Week in Review: A Different Kind of Memorial Day

Goldwater Institute Director of National Litigation and U.S. Navy Reserve Commander Jon Riches shares his thoughts this Memorial Day:

Memorial Day will look different for many Americans this year. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, weekend excursions and large gatherings of family and friends may not be possible for those in much of the country.

But during trying times, we are reminded of how priceless freedom is, and how delicate its preservation. And on Memorial Day, we are reminded of the sober reality of its cost. This Memorial Day, the absence of some traditions will not diminish the gratitude we hold for those who paid the ultimate price defending it.

As we work to advance the principles of liberty and celebrate its many blessings, we do so with grateful hearts for the selfless few who gave their lives to advance its cause.

Please join us in remembering our nation’s fallen heroes.

The Inane and Arcane Drain on America

Across the country, many states are beginning to see a leveling off or even a decline in the number of new COVID-19 cases, but there remains much concern about the future of Americans’ health. What can we learn about the impact of the coronavirus outbreak on our healthcare system, and what can we do to make healthcare more responsive to America’s needs?

“If any good comes out of the COVID-19 pandemic, it may be that it forces policymakers to rethink some of their arcane rules that have stifled medical innovation, drug development, and the ability to provide healthcare where and when it is needed,” Goldwater Institute National Investigative Journalist Mark Flatten writes this week at In Defense of Liberty. Flatten says that now is not the time for too much red tape—instead, policymakers should pursue ways to loosen regulations. Goldwater Institute policies like Free Speech in Medicine, for example, are among those that can help our country recover from COVID-19—this law protects doctors and drug companies that share truthful information about the off-label uses of FDA-approved medications.

You can read more from Flatten here—and more about Goldwater’s work to strengthen truth in medicine here.

Let’s Protect Home-Based Businesses

Coronavirus is forcing many Americans to work from home. But did you know that in many cities, running a business from your home is a crime? It’s just another example of government shutting down our freedoms—but there’s something we can do about it.

In a recent teleforum, Goldwater Institute President and CEO Victor Riches and Executive Vice President Christina Sandefur discussed how cities are putting people out of business and how the Goldwater Institute is fighting to protect the American Dream.

Watch this Goldwater Institute teleforum above. You can learn more about what can be done to protect home entrepreneurship here.

THURSDAY: Lessons for Success Teleforum

With school closures sweeping across the nation this spring, America has been left to grapple with unparalleled disruption to its K-12 education system. Yet amid the challenges, many parents, policymakers, and school leaders around the country have risen to the occasion, shifting educational innovation into full throttle. What shapes have these success stories taken, and what opportunities do they offer families going forward?

The Goldwater Institute hosts its next teleforum this Thursday, featuring Love Your School founder and Executive Director Jenny Clark and Goldwater Institute Director of Education Policy Matt Beienburg. Clark and Beienburg will be discussing how educational innovations can help K-12 students in the age of COVID-19.

Click here to register for this special teleforum—we hope you can join us this Thursday!