cloudsgre.blogg.se - Government watchdog groups

Our democratic system of government depends upon an informed citizenry and PAR not only provides citizens with information about issues but with handbooks and guides to help make their voices heard.Watchdog organizations are usually non-profit groups that view their role as critically monitoring the activities of governments, industry, or other organizations and alerting the public when they detect actions that go against the public interest.

Thus PAR’s “watchdog” role becomes increasingly important. Assuring that reforms are properly implemented often proves more difficult. Passing laws and policies is the easy part.

One of PAR’s early presidents said the organization’s main purpose is “to put constructive ideas from an independent source into the mainstream of political thinking.” PAR has been called a “merchant of vision” and the “conscience of Louisiana.”.Because of this and the fact that political change often takes years, others often get the credit for recommendations initially made by PAR. PAR plants the seed, cultivates the fields of public opinion, and lets others lobby.This, coupled with PAR’s extensive communications program, has resulted in the adoption of significant reforms first proposed by PAR. PAR is widely respected by the media, the public and public officials in the state as an unbiased source of information.

PAR’s research gets results although PAR doesn’t lobby.Issues today are increasingly complex, and the state and its citizens need PAR to help sift through the myriad of conflicting information from a growing number of special interest groups and other private and governmental sources.Permeating the list are problems that have plagued the state for a long time: the tax structure, education and governmental ethics. Louisiana has a significant number of far-reaching problems that require study.