As many of you know, the main issue that I am focusing on in the Senate is revamping our broken welfare system. Discussions about public benefit reform generally focus on how we can improve people's lives and help provide everyone with the equal opportunity for success without taking away the consequences of bad decisions.

The problem in the United States of America is that many have transitioned to a mindset of equal outcome. This began under President Roosevelt with the New Deal and was further proselytized by President Johnson and his war on poverty. The outcomes of government engineering of society are clear: trillions of dollars spent and poverty remains at the same level as when it began. The reality of what government has been doing is simply shifting people between programs instead of ensuring they become self-sufficient. It is important to note here that both political parties are responsible for this.

Focusing on a holistic approach to solving the problem of poverty is the only way that we can truly lift everyone out of poverty. I agree with Speaker Paul Ryan and Senator Ron Johnson that the one-size-fits-all approach to the war on poverty doesn't work. Their efforts are focused on a new plan that empowers the states instead of attempting to fix the problem from Washington. You can read about their efforts in Speaker Ryan's plan called "A Better Way."

There are also many programs that are already working to solve the problem here in Wisconsin, but we all agree there is a long way to go. I think it is important to always remember that the government can't solve the problem. The solution lies within each individual citizen taking advantage of the unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness guaranteed by the Declaration of Independence. These are unique and privileged rights that few countries in the world protect.

1789 - The U.S. Treasury Department is established.
1864 - Union general William T. Sherman's forces occupy Atlanta.
1935 - The Labor Day Hurricane slams the Florida Keys, killing more than 400 people.
1944 - Navy pilot George H. W. Bush, later the forty-first U.S. president, is shot down and rescued in the Pacific.
1945 - Japan formally surrenders aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay, ending World War II.