, you'd better like seasonal weather. In southwestern Montana, you can expect at least a quarter of your year will be white. Fine by me, but it may not be your idea of fun.
So, having chosen a likely new homeland area, the next step is to zoom in and start looking for properties, a process we'll cover next week. There's a place out there that's waiting for you too … if you're willing to make the leap. So get prepared.
