About me

Welcome to my blog. My name is John R.La Plante, and I am a PolicyGuy. While public policy takes place everywhere from the neighborhood to the so-called community of nations, the emphasis of my blog lies at the level of government in the 50 states.

Since politicians are the folks who most often implement government policy, politics and policy are intertwined. Still, I do not spend much time talking about politics if by that you mean what this or that party is doing to gain an advantage in the legislative process or in the upcoming elections. Some people enjoy the game, and that's fine for them. I do a small amount of writing for Political State Report, though even there I emphasize policy questions.

Professionally, I split my time between writing for public policy institutes, and a major legal publisher. On the main page, scroll down and you will find links to some groups I have written for, including the Mackinac Center, the Maine Public Policy Institute, and the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs. Together, my clients and I have been able to bring some positive changes to public policy.

As for professional and academic training, I have an M.A. in political science from The Ohio State University. During these studies, I was struck by the success of market-driven economic policies and non-arbitrary legal systems in promoting not only economic growth, but human development. I am a member of the Editorial Freelancers Association, and participate in local groups for writers and editors.

If you'd like to send me a letter, please click here.