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"As a nation, we must never tire of reaching sound policies through bipartisanship, vigorous but honest debate and a healthy respect for the other fellow's point of view. It may seem old fashioned in today's acrid political atmosphere, but it is exactly what the American people expect of their leaders."
-Howard H. Baker
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Purpose
The Howard Baker Forum was established in Washington, D.C. to provide a platform for examining specific, immediate, critical issues affecting the nation's progress at home and its relations abroad. Originally established under the leadership of Senator Baker, the Forum continues to organize a variety of programs and research projects to examine and illuminate public policy challenges facing the nation today.
Philosophy
Senator Baker's distinguished service in the U.S. Senate and as Chief of Staff during the Reagan Administration was dedicated to sound governance through reasoned consensus founded upon an agreed set of facts. It is in this spirit that The Howard Baker Forum was founded – to contribute to the process of fact finding and consensus building to help solve critical problems facing the nation.
In governance, wrote James Madison in Federalist No.14, the government should never disregard as touchstones of sound policy "the suggestions of their own good sense, the knowledge of their own situation, and the lessons of their own experience." Sorting out these "suggestions" in today's modern world of advocacy and spin is a daunting challenge. The Howard Baker Forum serves as a neutral ground for examining the issues and finding creative solutions to pressing national problems.
For More Information
Visit the Howard Baker Forum's website at http://www.howardbakerforum.org.