DiscoverThe Porcupine Report with Eric Brakey
The Porcupine Report with Eric Brakey

The Porcupine Report with Eric Brakey

Author: Free State Project

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A weekly roundtable discussion featuring the leaLiberty in our lifetimes, and a Free State of our own! That’s the vision, that’s the dream, And we are building it in New Hampshire. I’m Eric Brakey, Your host and renegade Statesman, for the porcupine report!

Welcome to your source for Porcupine News and Free Range Conversations on matters of Liberty
Alright, let’s hop into the show!

Learn more about The Free State Project at www.FSP.org
176 Episodes
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Bitcoin and liberty advocate, Bruce Fenton, joins Eric for a wide-ranging conversation. He reflects on the shocking assassination of Charlie Kirk, warning how political violence endangers free speech and civil discourse. Bruce shares his journey from traditional finance into Bitcoin and how that path led him to New Hampshire’s Free State Project. They discuss the dangers of “team sports” politics, the clash between negative and positive rights, and why open dialog matters even with strong disagreements. Bruce also previews the upcoming Free State Bitcoin Digital Asset Conference, highlighting how crypto can either liberate people from central banks or be co-opted by them. It’s a thoughtful look at liberty, technology, and the future of freedom.
In this episode of The Porcupine Report, Eric welcomes Spike Cohen, founder of You Are The Power, to discuss his organization’s fight against government overreach. Cohen highlights the heartbreaking case of the Hernandez family, who lost their children after doctors misdiagnosed a medical condition as abuse. By mobilizing viral campaigns and public pressure, You Are The Power not only reunited families but also helped pass Georgia’s Ridges Law, reforming CPS practices—and so far, they’ve maintained a 100% success rate. Cohen invites viewers to join the movement at youarethepower.net to push back against government abuse across the nation.
In this episode, Eric talks with Sarah Scott, Deputy State Director of Americans for Prosperity–New Hampshire. They dive into the wave of liberty victories in the state, from expanding Education Freedom Accounts to every child, to eliminating mandatory annual car inspections. Sarah explains how New Hampshire is leading on issues like healthcare choice with expanded “Right to Try,” free market zoning reforms for housing, and even establishing a strategic Bitcoin and gold reserve. Together, they highlight how grassroots activism and liberty-minded legislators are reshaping policy in the Granite State. The conversation ends with a call for more people to get involved, whether as activists or future candidates, to keep the momentum going.
Brian Nichols, host of *The Brian Nichols Show*, joins Eric to discuss how liberty-focused messaging can become more persuasive and impactful. He breaks down the importance of meeting people where they are—focusing on solutions to real problems rather than abstract ideology. Using his sales background, Brian emphasizes tailoring messages to different audiences, like moms worried about school safety or business owners navigating regulations. He critiques ineffective libertarian outreach and encourages a shift toward empathetic, problem-solving communication. The conversation is both practical and motivational, aimed at helping liberty advocates win hearts and minds more effectively.
John Papola shares his journey from working at Spike TV to creating liberty-themed media content. His work, such as the "Fight of the Century: Keynes vs. Hayek" rap battles, has become influential in introducing economic ideas to younger audiences. He emphasizes the power of creative storytelling to make complex ideas accessible and impactful. John shares a clip from his latest video, Battle of the Borders, which presents both sides of the immigration debate. The full length video can be found here: https://youtu.be/VS8SdwzlKCQ?si=Q7qb1BtdeiT0iwRF and many more great videos of John’s are available on his two channels, https://www.youtube.com/@DadSavesAmerica and https://www.youtube.com/@RadicalDiscourse
Eric welcomes Sean Themea, Chief of Staff at Young Americans for Liberty, for a spirited discussion on building a national youth-driven liberty movement. Themea shares his journey from New Hampshire to Texas and details YAL’s strategy of creating “Liberty Lighthouse States,” with New Hampshire at the forefront. They discuss the impact of student activism on issues like school choice, free speech, and civil liberties, emphasizing state-level wins over federal distractions. Themea reflects on his first PorcFest experience, praising the Free State Project community and decentralized energy of the event. The episode also spotlights the upcoming Ron Paul 90th Birthday BBQ in Austin, TX and encourages young liberty-minded individuals to get involved with YAL's efforts.
Eric welcomes Keith Bessette, founder of Free State Acoustics, for a lively discussion on music, liberty, and the upcoming Freedom Palooza festival. Keith shares his journey from Florida to becoming a regular in New Hampshire's liberty scene, emphasizing how community and creativity are thriving among Free Staters. They dive into the evolution of PorcFest, the role of music in the movement, and the unique culture of spontaneous collaboration. Freedom Palooza, set for July 25–27 in the North Country, promises a weekend of camping, liberty, and live music under the stars. The episode closes with performances and reflections on how liberty is lived, not just debated.For 5% off tickets use discount code "Porcupine2025" at: FreedompaloozaNH.com
Representative Michael Granger dives into how Free Staters played a critical role in eliminating New Hampshire’s mandatory vehicle inspection requirement. He outlines the creative grassroots tactics that mobilized public support, including a targeted flyer campaign that generated hundreds of personal testimonies to lawmakers. Granger also highlights the Free Staters’ influence on expanding universal school choice, sharing his own plans to use Education Freedom Accounts for his son. The conversation explores efforts to increase public school choice, defend the Guard legislation, and a heated pension reform debate involving Governor Kelly Ayotte. The episode closes with reflections on the long-term push for liberty and the continued dismantling of cronyism in the Granite State.Learn more about Representative Granger’s campaign at: granger4nh.com
