Opinion Editorial
The scope of this heinous crime is not limited to faraway countries -- it happens right here in Michigan and across the United States.
Each year, as many as 300,000 children in the United States are at risk for sexual exploitation in what has become a $9.8 billion criminal enterprise.
Michigan families work hard to get ahead, but for far too many, a chance at the American Dream is slipping out of reach.
President Obama may sound good talking about "middle class economics," but in reality many of his policies have done more harm than good.
There are many reasons why the Internal Revenue Service is perhaps the least-loved agency in America -- a tax code so complex that it seems like you need an advanced degree to understand it, the dreaded audit process and revelations that certain groups have been targeted based on their political beliefs.
That number represents the most threats to start a new Congress since 1985 when the practice of issuing formal veto threats began.
The history-making doesn't stop there. President Obama also made more specific veto threats in his recent State of the Union address than any such address since World War II.
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.