Click here to signup for Paul's Newsletter!

Pioneer Compact - A Philosophy of Government

A Moral Government

If our mission is to form "a more perfect union," then we must empower a government even as we hold it accountable.  As citizens, each of us is obligated to work toward a just society, so we must seek out ways to hold our structures of self-governance to the high standard of human progress.

Government must be "moral." To say this I do not suggest that government must be religious, but rather a structure of self-governance that protects freedom, promotes progress, and reflects the very best aspects of human nature. I believe that a moral government exists when the following standards are met:

1. Guaranteed Opportunity: When all citizens are given the tools to develop their natural born talents, the society as a whole benefits. This must not be confused with guaranteed success, which cannot be done. Opportunity demands individual effort and personal sacrifice. A government is only responsible for providing the ingredients - not for baking the cake.
2. A Safe Environment: A Moral Government maintains safe air, land, and water as well as safe streets, healthy communities, and secure borders. When these needs are met, people can develop the full range of their abilities - when they are not met, it is difficult to maximize the potential of a society.
3. Protection of the Basic Freedoms: The freedom to think, to act, and to live are inherent to the prospect of a democratic society. People must have absolute protection in terms of self-expression.
4. A Future as well as a Present: Rational people ensure that decisions have a net-positive impact on the future as well as the present; governments as a reflection of our activities should likewise maintain a "long-term look." Ultimately, a moral government cannot bestow existing problems to their progeny.

When a society builds and sustains a government that meets these standards, it is a moral government.  It keeps faith with the people through transparent adherence to the values of a just society.  This is important because people want a government they can believe in, a structure of self-governance that breeds trust, hope, and optimism. A moral government can provide these needs as long as the people keep their charge.

Citizenship: A Voluntary Obligation

Although we often overlook it, citizenship is a voluntary obligation. As Americans we are free to seek our own destiny. None among us are forced to accept the benefits of democracy. In contrast to many other societies, citizens of the United States are guaranteed the right to determine for themselves, without fear of consequence, whether or not they wish to remain - how engaged or unengaged they will be.

I argue that for those among us that accept the rights and privileges of America, there is a price to maintain it.  That price - the true cost of freedom - is individual participation. Our rights can be sustained only through the willful and purposeful continuation of an intergenerational agreement - an agreement that each of us is responsible to maintain, a binding promise all of us are duty-bound to fulfill.

Too often we forget that our spectrum of freedom is wholly dependent upon the action of our citizenry. We are safe to think, to act, and live - because people work to make it so. Ultimately, we enjoy the blessings of liberty because our rights have been defended upon the battlefield, in our courts, and throughout the democratic complex.

At issue is whether or not America will realize its potential. For thirteen generations we have kept the "great experiment" going. Through good times as well as bad, we have maintained our liberty through a collaboration of voluntary effort. To date, we have succeeded where other societies have failed because our citizenry worked to secure the boundaries of our freedom.

Our heritage is rich with the art of the possible. When our citizens are engaged, we achieve amazing feats. When our citizens become self-absorbed, we wither. As Americans, each of us has a choice to make. Are we willing to accept the price of our freedom? Are we responsible enough to voluntarily commit ourselves to helping each other achieve our dreams?
America has yet to be fully realized, but it can only be when we choose it.

A Rational Approach to Policy-making

Public policy is a reflection of public will. Good policy results are the fruit of an engaged citizenry, a representative government, and a rational approach to recognized problems. Therefore, responsible leaders must develop a framework that combines objective and subjective truth - with an eye toward relative need. The following is an approach to governance that is rational as well as responsive:

Identification of legitimate problems:

Problems are not self-evident. People recognize consequence and then communicate their perceptions. Often a problem for one person is a solution for another. However, legitimate problems - those with a major impact upon society or an individual must be identified before any remedy can be found.

