Thursday, July 2, 2009

Great Governing Principles from the MCPP

A couple years back I picked up a pamphlet published by the Mississippi Center for Public Policy. They're a think tank along the lines of the Maine Heritage Policy Center, focused first and foremost on limited government.

I loved what I found in the pamphlet. Ten simple and profound Governing Principles, stated briefly below. The pamphlet expands on each one, stating specifically what adherence to such principles would mean.

If you go here,
you can download the full version of the pamphlet in pdf form, and I urge you to do so. It will be a quick and robust read, and offer you great wisdom on what our leaders should be doing as they govern.

Compare what you read here to the "founding principles" that MECEP came out with in this post. Night and day would describe the difference.


Governing Principles
1. Government exists to protect rights, not to create them.

2. The legitimate power of government begins and ends with the people, while its authority comes from the Creator.

3. Just because a problem exists doesn't mean government should try to solve it.

4. Long-term and cumulative consequences should be considered more carefully than short-term benefits.

5. Government has nothing to give anyone except what it first takes from someone else.

6. Individuals are ultimately responsible for governing themselves and for the consequences of their decisions.

7. Free enterprise, not government, is the engine of personal economic prosperity.

8. The free market should not be distorted by government-designed dictates or advantages.

9. Government has a responsibility to protect the foundational institution of society: the marriage based, two-parent family.

10. Parents, not government, are responsible for the education and upbringing of their children.

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