Purpose and OutreachThe Common Sense Institute of New Jersey is in the business of selling ideas, because, as Richard Weaver wrote, “ideas have consequences.” The Institute will provide a forum for the exchange of views and a laboratory for developing ideas into practical public policy solutions. The Institute will provide the policymaking community and opinion leaders with timely, impartial research by regularly publishing and distributing commentaries, data and fresh approaches to seemingly intractable problems.
Commentaries will be brief one- to two-page opinion pieces addressing current issues. The emphasis will be on bringing facts and logical thinking to the public debate. The Institute will seek to syndicate featured authors to local news outlets throughout the state.
Issue Briefs will be in-depth analyses of timely problems facing New Jersey. These comprehensive research papers will propose solutions to problems presently or soon-to-be facing state and local leaders.
Emerging Issues Events will be breakfasts, lunches or one-day conferences bringing together state and local leaders from the public and private sectors to address issues that will soon confront the state.
Laboratories of Democracy will feature lectures and research from experts from other states on proven market solutions to problems similar to those facing New Jersey.
The Visiting Lecture Series will feature prominent national figures addressing state and local policymakers and opinion leaders.
Sensible Solutions will be radio spots that will be produced to promote and reinforce the Institute’s free-market approach to public policy problems. Here in New Jersey we’ll target the key complementary talk show outlets, specifically Millennium Radio New Jersey.
In addition, the President and staff will give talks to a broad range of groups throughout the state. Institute staff and authors will also be available to testify before the legislature, as well as to provide one-on-one and small group briefings to policymakers and the media. It is expected that Institute leadership will meet with the editorial boards of newspapers throughout New Jersey and regularly appear on talk radio and television.
Coalition Building
To help achieve the goal of promoting sensible free-market policies, the Institute will collaborate with other groups and individuals when possible. One of the initial priorities will be to identify potential traditional and non-traditional partners among the nonprofit organizations, grassroots groups and other organizations that share a common goal on an Institute project. The aim is to achieve results through this coordinated activity that might not otherwise be achievable. In order to take advantage of existing relationships, we intend to work closely with the New Jersey Taxpayers Alliance www.njtaxalliance.org organization members as they are a natural set of allies on the key fiscal issues impacting on the citizens and businesses in New Jersey.
