Opinion Editorial

As we take time this week to pay tribute to our military men and women who have returned home from the battlefield, I hope you will make the day more personal by reflecting on individuals in our community – whether a relative, neighbor or friend – who volunteered to put on a uniform and serve in defense of our great nation.

I've been personally inspired by the story of Samuel MacDonald Worthington, a 1934 graduate of Jackson High School who left his position as a draftsman and tool designer to enlist in the Navy.

Imagine you are driving down the highway on your way to buy a car. You spent months researching years, makes and models, and you finally found somebody who was selling the exact ride you were looking for at a reasonable price. Suddenly, police pull you over for allegedly going 37 mph in a 35 mph zone. Upon discovering the $8,500 in cash you have on hand, the officers take you to jail and threaten to charge you with money laundering unless you turn over the money. Frightened, you give it to them.

Our country has long been predicated on and flourished under the belief that a good, honest day's work brings success. As many families continue to struggle under one of the slowest economic recoveries in decades, we are reminded daily that America can't work if enough Americans aren't working. We need a healthy economy that grows all types of jobs – salaried, hourly, full-time or part-time –and reflects the diversity of our country's workers and workforce needs.

The U.S. contains more oil, coal and natural gas resources than any other nation in the world, yet hardworking families across Michigan are still struggling to pay the price at the pump. With these abundant resources and a workforce yearning for new opportunities, Americans shouldn't be forced to choose between filling the gas tank or putting food on the table.

For many Americans, the dream of a comfortable middle-class existence seems increasingly out of reach. I've heard from many people at my town hall meetings and coffee hours who are disappointed with the inability of a big federal government to help bring the dream back. Washington is actually making it tougher to make ends meet through misguided policies which raise household costs while decreasing take-home pay.

Nearly 2 million students graduated from college or a university last year yet, in spite of reaching a major milestone, many of these college graduates are struggling to find work that reflects their skill set. In the latest jobs report, the unemployment rate for 20- to 24-year-olds totaled 11.9 percent — almost double the national average. Young people are tired of worrying about the economy as they realize that the best solution to their economic troubles is a good-paying job.

Each year, millions of men, women and children as young as 12 years old are trafficked around the world and even here in the U.S. Because combatting this issue is so important to me I recently held a human trafficking forum with local officials to discuss what we're doing to end these heinous crimes, and by the sheer number of you who attended can tell it's important to you too. Human trafficking is no longer an issue that happens in foreign countries; it's in our backyard and must be addressed.