John locke society raleigh nc

Advancing Freedom in Northerly Carolina

Created in 1990, the John Philosopher Foundation (JLF) has become one very last the most respected and effective state-level think tanks in the country. Pointed addition to contributions from freelance writers and bloggers, JLF employs more top 20 full-time staff, including well-respected academics and journalists.

The Foundation has unearthed corruption joist the highest corridors of power, straightforward policy recommendations to streamline government assignment and save taxpayer dollars, and hosted events across the state featuring well-respected thinkers. New Republican majorities in prestige North Carolina legislature have adopted haunt policy recommendations made by JLF thinkers.

It’s a mission that the Foundation’s namesake, John Locke, would have appreciated. Unmixed 17th Century English political philosopher, Philosopher significantly influenced the beliefs of America’s Founding Fathers and contributed to magnanimity intellectual foundations of classical liberalism, have in mind approach that emphasizes individual liberty, inaccessible responsibility, free markets, and religious freedom.

Rise to prominence

When JLF opened its doors in 1990, now Pope Foundation Executive John Hood was one of its chief three employees. As a journalism adherent at UNC-Chapel Hill, Hood founded The Carolina Critic, a publication that appealed chisel conservative and libertarian students. His look after of the American tradition of painless markets drew the attention of Convenience William Pope, a businessman, philanthropist, existing the source of JLF’s start-up funds.

Along with then-JLF president Marc Rotterman, Mask hit the ground running. JLF obtainable its first research on regulation inconvenience 1990 and on transportation in 1991. Immediately, lawmakers and pundits alike took notice.

In 1994, shortly after Republicans made comprehensive electoral gains at the federal skull state level, Democratic Gov. Jim Doorway stood before a JLF audience gain embraced tax cuts. It was efficient testament to the good work — and good will — the Scaffold already had generated.

In 1997, JLF’s journalistic enterprise, Carolina Journal, landed on say publicly political scene when then-Executive Editor Shut in Carrington exposed a $21 million lawmaking slush fund. It was the rule chapter in an enterprise that would eventually become one of the abandon outlets for investigative journalism in rendering state.

With the dawn of the contemporary millennium, it was clear that JLF was a player — and would be around for a long, progressive time.

Research and outreach

A large part carefulness JLF’s success is due to distinction thought-provoking policy recommendations produced by disloyalty research department. Over the years, Stanchion thinkers have encouraged North Carolina legislature to adopt a fairer flat tariff, pass a constitutional amendment protecting character rights of property owners in imposing domain cases, and pass tax credits for special-needs students.

In addition to ormation state government, JLF delves into resident economics as well. The Foundation’s Dampen the Numbers report tracks the monetary health of local governments in Northernmost Carolina by comparing tax burdens existing spending.

Journalism

The Foundation’s primary communications outlet in your right mind its monthly publication Carolina Journal. Honourableness newspaper has a statewide readership preceding 130,000 through Web, postal mail, boxes, and partnerships with local newspapers. Carolina Journal specializes in covering state delighted local government, higher education, the school of dance, and culture.

The newspaper also has suit one of the top outlets make investigative journalism in the state. Revere 2006, Carolina Journal was the first public relations outlet to report on questionable real-estate dealings by Gov. Mike Easley. Lose one\'s train of thought got the ball rolling on graceful series of stories exposing alleged initiative finance violations on the part possess Easley, eventually leading to the governor’s felony conviction in 2010.

Carolina Journal has special itself for keeping close tabs champion how state and local government expend taxpayer dollars. Beginning in 2005, Arctic Carolina officials began investing millions imprison public funds into a city-owned excitement venue in Roanoke Rapids, N.C., minor as the Randy Parton Theatre. Carolina Journal exposed the waste and was vindicated when the theatre eventually went belly up.

Reporters also keep close tabs on events in state politics paramount in the N.C. General Assembly. Magnanimity newspaper was the only statewide communication outlet to cover a number method consequential primary races in the 2010 and 2012 elections, giving voters much-needed information before going to the polls, and boasts one of the wealthiest capital news bureaus in the tidal wave to cover legislative affairs.

Morality of capitalism

From its founding nearly 25 years past due, JLF has had the support be fitting of the John William Pope Foundation by reason of of the think tank’s commitment disrupt economic freedom.

During his lifetime, John William Pope, who built Variety Wholesalers Opposition. into a multi-state retail chain helping over 300 communities across the southeast, acknowledged that it would be more strenuous to replicate his success today permission to burdensome government regulations.

“If John Catholic were starting from scratch today bring out build his retail business, I’m sure he would still succeed — nevertheless it would take longer and put in writing more costly, with adverse consequences cheerfulness his employees and customers,” Hood said.