About – Mackinac Center

<!DOCTYPE html> <html lang="en"> <head> <meta charset="utf-8" /> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0" /> <title>About – Mackinac Center</title>  <link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" href="/rss" /> <meta property="og:title" content="About" /> <meta property="og:site_name" content="Mackinac Center" /> <meta property="og:locale" content="en_US" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://www.mackinac.org/about" /> <meta property="og:type" content="article" /> <meta property="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image" /> <meta property="og:image" content="https://www.mackinac.org/media/images/2022/sizes/320w/AboutUsThumbnail.jpg" /> <meta name="keywords" content="About, Purpose, Staff, Contact, Location, accomplishments" /> <script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-4Q607QFF7P"></script> <script> window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag() { dataLayer.push(arguments); } gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'G-4Q607QFF7P', { 'canonical_host': 'www.mackinac.org' }); 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justify-content: space-between; flex-direction: column; } .local-staff img { height: 15em; position: absolute; bottom: 0; right: 6em; } .local-staff .content-inner { flex-direction: row; } .local-staff .local-signature { height: 3em; position: absolute; bottom: 8em; right: 0; } .local-staff span { display: block; text-align: center; position: absolute; bottom: 7em; right: 0; font-size: 88%; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Arial', 'Helvetica', sans-serif; } .local-staff span i { display: block; } .local-staff .local-part-a { margin: 2em 0; } .local-staff .local-part-a .local-staff-a a { text-decoration: none; } .local-staff .local-part-b { position: relative; height: 14em; width: 20em; } @media (max-width: 860px) { .local-staff .content-inner { flex-direction: column; } } .section-edit { display: none; } </style> <div class='article'> <div style="background: #EEF5F6;"> <div class="site-section"> <div class="local-nav-a"> <a href="#purpose">Purpose</a> <span>|</span> <a href="/accomplishments">Accomplishments</a> <span>|</span> <a href="/people">Staff</a> <span>|</span> <a href="#contact">Contact</a> </div> </div> </div> <div class="site-section"> <div class="local-purpose" id="purpose"> <div class="local-text"> <h2>Our Purpose</h2> <p>The Mackinac Center for Public Policy is a nonprofit research and educational institute that advances the principles of free markets and limited government. Through our research and education programs, we challenge government overreach and advocate for free-market approaches to public policy that free people to realize their potential and their dreams.</p> <p>Since 1987, we have been a champion for freedom for the residents of Michigan and beyond, from <a href="/17414">hot dog stands</a> and <a href="//www.michigancapitolconfidential.com/19295">food trucks</a> ... to parents seeking <a href="/21531">education choice</a> ... to <a href="//www.michigancapitolconfidential.com/teachers-victorious-in-quest-to-leave-MEA">workers exercising union rights</a> ... to <a href="/state-forces-hotels-inns-to-fund-tourism-bureaus">overtaxed business owners</a> and <a href="/21398">entrepreneurs</a> fighting for a level playing field. With them and others, we work to advance a freer and more prosperous state.</p> </div> <img src="/media/images/2018/about-purpose.jpg" /> </div> </div> <div class="local-vision"> <div class="site-section"> <div class="local-text"> <p>Government doesn’t create prosperity. People do. <nobr>We all</nobr> benefit when people are free to use their skills, knowledge and resources in the best way possible.</p> <p>To that end, the Mackinac Center rejects the idea that government is the solution to all problems. In our research and educational programs, we consider:</p> <p><b>All People.</b> Our research recognizes the diversity of all people and treats them as individuals with unique backgrounds, situations and goals. People know how to allocate their resources better than government ever could.</p> <p><b>All Institutions.</b> Voluntary associations, businesses, communities and families all play important roles in a prosperous state and nation, as well as government.</p> <p><b>All Disciplines.</b> Mackinac Center research incorporates the best understanding of economics, science, law, history and morality — moving beyond mere cost/benefit analyses.</p> <p><b>All Times.</b> We evaluate long-term consequences of policy decisions on all people, not simply short-term impact on a few.</p> </div> </div> <div class="local-accomplishments"> <h2><a href="/accomplishments">Accomplishments</a></h2> <p><a href="/accomplishments">How we are making Michigan a freer and more prosperous state.</a></p> </div> </div> <style> .local-need-a-speaker { border: .1em solid #0D6C84; border-radius: 1em; color: #0D6C84; margin: 5em 0 1em; text-align: center; position: relative; } .local-need-a-speaker h2 { font: inherit; font-size: 200%; margin: -.7666666667em 0 0; } .local-need-a-speaker h2 a { background: white; display: inline-block; padding: 0 .75em; } .local-need-a-speaker > a { display: block; margin: .25em 1.5em 1.5em; border: .4em solid #0D6C84; } .local-need-a-speaker > a img { display: block; } .local-need-a-speaker > a:after { content: ''; position: absolute; background: no-repeat 55% center/auto 60% url(/media/images/common/arrow-white-right.svg) #0D6C84; width: 2.5em; height: 2.5em; border-radius: 1.25em; margin: -1.25em; left: 50%; bottom: -.05em; } </style> <div class="site-section content-inner"> <div class="local-need-a-speaker"> <h2><a href="/need-a-speaker">Need a Speaker?