Dear John,

Last week, I wrote to you about the American Dream, and the pieces it takes to build it. 

You may recall that we were talking about the U.S. Department of Labor, and their new rule that will make it harder to make a living as a freelancer, which has a real cost on the entrepreneurs that create amazing goods and services we all enjoy. 

Well, that story has a new development!

Our partner at Pacific Legal Foundation is challenging the DOL in federal court. They say the new rule, which will take effect in March, will “muddy the waters between who is an independent contractor and who is an employee” and “chill Americans’ ability to work by threatening businesses with ruinous civil and criminal liability.” 

I couldn’t agree more.

While I love that our partner is suing on behalf of over 2,500 freelancers ranging from writers to truck drivers—and that they’ve filed the lawsuit in my home state of Georgia—that’s not my favorite thing about this case. 

Pacific Legal Foundation has done amazing work that we’ve been proud to support through our training, grants, mentorship with a network of liberty-minded partners from around the globe. Projects of theirs we’ve funded include securing private property rights, protecting small businesses from government overreach, and eliminating government barriers to competition. 

We actually didn’t fund this specific project, though. So why am I still so excited about it?

Because we love to see our partners raise the bar and build their capacity to take on new challenges. It’s almost like being a proud parent—seeing freedom’s champions all grown up! 

You see, when Pacific Legal Foundation racks up big wins for economic freedom and private property rights—the entire worldwide freedom movement wins. Any Atlas Network partner that sets a new standard for excellence is doing their part to show others the way. 

That’s exactly what we teach through our Coach, Compete, Celebrate™ model.

If you love the work Pacific Legal Foundation is doing—and we sure do—imagine how much better the prospects for freedom could be if there were organizations as effective as they are in every state and every country around the world.

It all starts with making investments in idea entrepreneurs. Thanks to the generous people who support Atlas Network’s mission, we’ve learned over more than 40 years how to help these individuals mature into effective leaders and develop more impactful organizations. 

We drive them to engage in friendly (but spirited!) competition with their peers and to find innovative, local solutions to problems. And when they succeed, we celebrate their achievements and provide support so they can keep delivering results. 

For instance, last week we mentioned the successful efforts of Free Trade Europa, which has already blazed a trail on defending the rights of freelancers in Europe. Atlas Network may be one of the few organizations where free market peers in places as far off as Stockholm and Sacramento can get connected and trade tips on how to do a better job defending the gig economy.

Of course, we don't know yet how the courts will rule on freelancers in the U.S., but we do know that Americans will now have a voice every step of the way.

Our partners aren’t waiting around for someone else to save us. They aren’t putting their trust in politicians or bureaucrats. It’s you—and people like you, who can stand with them to save the American Dream and offer the building blocks for dreams far beyond your front door. That gives me hope. 

All my best,

Kam