Determination of impact:

All problems are not created equally. The impact of a problem must be understood before an effective solution can be fashioned. This may require scientific data, narrative explanation, and time. The past is replete with solutions that failed to solve identified problems because those implementing remedies never fully understood the significance and/or influence of the problem.

Recognition of cause:

Once a problem has been identified and its consequences measured, a thorough approach to understanding causation is crucial. There must be a balance regarding the cost of discovery but it must be weighed against the potential outcome. In other words, a reasonable strategy for finding the cause of a problem is necessary for sound governance; we cannot afford to make decisions based upon incomplete or inaccurate evidence.

Open discussion of plausible remedy:

In a free society the need for open solutions, openly arrived at, is absolute. The public must be aware of the process of solvency. Further, the public will only invest itself in solutions that they feel comfortable with. It is important to note that people do not require their leaders to choose what they may choose, but rather - that they arrived at a decision in a "legitimate" manner.

Clash of expertise:

Although people by nature abhor conflict, solution making is often benefited by a public clash of expertise. As rational beings, humans have an inherent capacity to internally organize differing plausible alternatives. However, in a complex society people specialize their talents. This suggests that most defer expertise on at least some subjects, to others. Few indeed are experts on everything. Therefore, it is important for those with expertise on an issue to seek out opportunities for their opinions to clash with other experts so that all aspects of a solution may be revealed and the "best" solution found.

Public debate regarding costs:

Few things in life are free; policy is no exception to this. Political choices by nature require economic, political, or social cost. Change is expensive, even when it is needed. However, the public wants to understand the relative expense when considering an issue. Even though studies have shown that people are willing to "stay clear" of a complex issue - there is evidence that they will make the effort when the stakes are high and when they understand the specifics. Therefore, it is vital that the costs and benefits of a solution to a recognize problem be clearly framed and debated in public. Through written and oral argument the real issue - that which underlies the stated problem - can be discovered and then effectively dealt with.

Policies should reflect principles:

Although it is out of vogue to suggest, our policies should reflect our principles. Regardless of the pressures of the circumstance, we should strive to keep faith with the principles of self-governance that produced the society we enjoy. "Short-cuts" and "quick fixes" may provide immediate relief, in fact they may be temporarily necessary - but it is important that over the long term our policies are the extensions of the place and people we seek to be.

Public will:

Even though the public has few opportunities for direct involvement in formal decision-making, the people and the people's will are the power and authority of government. Each public act is done in their name. Public monies are the result of individual labor. Often we think of government as a building, as a law, or as the personality of a particular elected leader; government is none of these things. Government is the collaborative action of neighbors; the expressed will of the governed. Therefore, it is crucial that actions of a government consistently reflect the will of the governed. When the will of the public is ignored the actions of the government are not legitimate. In other words, when seeking to implement a solution to a problem, leaders must seek ways of communicating the necessity and reasonableness of the proposal to the public in such a manner that they may accept and support it. Until the public invests in a solution it cannot succeed. Implementation of policy:

Policy implementation must be the result of efficient utilization of the tools provided. Whereas policy formulation and adoption is the realm of the public and its elected and appointed leadership, implementation of policy is mechanical affair. As such, it requires mechanics - trained specialists - to work "as advertised." People without prejudice must execute policy without favor. To do otherwise, puts the potential solvency of the initiative at risk.

Measurement of effect:

Sound public policy is malleable. It is an incremental process that adjusts as evidence and situation dictate. Once a solution has been put into motion, its effect must be monitored, measured, and reported. Decision-makers must have sound data regarding the effectiveness of a particular policy. Often a policy does exactly what it was intended to do, but many times it does not. Changes in economic or political circumstances can also add or subtract to the relative effectiveness of a policy. It is vital that accurate measurement be sought, found, and publicly dispensed.

Timely review:

A rational policy approach is cyclical. After a problem has been identified, a solution publicly accepted and implemented, and its relative effect accurately measured, it is necessary to review the situation in context. Government has finite resources. Priorities must be established. Simply put, reason dictates that timely review of policy be open, often, and thorough.