Americans chose a free enterprise system designed to provide a quality of opportunity, not compel a quality of results. And that is why this is only place in the world where you can open up a business in the spare bedroom of your home.

For those who aspire to live in a high cost, high tax, big government place, our nation and the world offers plenty of options. Vermont, Canada and Venezuela all offer you the opportunity to live in the socialist, big government paradise you long for.

Despite our differences, I know that both Republicans and Democrats love America.

We live in a society obsessed with public opinion. But leadership has never been about popularity.

This is the only country in the world where today's employee, is tomorrow's employer.

Climate is always evolving, and natural disaster have always existed.

Everything that I will ever accomplish, I owe to God, to my parent's sacrifices, and to the United States of America.

Leadership can not be measured in a poll or even in the result of an election. It can only be truly seen with the benefit of time. From the perspective of 20 years, not 20 days.

The American Dream is a term that is often used but also often misunderstood. It isn't really about becoming rich or famous. It is about things much simpler and more fundamental than that.

It's troubling that by eliminating weekend voting hours, the state of Ohio specifically banned a popular voting time of choice for minorities. In Cuyahoga County, which I represent, 56 percent of weekend voters in 2008 were African American while adult African Americans comprise 28 percent of the county population.

More than a quarter of mortgage borrowers are underwater, and 11 percent of all homes are vacant.

Remnants of the foreclosure crisis linger everywhere.

There are corporations in this nation, some of the biggest corporations in this nation, who do not pay taxes.

All artists deserve compensation for their work, including musicians.

We must combat ill-advised conservative-led state legislation by encouraging every eligible person you know to vote.

It's our moral obligation, as well as, I believe, it is the government's obligation to take care of its people.

At present, our country needs women's idealism and determination, perhaps more in politics than anywhere else.

Our economic, civil, and constitutional rights are being challenged and, frankly, they are being lost.

If we are to learn anything from the tragic death of Michael Brown, we must first acknowledge that we have a race issue we are not addressing.

I am certainly humbled to receive the American Voice Award and join the ranks of so many people that I admire.

The most important thing is you have to want to do something for somebody other than yourself.

We need to have a discussion on race, but we also need to have a discussion on how we are treating poor and minority people in this country.

Where was the closure for Michael Brown's parents?

I think that there is not any group of people in this country who do not believe that they should be a part of the process.