Opinion Editorial
In my office sits a "U.S. debt clock" which tracks each dollar added to our debt. The debt clock has only ticked upwards in large part due to wasteful spending and harmful government regulations. By pushing back against Washington's excess and promoting commonsense rules, I believe we can reverse this trend, increase opportunity and enable more take-home pay for all hardworking taxpayers.
Balancing the needs of work and family can be tough. A job is necessary to provide for the needs of your household while families also require your time and attention.
While there will never be a perfect formula for the work/life balance, one key lies in giving workers the flexibility to make the right choice for themselves, and their families.
Many employers already provide flexible hours for workers and technology has made it easier to adjust schedules so that they benefit both employee and employer.
A functional job training system is critical to helping connect employers with people in our community who are looking for work. Unfortunately, the existing system is broken. According to a February report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 11 million Americans are currently looking for work, while millions of jobs available right now go unfulfilled because of the skill gaps.
A higher education degree is increasingly critical to attaining financial stability and career success later in life. Gone are the days when just a high school degree could easily lead to a well-paying job and a comfortable middle class life. While Michigan's great paying careers now require additional training at universities, colleges, and other technical educational facilities, the high cost of obtaining that degree is often a barrier.
Putting my own personal opinions aside is part of what I do as a journalist and so during these meetings I took everything I heard with a grain of salt as most of the discussions were between like-minded people who were upset with how the ACA has been implemented thus far.
Graduating from high school greatly increases the chances of finding and keeping a job later in life. Unfortunately, current trends paint a bleak picture, as nearly 30 percent of students across Michigan fail to graduate and in Jackson County Public Schools the number is even higher. Everyone recognizes problems with our current system, but we differ on solutions. Instead of just spending more money on a broken system, it's time we address the onerous federal mandates that limit classroom innovation.
As the president's health care law unravels, more individuals and small businesses are coming forward with their experiences of how new health care rules and regulations are hurting them through increased premiums, the loss of health plans they like and uncertainty about how to plan for the future.
Last week, the Department of Labor announced that 347,000 people dropped out of the workforce in December, making the Labor Force Participation Rate stand at a meager 63-percent– the lowest level since the Carter Administration. While such statistics give us a general picture of large groups of people, for that one person without a job and struggling to make ends meet, the Labor report is more than a new data point. It is a personal crisis.
After months of wrangling, Congress is moving toward a resolution on the contentious farm bill that sets a broad range of agriculture policies.
A House and Senate conference report on the bill is forthcoming. Michigan Sen. Debbie Stabenow, who chairs the Senate agriculture committee, has expressed confidencea deal will be reached.
Each day I receive letters and emails from constituents who are being hurt by the President's health care law — and it's no wonder.
In the first six weeks since the law was launched, 225,000 Michigan residents received notices that their health insurance plans were canceled, despite President Obama's numerous promises that "if you like your health plan, you can keep it." But more than broken promises, too many people across Michigan and the country will now be paying higher premiums, losing their coverage, or be unable to see their preferred doctors because of this onerous law.