Plus tax talk, work incentives and free-market healthcare solutions Top Picks is our weekly update. To receive more frequent content from the Badger Institute’s experts – or share with us your policy areas of interest – CLICK HERE Badger Institute Viewpoint The compass parents owe kids by Patrick McIlheran When a certain past-his-prime candidate for governor in Virginia last fall gaffed, “I don’t think parents should be telling schools what they should teach,” the shocker was how many progressives chose to be his backup chorus. Terry McAuliffe choked. His many defenders revealed their souls. Michigan’s Democratic Party huffed that schools oughtn’t teach children “only what parents want” but, rather, “what society needs them to know.” An education professor in a Washington Post story attributed parents’ objections to a “paranoid style” of politics. He and his co-author lectured those paranoiacs that “the structure of schooling cannot simply replicate in every particularity the values and beliefs of a child’s home.” They approvingly noted that education “may well divide child from parent,” presumably if those parents have beliefs that education professors dislike. Read the full column here Latest Free Exchange Podcast: Tax Reform States with competitive tax structures are attracting residents and businesses from high-tax neighbors. Can Wisconsin get in on the act? The Tax Foundation’s Katherine Loughead and Scott Manley of Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce join Badger Institute President Mike Nichols to discuss the challenges posed by Wisconsin’s tax structure as well as reforms – income tax elimination, flat tax adoption, bracket consolidation – that would benefit Wisconsin residents, grow the economy and attract more people to the state. Listen to our latest podcast, "A tax reform path to prosperity" Inside the Capitol “Everyone has seen the enormous amount of ‘help wanted’ signs throughout Wisconsin. Employers are desperate to fill vacant jobs, and the lack of willing workers has reached crisis levels. There’s an abundance of high-wage jobs and a large number of workers available. The Stronger Workforce Initiative will help remove the government-created barriers between the two.” Sen. Chris Kapenga (R-Delafield) discussing a newly introduced, seven-bill package aimed at addressing Wisconsin’s employee shortage. The bills focus on tightening eligibility for unemployment, FoodShare and Medicaid. One of the bills in this Stronger Workforce Initiative package requires the Wisconsin Department of Health Services to implement a work requirement for able-bodied adults without dependents. The work of Angela Rachidi, an American Enterprise Institute scholar and Badger Institute visiting fellow, was instrumental in the drafting of this legislation. “Wisconsin policymakers urgently need to address the worker shortage — and the growth of reliance on government programs — if the state is to fully recover from the pandemic-induced recession,” Rachidi wrote in a Badger Institute commentary last November. “A key part of the solution will be rolling back expansions to government benefits and reinstating work incentives.” Dental Therapy: A Free-Market Healthcare Solution Click here to watch Badger Institute Senior Vice President Michael Jahr joined a panel of experts discussing the importance of expanding dental therapy opportunities, which would broaden access for those seeking affordable dental work as well as grow jobs in our state. Weekly Survey Do you believe parents should have a direct influence in what their children learn in school? Answer below! Yes No What We're Reading City Journal: Growth, not equality Cato Institute: School closures have been made with politics in mind — not science Empower Wisconsin: Legislature looks to take back power after Evers' spending orgy Washington Examiner: Yet another study shows why student debt 'cancellation' is a scam Our work in advancing free markets, opportunity and prosperity in the Badger State is only made possible by generous donations from our supporters. We never have, and never will, accept government funding. Donate online or email Angela Smith, Director of Development. The Badger Institute is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization. Donate Now Catch up on Diggings A standard bearer of conservative thought in the Badger State, our biannual Diggings magazine takes an in-depth look at policy and cultural issues that affect Wisconsin residents. Click here to read Diggings. Read Now Badger Institute | 700 W Virginia St, Suite 301, Milwaukee, WI 53204 www.badgerinstitute.org Unsubscribe [email protected] Update Profile | About Constant Contact Sent by [email protected] in collaboration with Try email marketing for free today!