Week in Review: Half of America Breaks Down Barriers to Work

Imagine dedicating years of your life to mastering your profession—only to move to a new state and find your qualifications unrecognized.

It happens to thousands of Americans. But thanks to the Goldwater Institute, half of the states in the nation now allow for universal recognition of out-of-state occupational licenses. This week, North Dakota and West Virginia became the latest to enact this revolutionary reform.

It’s a good reminder that even with a new administration in Washington, D.C., it still takes action in the states to expand and defend freedoms we hold dear. Goldwater’s national movement to free workers to pursue their American Dream has already helped many thousands of people get to work—and we’ll continue standing up for the Right to Earn a Living every step of the way.

Read more here.

This Is Why We Need Transparency

Why is the Trump administration investigating the Maine Department of Education for hiding important information about students’ health and wellbeing from parents?

Maine mom Amber Lavigne knows—because she lived it. The administration’s “concerns…have already been realized with Amber’s case,” Goldwater Staff Attorney Adam Shelton writes for Fox News. Now, Goldwater is suing Amber’s local school district for deliberately keeping secrets about her 13-year-old daughter in violation of her constitutionally protected parental rights.

“At every step in Amber’s case, the school has denied, obfuscated and refused to turn over any records related to her minor child and the school social worker,” Shelton explains. Ultimately, he concludes, the “U.S. Department of Education’s investigation highlights the need for state-based policies to promote parental rights and academic transparency in public education.”

Read more at Fox News.

Men for All Time

National Review founder William F. Buckley Jr. and Senator Barry Goldwater—they’re the original icons of the modern-day freedom movement. This week, it was our honor to join our friends and supporters in celebrating their impact on history, along with Buckley’s 100^th birthday, at a special event in Phoenix.

Reflecting on the unique impact of both men on U.S. politics, Goldwater scholars and National Review luminaries explored how the principles championed by Goldwater and Buckley can be carried on by future generations.

Goldwater and Buckley left a legacy of liberty—it’s a legacy we’re proud to live out every day, in capitols and courtrooms around America.