Goals & Philosophy

 Mad River Institute for Political Studies

As its basic principles, the founders, directors, officers, and members of the Mad River Institute for Political Studies pledge that they will work to:

0. promote the "public good" through the strengthening of the public nature of government
   
0. have public servants recognize their inherent responsibilities to citizens
   
0. create more equity in politics through the expansion of democratic measures
   
0. have government recognize its inherent responsibility to act directly to help those citizens who need assistance
   
0. have public servants adopt higher standards of conduct for themselves and all society
   
0. have public servants recognize their inherent responsibilities in the expenditure of tax dollars while still delivering needed public services
   
0. have public servants consider more innovative and original ideas to deal with problems
   
0. assist the public in better understanding the political process and their place in it, as well as the consequences of their political decisions.
   
   
                                            GOVERNMENT FOR THE PEOPLE
   
   The members of a democratic legislature are elected to represent the general will of the people.  Those that form the government are to act in the best interests of all the people, as they see those interests.  However, in recent years, government seems more inclined to act in spite of the people, rather than for them.  People have to deal with government. They have no choice.
   
   In a representative democracy such as ours, the people give some of their individual authority to government to act on their behalf on the condition that government represent all the people equally.  It is to act for 'the greatest good of the greatest number', while protecting the rights of minorities.  Unfortunately, it is now more common for government to act for special interests than those of the majority and, by diminishing the elected assemblies and their members, it is increasingly unaccountable to the people, even at election time.
   
   It is the opinion of the founders of the Mad River Institute for Political Studies that it is incumbent upon politicians and government to show citizens that they represent the general will.  Public policy must be for all the people.
   
   With the increasing gap between 'haves and have-nots', income tax must be used to support the majority, not through cuts that assist only the wealthy minority.  Sales taxes, licence and user fees, must be limited, as they unfairly affect those least able to pay them. Increasing debt financing means the entire social safety net and, thus, the entire social fabric, is at risk.
   
   Health care and education must be universally accessible and public in nature.  Higher education must be affordable for, and accessible to, all.  People must be able to rely that government services will be there to help them should they be in need of them. Government must recognize that a healthy environment leads to healthy people. Decision-making, as a rule, should be in the hands of those elected to make the decisions, and they should be responsive to the public regarding them.
   
   Politicians must reject government for "the few".  They must show their commitment to the people of Canada by adopting policies that are equitable to all, represent the general will with minority protection, and are 'for the people'.