Blue Dog Coalition Mission Statement

Members of the Blue Dog Democratic Caucus are dedicated to the financial stability of the State of Maryland, notwithstanding partisan political positions and personal fortune and do hereby agree to organize a Caucus to serve the interests of our State. We believe:

• That a government too large and intrusive stands in the way of economic progress;
• That the burden of the Maryland taxpayer should be reduced whenever possible;
• That government, like its citizens, must live within its allotted resources;
• That government agencies are created to serve rather than to restrict and regulate the citizens of Maryland;
• That government should encourage work, personal independence over government dependence, and a free market which is not controlled, dominated and excessively regulated by the government.
• That government should always be aware that it is a creature of the public, that it answers to the public for its failures and successes and should never be so arrogant as to use its powers to diminish personal rights and freedoms.

Policy Goals:

• Fiscal Responsibility: The Blue Dogs advance commonsense, middle-of-the-road policies to put the State back on a path to long-term financial sustainability. The government should levy taxes and raise revenue in a smart, constructive and fiscally responsible way.
• Job Creation and Recovery: The Blue Dogs are primarily focused on creating a positive economic climate geared toward bolstering growth and promoting innovation. We promote policies that accelerate economic recovery, create opportunities for the Maryland middle class to rejoin the workforce and help small business owners grow their companies.
• Eliminate Duplicative and Inefficient Regulations: The Blue Dogs are dedicated to revising government programs that are duplicative or inefficient, as they can be a substantial drain on the State budget. The Blue Dogs support reorganizational changes to the government in order to streamline duplicative programs, terminate wasteful regulations and save taxpayer dollars.