Milton Friedman Day 2013 luncheon: Challenging Occupational Licensure: Vindicating Milton Friedman’s Vision of Eliminating Barriers to Entrepreneurship

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Join the Rio Grande Foundation in
Celebrating "Milton Friedman Day"

The late economist Milton Friedman was one of history's greatest opponents of occupational licensure. In his writings and repeatedly in interviews, Friedman made the case for worker freedom and against the cartelization of various professions.

No other organization in American has done more to preserve and advance Friedman's vision of a free market in human labor than has the Institute for Justice, a libertarian public interest law firm. The organization published a detailed report on licensing laws in the 50 states "License to Work" which details licensing laws in the various states. According to the 2012 report, New Mexico has the 12th most burdensome licensing laws and is the 9th most extensively and onerously licensed state.

Unnecessary licensing laws place obstacles in front of entrepreneurs, thus making their lives more difficult, but also reducing voluntary economic activity and making us all poorer.

As part of global celebrations of Dr. Friedman's legacy and in celebration of his birthday on July 31, the Rio Grande Foundation is hosting a luncheon with Tim Keller, Executive Director of the Arizona Chapter of the Institute for Justice.

The luncheon will be held from noon to 1:00PM on Wednesday, July 31 at the Marriott Pyramid at Paseo del Norte and I-25. Cost is $25 if you register by Wednesday, July 24. Cost is $35 if you register after the 24th.

Click here to register online or send us a check with a note including the names of attendees at: PO Box 40336, Albuquerque, NM 87196. If you have questions, call us at 505-264-6090.

Tim successfully defended Mesa brake shop owner Randy Bailey, when the City sought to take his property through eminent domain so it could hand the property over to the owner of an Ace hardware store.

Among Tim's victories was his work on behalf of Christian Alf, a teenager from Tempe, Ariz., who sought to help senior citizens rat-proof their home by bending wire mesh around any openings. Until Tim stepped in on Alf's behalf, an Arizona state agency had demanded the young entrepreneur secure an exterminator's license.

Tim's legal strategy, like that of the Institute for Justice, is to fight for people's liberties not only in the court of law, but also through legislation and the media.