</a></h2> <a href="/need-a-speaker"><img src="/media/images/2024/Speakerpage_Art.jpg" alt="" srcset="/media/images/2024/Speakerpage_Art.jpg 1x, /media/images/2024/Speakerpage_Art%402x.jpg 2x"></a> </div> </div> <div class="site-section content-inner"> <div class="local-purpose local-purpose2"> <div class="local-text"> <p>Committed to its independence, the Mackinac Center neither seeks nor accepts any government funding. It enjoys the support of foundations, individuals and businesses who share a concern for Michigan’s future and recognize the important role of free markets and economic liberty.</p> <p><i>The Center is a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.</i></p> <p><a href="/donate?source=MCPP/about"><img style="margin-top: 0.65em;" src="/media/images/2018/about-donate.png" /></a></p> </div> <img src="/media/images/2018/about-building.jpg" /> </div> </div> <style> .local-serf { margin: 3em 0; text-align: center; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Arial', 'Helvetica', sans-serif; } .local-serf img { vertical-align: middle; margin-right: .75em; width: 3em; height: 3em; } .local-serf span { display: inline-block; vertical-align: middle; } @media (max-width: 700px) { .local-serf span { width: 20em; text-align: left; } } </style>  <div class="local-staff"> <div class="site-section content-inner"> <div class="local-part-a"> <p class="local-staff-a"><a href="/people">Meet the Staff</a></p> <p>Interested in <a href="/careers">Employment Opportunities</a>?</p> </div> <div class="local-part-b"> <a href="/bio.aspx?ID=1"><img src="/media/images/2018/about-lehman.png.jpg"/> <img class="local-signature" src="/media/images/2018/about-joe-signature.svg"/> <span>Joseph G. Lehman <i>President</i></span></a> </div> </div> </div> <style> .local-contact { margin: 3em 0; min-height: 28em; } .local-contact h2 { font: inherit; font-size: 300%; } .local-contact .address, .local-contact .email, .local-contact .phone { padding-left: 2em; background: no-repeat .08em .25em/1em auto url(/include/images/address.svg); } .local-contact .email { background-position: 0 .375em; background-size: 1.2em auto; background-image: url(/include/images/email.svg); } .local-contact .phone { background-image: url(/include/images/phone.svg); } .local-contact .map { position: absolute; top: 0; right: 0; width: 28em; padding-bottom: 28em; margin: 0; } .local-contact .map iframe { position: absolute; width: 100%; height: 100%; } @media (max-width: 850px) { .local-contact .map { margin-top: 2em; position: relative; width: 100%; padding-bottom: 100%; } } </style> <div id="contact" class="local-contact"> <div class="site-section"> <h2>Contact</h2> <p class="address"> <b>Mackinac Center for Public Policy</b> <br />140 West Main Street, P.O. Box 568 <br />Midland, Michigan 48640 </p> <p class="email"> <a href="mailto:mcpp@mackinac.org">mcpp@mackinac.org</a> </p> <p class="phone"> <a href="tel:1-989-631-0900">(989) 631-0900</a> (voice) <br />(989) 631-0964 (fax) </p> <p class="map"><span class="inline-video" style="height: 0; padding-bottom: 81.81818181818181%;"><iframe src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m18!1m12!1m3!1d2888.6632333383154!2d-84.24822938413138!3d43.613553079122696!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x8823d51925db3c6b%3A0xd3d536bf9938f9ab!2s140+W+Main+St%2C+Midland%2C+MI+48640!5e0!3m2!1sen!2sus!4v1449512559677" width="440" height="360" frameborder="0" style="border:0" allowfullscreen></iframe></span></p> </div> </div> </div> <script type="text/javascript"> mcpp.initEnlarging(document.querySelectorAll('.about-intro a.watch')); </script> <div class="site-footer hidden-links"> <div class="site-section"> <h2><a href="https://www.mackinac.org"><img src="/include/images/logo-dark.svg" width="300" alt="Mackinac Center for Public Policy" /></a></h2> <p class="nav"> <a class="donate" href="/donate?source=MCPP/footer">Donate</a> <span class="d">|</span> <a href="/about">About</a> <span class="d">|</span> <a href="/blog">Blog</a> <span class="d">|</span> <a href="/pressroom">Pressroom</a> <span class="d br-3">|</span> <a href="/publications">Publications</a> <span class="d br-2">|</span> <a href="/careers">Careers</a> <span class="d">|</span> <a href="/sitemap">Site Map</a> <span class="d br-3">|</span> <a href="/email-signup">Email Signup</a> <span class="d">|</span> <a href="/about#contact">Contact</a> </p> <p class="social"> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MackinacCenter"><img alt="Facebook" height="30" src="/include/images/social/facebook-dark.svg" /></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/MackinacCenter"><img alt="X" height="30" src="/include/images/social/twitter-dark.svg?v=2" /></a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/MackinacCenter"><img alt="YouTube" height="30" src="/include/images/social/youtube-dark.svg" /></a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mackinaccenter/"><img alt="Instagram" height="30" src="/include/images/social/instagram-dark.svg" /></a> <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/2I80kygy2treBh6GfW1jag"><img alt="Overton Window Podcast" height="30" src="/include/images/social/spotify-dark.svg" /></a> </p> <p class="contact"> <a class="phone" href="tel:1-989-631-0900"><nobr>(989) 631-0900</nobr></a> <span class="d">|</span> <span class="address"><nobr>140 W. Main Street</nobr> <nobr>Midland, MI 48640 P.O. Box 568</nobr></span> <span class="d">|</span> <a class="email" href="mailto:mcpp@mackinac.org">mcpp@mackinac.org</a> <span class="d">|</span> <span class="copyright"><nobr>© 2025</nobr> <nobr>Mackinac Center for Public Policy</nobr></span> </p> </div> </div> </body> </html>

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About – Mackinac Center