Ripon Forum


Vol. 48, No. 4

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In this edition

According to the latest polls, trust in government is at an all-time low. Depending on who you talk to, this may either be a good thing or a bad thing. For some on the right, it may be a good thing because it is consistent with their core belief that government has gotten too big […]

“We cannot achieve great things alone.”

We need to bridge the ever-growing chasm between the American people and their elected leaders – a rift that has been exacerbated by the Administration’s flagrant executive overreach, a loss of opportunity for middle-class Americans, and a lack of transparency that pervades the federal government.

“Republicans need to show that we can deliver.”

American voters were spectacularly supportive of Republican candidates in this year’s elections. We have 54 Republican Senators and we’ll have more Republicans in the House than at any point since Harry Truman was President. And, it could all be for nothing if we as a Party squander the opportunity we have been given by failing […]

“We can restore the trust and confidence by coming together to find common ground.”

If there is one thing that members on both sides of the aisle can agree on, it is that our country is divided politically. Members of Congress approach issues from different perspectives and come to different conclusions about the best solutions to the problems we face.

“Washington needs to be recalibrated so that it is smaller, less intrusive, and more accountable.”

While it will take substantial time to reverse the problems described above and to restore our country’s exceptionalism, we need to first focus on creating an environment for economic growth. Every piece of legislation and every federal regulation should be judged by its impact on an overarching goal of creating “more jobs and better paychecks […]

Q&A with Michael Dimock

The President of the Pew Research Center discusses the low-level of trust Americans have toward the federal government and how it compares to past years. “The perception of dysfunction in Washington, along with a persistent sense of economic insecurity, is clearly weighing down views of government. And just as with interpersonal relationships, trust in government […]

Want to Improve Trust in Government?

“Should we be surprised that so many Americans hold Congress in such low regard?” The veteran political strategist and former House leadership aide says the public’s view of government is not surprising given the vitriol they are exposed to during political campaigns.

Restore Regular Order

Regular order is Congress doing the basic work of legislating which includes deliberating in committees, engaging with stakeholders, offering and voting on amendments and ultimately passing or rejecting legislative proposals. These cornerstones of the democratic process were not hallmarks of the 113th Congress.

The Michigan Example on Immigration

Our country needs a long-term, comprehensive solution to an immigration policy that everyone knows is broken and continues to hold back our economy. It’s essential that the White House and Congress work together on an innovative approach that will address our country’s present needs as well as those long into the future.

Where Consensus Exists

Was the end of this election the beginning of a period committed to governance or merely the beginning of the 2016 campaign season, with all of the gridlock and divisiveness that implies? More to the point, can the Congress and the White House earn back the trust our citizens deserve to have in their government?

Frontrunners, Dark Horses, and the Presidential Nomination Contest

Frontrunners don’t always win, but presidential nomination contests are rarely wide-open races. Dark horses don’t emerge from the back of the pack. The 2008 winners were in second place in their respective party’s poll.

REMEMBERING BILL FRENZEL

If there are wise men left in Washington, then Bill Frenzel was most assuredly one of them. He was both a scholar and a statesman who served his country in many important ways.

Ripon Profile of Mia Love

“I ran for Congress because I believe this country is in real trouble, and it’s up to We the People to fix things before it’s too late. The people of America want a government that is transparent. Our citizens deserve to know and understand the ‘hows and whys’ for decisions made at every level of […]

The Michigan Example on Immigration

SThousands of international students graduate from Michigan colleges and universities each year, often with advanced degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields.

They have a world-class education. They have skills Michigan companies are looking for in employees and leaders to grow and thrive, creating more and better jobs. They want to stay in our state.

And our country tells them they must leave.

That just doesn’t make sense.

Our country needs a long-term, comprehensive solution to an immigration policy that everyone knows is broken and continues to hold back our economy. It’s essential that the White House and Congress work together on an innovative approach that will address our country’s present needs as well as those long into the future.

Here in Michigan, we’ve demonstrated how we can work together to solve difficult problems. We’ve made great progress and we aren’t taking our foot off the accelerator as we move forward.

We’ve got a plan that celebrates our diversity, adds to our vibrant cultural fabric and strengthens our growing economy.

We’re proud of our rich heritage of immigration, which has contributed economically and culturally to Michigan’s greatness. Look around our state and you’ll see brands known around the world, like Ford, Vlassic and Dow, founded by immigrants or their families.

Foreign-born residents are proven job-creators and we are looking to tap their entrepreneurial spirit to accelerate our recovery.

Foreign-born residents are proven job-creators and we are looking to tap their entrepreneurial spirit to accelerate our recovery.

Nationally, immigrants start businesses at twice the rate of native-born Americans. During the last decade, immigrants created nearly one-third of Michigan’s high-tech businesses, at a rate six times the rest of the population.

I’ve asked our leaders in Washington, D.C. to approve 50,000 visas over five years for immigrants to put down roots and build their lives and careers in Detroit. It’s a plan supported by Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and other city leaders. Together, we believe it will help our state’s largest and iconic city – and all of Michigan.

This plan is about creating jobs for Detroiters, as well as growing the economy and reversing the city’s population decline.

We all want Detroit to thrive. The success of the city’s Downtown and Midtown sections can extend to the neighborhoods. Letting the world know that Detroit is open for business by encouraging legal immigration is an opportunity we should not pass up.

A big part of that is reaching out to people who already have come to Michigan.

Our universities and colleges have more than 25,000 international students. They are three times more likely to major in STEM fields than American-born students. More than 82 percent of the state’s international students who use their student visas to work in the United States earned advanced degrees.

We aren’t looking for these students to take job opportunities away from native Michiganders. There is far more demand for these specialized skills than we have people able to fill them. In fact, each international student retained in the STEM fields creates about 2.5 jobs for U.S. natives.

There are needs for people with specialized skills in other fields, as well, including agriculture, manufacturing and tourism.

There is more that we can do to help people with specialized skills who want to call Michigan home. I’ve created the Michigan Office for New Americans to coordinate with state agencies that provide services for immigrants through programs concerning entrepreneurship, licensing, work force training, education, housing, health care and quality of life.

The office also is leading the Global Michigan Initiative – a collaborative statewide effort to retain and attract international talent – and developing sustainable partnerships with existing community foundations, nonprofits and private-sector service providers already serving immigrant communities statewide.

It’s all a part of making Michigan a more welcoming state and tapping the talent of skilled people who are here and want to stay.

It’s all a part of making Michigan a more welcoming state and tapping the talent of skilled people who are here and want to stay.

We must never forget that the United States – and especially Michigan – remains the land of opportunity that people in other nations dream about.

We also must never forget that we are a nation of laws. Our leaders in Washington need to make sure that our borders are secure, our employers have the ability to verify status and that those who have worked for years to follow the legal path to citizenship are treated fairly. These leaders also have to reform our current, broken system in such a way that legal immigration is the only attractive and viable path for those who aspire to become Americans.

There is no question that immigrants helped make our state great. And there also is no question that legal immigrants can continue to play an important role in Michigan long into the future.

We embrace the cultural diversity and ingenuity that our immigrants have brought throughout our history and can continue to bring under a bipartisan system that addresses our national interests and moves our state and country forward.

Rick Snyder was recently elected to his second term as the Governor of the State of Michigan.