President Donald Trump pauses while
speaking during a rally Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2018, in Charleston, W.Va.
(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
They were faced with the highest youth unemployment rate on record. The youth unemployment rate measures joblessness for people ages 16 to 24 who are actively seeking work.
In June 2010, 19.1 percent of young Americans seeking work were unemployed. But by last month the youth jobless figure was less than half that – 9.2 percent.
President Trump’s policies have reversed this horrific trend, rescuing our next great generation from years of despair fostered by Democrats in Washington.
Echoing partisan talking points, President Trump’s critics may be quick to question whether the administration has improved the lives of underprivileged youth. Yet, black and Hispanic youth unemployment rates have also declined, dropping to new historic lows.
The extraordinary improvement in youth employment would not be possible without President Trump’s focus on strengthening small businesses across the country. By decreasing taxes and slashing regulations, the President has unleashed our economy, creating millions of new jobs for Americans of all ages.
Less than two years after the 2016 presidential election, the U.S. economy began growing at a rate that many thought was impossible, and the overall unemployment rate has dropped to the lowest point of the century.
To promote youth employment through policy solutions, President Trump has placed a very high priority on workforce training, providing young people and other workers with new skills to prepare for new jobs in our evolving economy. Last year, he took action to get “companies, unions, industry groups and federal agencies to go out and create new opportunities for millions of citizens.”
When President Trump took office, he inherited an unprecedented crisis in higher education. This too has held young people back from advancing in their lives productively. During the previous administration, the number of graduating college seniors with debt was skyrocketing.
President Obama’s Department of Education pledged to solve the student debt crisis, but it was utterly inept in its effort to address the issue. An Education Department memorandum admitted that officials “overstated student loan repayment rates at most colleges and trade schools.”
An independent study by The Wall Street Journal later confirmed that the Education Department inflated 99.8 percent of all repayments across America. This appears to be an effort to cook the books and conceal the true crisis for young people completing their college degrees.
President Trump, on the other hand, is tackling the issue of student debt head-on, proposing to overhaul the loan servicing system and undo other failed policies implemented by the previous administration.
While everyone can agree that young Americans have suffered economically in recent years, Democrats in Washington are refusing to compromise with President Trump on reasonable measures to improve the economic condition of our youth.
A healthy economy is a foundation for a healthy future. Thanks to President Trump, the renewed confidence of businesses across America is now resulting in more jobs for young people than ever before. The economy is also growing at a record pace, ensuring that new opportunities will continue to emerge for America’s youth.
America’s young people deserve more than a mediocre future – and we now have demonstrated proof that President Trump is building a path for our success.
Charlie Kirk is the founder and executive director of Turning Point USA, an advocacy group for young conservatives.
