Mission, Vision, Values
Mission, Vision, Values
Mission
To protect and strengthen the American Experiment by promoting a balanced constitutional republic and ensuring a fair democratic process. We are dedicated to researching and developing policies and practices that uphold the principles of representative democracy, safeguard civil liberties, and prevent the concentration of power in any single political party or individual.
Vision
A future in which the United States continues to thrive as a vibrant constitutional republic, with a robust and inclusive democracy that respects the rule of law, upholds individual freedoms, and ensures that the voices of all citizens are heard. Our vision is to prevent the erosion of democratic norms, ensuring that power remains decentralized and accountable to the people.
Values
Commitment to Democracy: We believe in the importance of free and fair elections and the principle that government derives its authority from the consent of the governed.
Constitutional Integrity: We are dedicated to upholding the U.S. Constitution as a living document, ensuring that it continues to serve as a check on power and a protector of rights; and that any evolution of the Constitution through amendment or otherwise does not degrade said check on power or protection of the people’s rights.
Nonpartisan Accountability: We advocate for accountability and transparency in governance, regardless of party affiliation, to ensure that no political entity holds undue power over the democratic process.
Diversity of Voices: We value the inclusion of diverse perspectives in the political process, believing that a healthy democracy is one where all sincere viewpoints are respected and heard.
Resilience Against Autocracy: We oppose any efforts that aim to concentrate political power permanently within one party, working instead to maintain a balance that prevents the rise of autocratic control.
Laboratories of Democracy was founded to address the systemic erosion of political accountability in the United States.
As political accountability has shifted away from constituents—to party leadership, special interests, and centralized power structures—voters increasingly lack reliable, structural means to ensure elected officials serve with transparency, integrity, and fidelity to the public interest. Laboratories of Democracy exists to reverse that drift by reviewing the root causes of accountability loss, designing and testing durable interventions that restore power to voters rather than gatekeepers, and distributing those interventions to democratic organizations for execution.
Our work is driven by the belief that a functional representative democracy requires mechanisms that align political incentives with constituent interests rather than with partisan or external pressures.
How We Operate
Laboratories of Democracy applies a disciplined research, design, and distribute methodology to systemic political problems. We treat political accountability as a structural engineering problem: identify failure points, model resilient alternatives, and rigorously evaluate outcomes. Rather than offering one-off campaigns or messaging solutions, we develop policy, certification frameworks, and institutional tools that create ratchets—interventions that are difficult to reverse once implemented. Our approach integrates continuous evaluation, adaptive iteration, and evidence-based adjustments, ensuring that solutions remain relevant across cycles and contexts. This iterative methodology positions Laboratories of Democracy as a non-partisan accountability laboratory.
Distinctive Principles and Competitive Edge
Laboratories of Democracy distinguishes itself through several core principles:
Root-Cause Focus: We address systemic accountability failures rather than surface symptoms or transactional outcomes.
Structural Solutions: Our work centers on frameworks that embed resilience and accountability into political systems, making regressions harder than forward progress.
Non-Partisan Integrity: We design tools that apply equally across political affiliations, assessing leaders on how they uphold public trust rather than who they represent.
Long Horizon Orientation: Our commitment extends beyond electoral cycles, with mechanisms that persist and adapt as political dynamics evolve.
These differences reflect a commitment to measurable change.
How We Are Structured
Laboratories of Democracy is organized to maintain operational clarity, legal compliance, and strategic focus:
Laboratories of Democracy, Inc. (501(c)(3))
Functions as the research, development, and policy design arm. This entity conducts foundational analysis, develops accountability frameworks, and produces evaluative research that informs our tools and methodologies.
The Oath of Office, Inc. (501(c)(4))
Operates as the certification and public engagement arm. Through The Oath of Office, we manage the certification process for The Politician’s Creed (TPC). Candidates and sitting officials voluntarily participate in this certification process to demonstrate commitment to core accountability principles. Certification is documented publicly and serves as a validated signal to voters that the candidate is willing to be measured against defined standards of integrity and constituent service.
The separation of entities ensures each function—research and certification—operates within appropriate legal frameworks while reinforcing the overall mission.
Email: info@laboratoriesofdemocracy.org
Mail: 6060 North Central Expressway, Suite 500, Dallas TX 75206