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For about three years Grassroot Institute of Hawaii has asked each of our state legislators to provide their own vision for our Hawaii over the next 20 years, WE felt this would be a guideline for us and them as they discuss issues and vote. As you can see below, not many (16 out of 76) have provided one. Former Governor George Aryoshi (Hawaii Business, June 2004) observed that for a legislator a vision is essential.
Yet the majority of our legislators refuse to build one and send it to us, despite repeated requests. We keep pondering this, trying to figure it out. We think: Laziness? Too busy? (how could that be?) Careless? Ashamed? Afraid? Then we thought, where is our vision? Originally, we were hesitant to express one for our organization, fearing that it would be used as a guide and results would be skewed.
Based on the results so far, we decided to do it and here it is: We love it. We stand by it. We hope to improve it.
Our Vision
The vision of Grassroot Institute of Hawaii for 20 years from now is to attain the goal of individual freedom for all our people and communities, with the least government interference possible. To accomplish this requires individual authority to think or act, accompanied by total responsibility and accountability for outcomes. It requires, in addition, cooperation with others and compassion. When given such responsibility, most individuals will thrive. Others will fail and thereby learn. Those that have thrived will help them as appropriate. Then most of the failers will succeed. Then the cycle will repeat. Then again and again, etc.
We envision this future: Individual freedom with the least government and interference is producing:
- Smaller, leaner, more focused government designed to serve the people in security and safety. In essence, each person is focused on governing herself or herself.
- Very low taxes. Repeal of many, if not most, laws. Remember, laws that define crime create crime, often needlessly.
- A part-time legislature where most members have very strong personal ethics and principles, based on their basic non-government career.
- An extremely productive society where personal desires and preferences drive education, transportation, communication, housing and all other activities and interests
- Every individual possessing and practicing very good character, because his or her reputation is critical to personal happiness and welfare. The incidence of crime will decrease every year.
- Communities where envy is rare, since each individual is free to excel in service to his fellows as he or she sees fit.
- A physical environment that is very, very good as a result of the prosperity and character of the populace.
- A circumstance where the precise look and feel of the community cannot be predicted, since it will evolve from the exercise of personal, bottom-up preferences rather than top-down government ones.
- A society where every generation will expect to be smarter, more prosperous, healthier and happier than the preceding one.
In summary, like the founding fathers of the USA, we are suspicious of government one-size-fits-all solutions to problems. When there is any chance that individual initiative combined with genuine accountability will work, we will choose that option. We believe that to do otherwise is to deny the magnificent potential in each human being.
Some will call us “extremists”. We answer with a quote from Barry Goldwater: “ Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice and…moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.”
We doubt our vision will be accomplished in 20 years. Nonetheless, we adopt it and expect to improve it from time to time. It expresses our positive, constructive goal. Extremism at its best.
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