Porcfest is just around the corner, literally in just a week! What can you expect that's different this year, and how can you get prepared? Porcfest producer Constance Spencer joins us tonight to give some last-minute tips and tricks and prepare you for the year's biggest party! Check out Porcfest at https://www.porcfet.com Order your unofficial Porcfest Merch! https://snekstore.com/collections/porcfestxx #Libertarian #newhampshire #freestateproject
Join the Free State Live Crew to finish the season by starting our watch through and reaction to NBC's docuseries "Life, Liberty, and The Pursuit of New Hampshire" Get your Porcfest Tickets today at https://www.porcfest.com! Get your Porcfest Swag at https://snekstore.com/collections/porcfestxx Learn more about the Free State Project at https://www.fsp.org Watch the full docuseries on NBC https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/coming-soon-life-liberty-and-the-pursuit-of-new-hampshire/2961708/ Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, commenting, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational, or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.
Join the Free State Live Crew to finish the season by starting our watch through and reaction to NBC's docuseries "Life, Liberty, and The Pursuit of New Hampshire" Get your Porcfest Tickets today at https://www.porcfest.com! Get your Porcfest Swag at https://snekstore.com/collections/porcfestxx Learn more about the Free State Project at https://www.fsp.org Watch the full docuseries on NBC https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/coming-soon-life-liberty-and-the-pursuit-of-new-hampshire/2961708/ Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, commenting, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational, or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.
Join the Free State Live Crew to finish the season by starting our watch through and reaction to NBC's docuseries "Life, Liberty, and The Pursuit of New Hampshire" Get your Porcfest Tickets today at https://www.porcfest.com! Get your Porcfest Swag at https://snekstore.com/collections/porcfestxx Learn more about the Free State Project at https://www.fsp.org Watch the full docuseries on NBC https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/coming-soon-life-liberty-and-the-pursuit-of-new-hampshire/2961708/ Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, commenting, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational, or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.
Join the Free State Live Crew to finish the season by starting our watch through and reaction to NBC's docuseries "Life, Liberty, and The Pursuit of New Hampshire" Get your Porcfest Tickets today at https://www.porcfest.com! Get your Porcfest Swag at https://snekstore.com/collections/porcfestxx Learn more about the Free State Project at https://www.fsp.org Watch the full docuseries on NBC https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/life-liberty-and-the-pursuit-of-new-hampshire-an-nbc10-boston-original/2920007/ Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, commenting, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational, or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.
Join the Free State Live Crew to finish the season by starting our watch through and reaction to NBC's docuseries "Life, Liberty, and The Pursuit of New Hampshire" Get your Porcfest Tickets today at https://www.porcfest.com! Get your Porcfest Swag at https://snekstore.com/collections/porcfestxx Learn more about the Free State Project at https://www.fsp.org Watch the full docuseries on NBC https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/life-liberty-and-the-pursuit-of-new-hampshire-an-nbc10-boston-original/2920007/ Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, commenting, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational, or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.
Join the Free State Live Crew to finish the season by starting our watch through and reaction to NBC's docuseries "Life, Liberty, and The Pursuit of New Hampshire" Get your Porcfest Tickets today at https://www.porcfest.com! Get your Porcfest Swag at https://snekstore.com/collections/porcfestxx Learn more about the Free State Project at https://www.fsp.org Watch the full docuseries on NBC https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/life-liberty-and-the-pursuit-of-new-hampshire-an-nbc10-boston-original/2920007/ Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, commenting, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational, or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use. #freestateproject #newhampshire #libertarian
Join the Free State Live Crew to finish the season by starting our watch through and reaction to NBC's docuseries "Life, Liberty, and The Pursuit of New Hampshire" Learn more about the Free State Project at https://www.fsp.org Watch the full docuseries on NBC https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/life-liberty-and-the-pursuit-of-new-hampshire-an-nbc10-boston-original/2920007/ Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, commenting, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.
Valerie Durham joins the show to discuss the upcoming chance to show off our successes with the Free State. Community to the freedom-loving movement at large at the 2023 Freedom Fest! Learn more about The Free State Project at https://fsp.org Get your tickets for Freedom Fest today at https://FreedomFest.com use code "FSP50" for $50 off before March 31st! #libertarian #newhampshire #freestateproject
Brandon is a refugee who escaped the left coast in search of Freedom, and joins us tonight to talk about finding his home in New Hampshire, to Live Free and Thrive! learn more about the Free State Project at https://fsp.org Get Your Porcfest Tickets ASAP at https://www.porcfest.com #Libertarian #freestateproject #newhampshire
Sean Dempsey joins the show to talk about his project to further the values of liberty through creating children stories that kids can relate to about the morals and ethics of individual freedom.    You can check out his books at. https://www.amazon.com/stores/Sean-Dempsey/author/B08S76KVCV   Learn more about the Free State Project at https://www.fsp.org   #libertarian #newhampshire #freestateproject
Fresh from an exciting weekend at the 2023 Annual New Hampshire Liberty Forum, Denis Pratt joins the gang to recap the fun, and look forward to what comes next!   Learn more about the FSP at https://fsp.org get your Porcfest tickets today at https://www.porcfest.com    #libertarian #newhampshire #freestateproject
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