Director, Commonwealth Policy Center

Last week, I attended a legislative reception in Frankfort where Dr. Al Mohler, president of Southern Seminary encouraged our state leaders to do the things that lead to human flourishing, by promoting justice, righteousness and mercy. He also talked about the principle of subsidiarity. It's a big word, but it's simply "an organizing principle that matters ought to be handled by the smallest, lowest or least centralized competent authority." It means that political decisions "should be made at a local level if possible, rather than by a central authority." This idea is an important part of our political fabric. The federal government should not do what the state government can do and the state government should not do what the local government can do and the local government shouldn't do what the family can do—which truly is the most impactful of all.