"The Common Good"

What is the significance of having 'ethics of individual rights" in connection to "ethics of the common good"?  Is the connection meant to relate to the common good as in the ploitical world or in the actual so called "goodness" of a culture/society as a whole.  Basically, the article begins claiming social rights can relate to rights that are assumed equal and fair for everyone, which is by obvious means the best way to go. In the article it is mentioned as specific examples of these "common goods" are, "... parts of the common good include an accessible and affordable public health care system, and effective system of public safety and security, peace among the nations of the world, a just legal and political system, and unpolluted natural environment, and a flourishing economic system."  This to me shows that they are basically precautions made to to ensure the well being and protection of the American people, the most important of issues on the governtment.  It is also mentioned that solid health and positive education/educational influences are important to maintain this so called "common good" in equillibrium with actual individuals rights and minipulative political minipulation.  There is doubt in my mind that the "common good" would appear solely off of the betterness of the country and individual citizens who make up the population, because that would be niave of me to believe because of the minipulative nature of most politicans.  Past events where there had been corruption and minipulation in government have proven that not all acts/bills/laws passed and said constitutional by the system are for the best of the people necessarily as much as they are for the betterment of say economy or government budget.  For instance the taxes being raised on property maybe won't be best for individuals because they are losing income, but are best for the counrtry as a whole with proper spending and planning by the government with the money.  My thoughts are still confused on the rest of the essay but I remain confident in my newly found opinion on the "common good".