The James Madison Institute (JMI) celebrates 25 years of providing trusted solutions for a better Florida in 2013. In honor of the occasion, the staff at JMI have put together the publication: 25 Moments | 25 Years: A History of The James Madison Institute highlighting the stand-out places, people and policy issues from over the years. Read the full publication here.EXCERPT: Message from the President and ChairmanFor the past 25 years, The James Madison Institute has been at the forefront of helping to shape Florida’s future. The following pages tell the story of the Institute’s most notable 25 moments over 25 years – the who, what, when, and how in terms of our accomplishments in Florida’s public policy arena.While the Institute weighs in on a whole host of issues – property rights, taxes, regulations, education, health care, transparency in government, property insurance, and others – we do so with a keen focus on economic freedom.The namesake of our organization, James Madison, said it best: “The advancement and diffusion of knowledge is the only guardian of true liberty.” As the oldest and largest free-market think tank in the Sunshine State, The James Madison Institute’s research and education efforts provide lawmakers and citizens with trusted solutions for a better Florida. We are a powerful platform for advancing liberty, a haven for innovative ideas and a gathering place for supporters of economic freedom across Florida. Every year we reach several hundred thousand young people through our civics and economics education programs to ensure that future leaders in our state remember the principles that made America the greatest of nations.Of course, none of these accomplishments would have been possible without the founder of the Institute, Dr. J. Stanley Marshall. His vision for creating a state-focused organization truly has been revolutionary. His passion for education reform has given millions of Floridians more educational options, which in turn has lifted Florida into the top 10 states in terms of academic performance.The theme of our 25th Anniversary celebrates liberty, leadership, and legacy. Liberty is central to the American experience – it is the focus of the Constitution and our Bill of Rights. Leader- ship is required to protect our liberties. This leadership is reflected throughout these pages – from political leaders like Governor Jeb Bush and Margaret Thatcher; to academic leaders like professors James Gwartney and Randall Holcombe; to leaders on our board of directors and among Institute staff; and the many donors who made this possible. The legacy of the past 25 years is the synthesis of what happens when leaders focus on liberty: we have lower taxes, less government, and more freedom.In 1787 – exactly two hundred years before The James Madison Institute was founded – our founders finished one of the most accomplished documents in world history, the U.S. Constitution. Just as that work was the beginning of an experiment in limited government, so is ours. As we celebrate our 25th anniversary, we know many challenges and battles lie ahead. The entire world is watching the Sunshine State. We must do our part to provide the path forward. If you are already a member of the Institute – we thank you for helping us reach this important milestone and ask you to continue to stand with us. If you are not yet a member, we welcome you to join us as we embark on the next 25 years. We believe we are just getting started.
