For government officials — Resolved, to read our constitutions and my oath of office and pursue no action that is not in strict
fidelity to those documents; to pursue no policy that benefits my constituents at the expense of anyone else's; to maintain a voting record that matches my speeches; to acknowledge that government is the means of protecting my constituents' rights and freedoms and not the means by which some constituents acquire resources from others; to spend public monies and exert government authority with complete transparency, subject to the greatest public scrutiny and highest moral standards.

For candidates for public office — Resolved, to campaign on policy issues and not personalities and platitudes; to prepare, if elected, to resist strong pressures to serve "the system" instead of the people; to never sacrifice lofty principles of my campaign to gain a single vote, dollar or day in office.

For leaders of businesses, religious and other private institutions — Resolved, to remind public officials and candidates that I represent the sector of society that produces the wealth and social capital from which everyone benefits; to expect government to act as an impartial referee and not an active participant in the market; to refuse to seek government protection of my interests at the expense of others; to educate those I lead in sound principles of government.

For citizens — Resolved, to remember Thomas Jefferson's observation that the price of liberty is eternal vigilance; to withhold support from those who promise people like me special government favors, or something for nothing, or to foist today's problems on our children and grandchildren; to actively support those who advance sound policies; to educate our children on the proper role of government and the awful consequences of its abuses.

For supporters of liberty and the Mackinac Center — Resolved, to remember that those who have actively fought for freedom and provided for its support have always been few in number; to be quick to tell the Mackinac Center how it can better advance liberty; to receive the Mackinac Center's grateful thanks; and to remember that even if we friends of limited government are outspent, we are not outgunned. Our principles inspired the revolution that wrested control of a continent from the world's lone superpower in 1776.

For myself — Revolved, to live by the Golden Rule; to work diligently at the high calling of restoring government to its proper role; to care more about getting the job done than getting the credit; to deploy our supporters' resources prudently, frugally and precisely where they will have the greatest impact; to make my board and coworkers glad to labor alongside me; to persevere and never give in to discouragement; and to seek God's strength for these things.

Happy New Year!