The Cardinal's Nest

  “I’m a native of Arizona and I grew up in Arizona public education. I love this state. I was a huge public education advocate for years. When I raised my own kids, I started to take a more active role and visited hundreds of classrooms, then I started… Read More

2020 United States Census Results On Monday, the United States Census released results of the 2020 apportionment count. The results revealed what West Virginia had forecasted for months: We will lose a Congressional seat.   This trend has continued for nearly 60 years in West Virginia,. The Mou… Read More

West Virginia Needs More Hope West Virginia has always had one big problem. We don’t have enough opportunity for everyone that needs it. No matter if it is agriculture or mining, there has yet to be an answer for the future of the Mountain State. Fortunately, the Hope Scholarship offers… Read More

Licensing and Justice Occupational licensing is a criminal justice issue. Aggressive legal strategies have left many individuals incarcerated. Once they’ve served their time, they attempt to re-enter the workforce. Regardless of any changes an individual has made in their personal life, occupa… Read More

COVID Hit Restaurants Hard 2020 was a year full of struggle for every American. Job losses, constant worries about health and wealth, and isolation generally made this year one we all want to forget. But while we are doing that, we should make sure that we don’t forget… Read More

West Virginia just made history by passing the broadest school choice program in the nation – the Hope Scholarship program. Time will be the judge of our grand experiment. However, one thing already needs to be cleared up about this program. It’s not a voucher.   Is the Hope Scholarship… Read More

On this blog we’ve written about occupational licensing reform before. For workers to freely pursue happiness, we need to reduce the red tape that stands in their way. Over the next few weeks, we’ll discuss a few options to remove those barriers to work. Today, I’d like to… Read More

Our inflated healthcare costs are one of the biggest flaws of our current system. Wherever one looks, barriers to competition, innovation, and diversification exist. Telemedicine, via its easy and low-cost operation, can help solve these problems. Sadly, too many barriers exist to this easy solution… Read More

The COVID-19 pandemic has proven to be a challenging era for education. Public schools have adapted curriculum to an at-home learning environment, and some private schools have closed their doors permanently. Many parents have responded by considering new options for their students – learning… Read More

Although a legislative win sometimes feels instantaneous, the immense amount of work behind it is seldom seen. Whether it is an Olympic sprinter crossing the finish line or a bill passing the legislature, the effort required often lies in darkness. It never mak… Read More