Op-Eds

Op-eds 05/31/2012
Politico: Unlike Obama, Scott Walker delivers
<b>Originally printed in Politico, May 31st, 2012</b> Starting Wednesday, most of the folks I know in Wisconsin will be looking forward to a well-earned respite from what seems like a permanent campaign. Instead of taking a break from politics between elections, Wisconsin has for months been dealing with fugitive legislators, ugly protests, legal challenges and a series of recall contests allegedly aimed at overturning Gov. Scott Walker’s legislative agenda. There’s virtually no possibility that his successful reforms will be overturned, so one has to wonder: What exactly is the point of Tuesday’s recall vote?
Op-eds 04/30/2012
CNN: Obama, Democrats not serious about passing budget
<b>Originally printed on CNN.com, April 30th, 2012</b> The U.S. government is the largest financial entity in the world. Nothing else comes close. On Sunday, April 29, it will be exactly three years since the U.S. Senate passed a budget. If you own or work for a small business that has a loan from a bank, I'm quite sure your business has a budget -- and a rather detailed budget at that. Every year around tax time, many American families sit down to fill out tax forms, estimate their income, and set spending priorities for the upcoming year. It's the responsible thing to do.
Op-eds 03/26/2012
The Hill: Getting Cybersecurity Right
<b>Originally published in The Hill, March 26th, 2012</b> Our nation’s computer systems are vulnerable to online attack. This is a growing threat to our economy and our national security. American businesses understand this threat — this is why last year they invested more than $80 billion in the security of their computer networks. I came to Washington as the CEO of a manufacturing company. I know firsthand that the private sector is choking on a torrent of federal regulations. Job creators face a $1.75 trillion — and growing — regulatory burden. In his first three years, President Obama issued 106 regulations that each had more than a $100 million impact on the private sector, and hundreds more that imposed smaller but still heavy burdens.
Op-eds 03/21/2012
Wall Street Journal: ObamaCare's Costs Are Soaring
<b>Originally printed in the Wall Street Journal, March 21st, 2012</b> We already know the rosy budget estimates used to sell the law were wrong. One year after the passage of ObamaCare, this paper published an op-ed I wrote ("ObamaCare and Carey's Heart") about how America's health-care system saved my daughter's life, and describing how implementing this law will limit innovation, lead to rationing, and lower the quality of care. Now, two years out, I would like to focus on the budgetary disaster.
Op-eds 03/16/2012
Politico: Time for a cut, cap & balance budget
<b>Originally printed in Politico, March 16th, 2012 </b> The most important policy imperative in the world today is for the United States to balance its budget. Though the reasons we must do so are economic, the reasons we should are fundamentally moral. Everything our republic means to our citizens, and everything America means to the world – friend and foe alike – depends on our ability to pay our bills and honor our debts.
Op-eds 01/25/2012
Chippewa Herald: New Stillwater bridge a bipartisan success story
<b>Originally printed in the Chippewa Herald, January 25th, 2012.</b> If you pay attention to the news from Washington, D.C., you might believe that Republicans and Democrats can’t agree on anything. But I went to Washington willing to work with anyone who will acknowledge a problem and help develop real solutions. A case in point is the bipartisan agreement that has now been reached on replacing the Stillwater Lift Bridge.
Op-eds 01/11/2012
Wall Street Journal: A 2012 Republican Strategy for Congress
<b>Printed in the Wall Street Journal, January 11th, 2012</b> Americans are frustrated over Washington's inability to address our nation's economic and fiscal problems. That's why I have been working with a growing group of senators and House members to develop a plan that can build public support for solutions. It's called "America's Choice." America's Choice seeks to highlight the differences between the Republican Party and the Democratic Party led by President Obama. It could do so over the coming months by presenting to the country, through a series of votes in the House of Representatives, the battle between those who believe in broadest terms in limited government and freedom and those who promote government control and dependency.
Op-eds 12/19/2011
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: PolitiFact Ruling Fails a Logic Test
<b>Originally printed in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, December 19th, 2011</b> I was surprised to read PolitiFact's assessment of the accuracy of a recent statement of mine. I pointed out that "President Obama has increased the federal workforce 192,000 individuals - about 10% since he's taken office - while we've lost 2 million jobs." PolitiFact acknowledges that "Johnson is on target on the 2 million jobs lost overall, and accurate or very close on the federal workforce trend - at least using FedScope," but rates my assertion "half true." But Politifact's justifications for not acknowledging that this is true do not hold up to scrutiny.
Op-eds 11/15/2011
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Reduce spending to rein in debt
<b>Originally printed in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, November 15th, 2011</b> The Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction faces a reporting deadline of Nov. 23. However, the United States will reach a dubious financial milestone before the "supercommittee" finishes its work. Within the next few days, our total federal debt will surpass $15 trillion. This amount of debt would not be a problem if our economy were $100 trillion - but it's not; it's about $15 trillion. As a result, our debt to Gross Domestic Product ratio has reached 100%, a very dangerous metric.
Op-eds 10/24/2011
The Washington Post: A Simple Majority is Not Enough
<b>Originally printed in the Washington Post, October 24th, 2011 </b> Our Founding Fathers recognized how the unchecked power of a majority would be a constant threat to individual liberty. They acknowledged that government was necessary, but they also knew that a government elected by a majority could easily trample the freedoms of the minority. They and their ancestors had come from dictatorial monarchies, and they fully understood that, more often than not, government was something to fear and should therefore be limited.