It’s Your Move
By Dr. J. Robert McClure, JMI President & CEO
September 2011
The James Madison Institute is embarking on a most exciting moment in our organization’s history. The many accomplishments we’ve made over the past 24 years in Florida’s public policy arena have only been possible because of the steadfast dedication from citizens all across Florida – and even some beyond our state’s borders, given the national implications policy decisions here have had throughout the years.Though this move to a new headquarters is monumental – it is also strategic. Our new headquarters will locate the Institute just 60 seconds from the capitol building, give us more visibility among the competing special interests in Tallahassee, and provide us with the physical space to host policy events and regular gatherings with our members and friends.But back to history for a moment.The Institute is preparing to move into The Columns, the oldest private residence in downtown Tallahassee. Throughout its rich history, The Columns has been a bank, a boarding house, a medical practice, a private residence, a restaurant, a church, and a chamber of commerce. Each part of this building’s history is part of a story of freedom – the freedom that Floridians like you and me require to live and work the way we dream.From its first occupants in 1830 to the current JMI staff and board of directors, there is a common thread that commits those Floridians in the 19th century to us today in the 21st century: we desire to pursue our own dreams.For us at JMI, the free pursuit of that dream includes providing educational choices for every family in Florida – no matter what neighborhood they live in. It means reducing the burden of government on small business owners so they can grow their business, create more jobs, and make our state competitive – not just with Texas, but with the emerging economies of China, India, and Brazil. It means providing the highest quality medical services at the most affordable cost with the freedom to choose our own health care plan. It means making government more transparent and less intrusive so you and I can direct the path to our future, rather than some government bureaucrat in Tallahassee or Washington.In order to accomplish these dreams and build on our past success, JMI is making a strategic move – and we hope you will join us. As you browse through this newsletter, please strongly consider how you can help by making your financial pledge today. I know these are challenging times, but I trust that you will thoughtfully consider how much this gift will mean to the advancement of liberty in Florida.More than anything, we hope you will take this opportunity to imprint your name somewhere on this building – so that it will be a lasting testament to the future of freedom in Florida, just as it has been to the sound foundation of its past.
2011
