When we get caught up in the mechanics of policy--cap and trade versus tax, premium assistance versus regulatory relief, and so forth--it's easy to lose sight of fundamental guiding principles.

The Mississippi Center for Public Policy offers a reminder of some core ideas that should shape any attempt to make public policy. Governing by Principle: A Framework for Governing (PDF) proclaims and then explains ten principles that policy makers and shapers should keep in mind.

Some libertarian-minded individuals won't necessarily approve of principle 9 ("Government has a responsibility to protect the foundational institution of society: the marriage-based, two-parent family"). But adhering to the principles in this 24-page booklet would do a lot to cut down on the hundreds or even thousands of pages of state budgets.