Ideology

LOCAL AND FAIR 

LOCAL AND FAIR is a political and social ideology based on two connected ideas: local interests should have a meaningful opportunity to thrive, and public policies should be fair, lawful and respectful of everyone.

Its central policy approach is:

LOCAL FIRST AND FAIR POLICIES

The ideology seeks to strengthen the communities in which people live while recognizing that communities are connected to the wider world. A community can welcome newcomers, ideas, cultures, trade, investment, technology and innovation while protecting its local capacity, identity, resilience and legitimate opportunities.

The Meaning of LOCAL

LOCAL means that the people, organizations, resources, identity, capacity and potential of a place should receive meaningful consideration in public decisions.

Local residents and families.

Local businesses and entrepreneurs.

Local farmers, food producers and agricultural communities.

Local workers, tradespeople and professional talent.

Local artists, creators and cultural organizations.

Local schools, institutions, nonprofits and community organizations.

Local natural resources and environmental assets.

Local infrastructure, housing, transportation and public services.

Local knowledge, skills, innovation and economic capacity.

Local history, heritage, traditions and evolving community identity.

The Meaning of FAIR

FAIR means that local priorities should be pursued through policies that respect applicable law, human dignity, equal treatment, legitimate rights and reasonable opportunity.

Policies should comply with the applicable laws and constitutional or fundamental rights of the jurisdiction in which they operate.

Policies should be transparent, understandable and consistently applied.

People should not be unfairly disadvantaged because of protected personal characteristics recognized by applicable law.

Newcomers and established residents should both be treated with dignity and respect.

Fairness does not necessarily mean identical treatment. Legitimate distinctions may be appropriate when based on transparent, lawful and relevant criteria such as need, capacity, residency or program purpose.

Local economic or cultural priorities should not become arbitrary exclusion of people, businesses, cultures or ideas.

Local First and Fair Policies

LOCAL FIRST AND FAIR POLICIES is the practical policy-making approach of the ideology.

It means asking two connected questions:

1. What does this policy mean for the local community?

2. Can legitimate local priorities be pursued through a policy that is fair, lawful, transparent and respectful of rights?

The purpose is not to make local people, products or institutions win in every circumstance. The purpose is to ensure that local interests are not automatically overlooked simply because an outside option is larger, more powerful, more centralized or more convenient.