Op-Eds and Blogs

In the News: Blog 04/10/2013
KARE 11 NBC: President Obama to unveil budget plan on Wednesday
MINNEAPOLIS - The third of three federal budgets will be handed in on Wednesday when President Barack Obama releases his federal, fiscal plan. The Republican-controlled House has already passed a budget and the Democratically-controlled Senate did too. That's the good news. There is bad news as well. "We see two different philosophies," U.S. Sen. Al Franken, a Minnesota Democrat, told KARE 11 last week. "Neither side is going away. Maybe it's time to govern," U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, a Republican from Wisconsin, said late last week in Hudson. Johnson was in Hudson delivering his federal budget power point speech to a packed room of business owners and everyday citizens last week. Franken was in St. Paul talking with college students about the federal budget and the affordability of higher education. Both were quite comfortable in their surroundings; as they've given these presentations dozens of times.
In the News: Blog 04/9/2013
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Sen. Ron Johnson says he'll back filibuster of any bill that infringes on gun rights
Washington, D.C. -- Senate Republican Ron Johnson of Wisconsin said Tuesday his support of a GOP filibuster of a gun bill will depend on the final shape the legislation takes. But he also re-stated his opposition to expanded background checks, a core aim of the legislation that Senate Democrats are preparing. Johnson is one of 13 GOP senators who has signed a letter vowing to filibuster a gun bill. Johnson said his intention is to filibuster any legislation that “would infringe on our Second Amendment rights. To me, that’s a pretty easy letter to sign.”
In the News: Blog 04/9/2013
Herald Times Reporter: Sen. Johnson plans videos on government abuse
MILWAUKEE — Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson is planning to launch a series of videos featuring people who he says have been harmed by government intrusion or red tape. The first-term Republican tells the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (http://bit.ly/ZvctyR ) he was looking for a way to help the public understand the dangers of a growing, abusive government. The lone video posted so far describes an Illinois landowner’s dispute with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Senate staff assembled the video and Johnson narrates it. He says showing people real faces behind the harm government can cause resonates with the public.
In the News: Blog 04/9/2013
The Sun: Senator Johnson paints a “depressing” national picture
U.S. Senator Ron Johnson made several stops in northwestern Wisconsin last week, citing the need to spread pertinent, truthful information regarding the state of the nation. On the evening of April 3, he was at Paradise Landing in Balsam Lake, with close to 70 people attending to hear him speak. Johnson warned the contingent that his presentation leans toward the depressing, and that he frequently “ruins the day” of those he speaks to in the morning. What’s ruining his day is the stalemate between lawmakers.
In the News: Blog 04/8/2013
The Spooner Advocate: Senator Ron Johnson visits Spooner High School
In the News: Blog 04/8/2013
Wisconsin Radio Network: Johnson’s abuse of government video racks up hits
In the News: Blog 04/8/2013
WQOW: Senator Ron Johnson supports less regulation on businesses
U.S. Senator Ron Johnson says less is more. He's pushing for fewer government regulations concerning small businesses. Senator Johnson says when agencies consider public input as bills are written it leads to fewer regulations and fees to taxpayers. Government agencies do have checks and balances called "Notices of Proposed Rulemaking" to inform the public but Senator Johnson says they're not always followed. "Most of these government programs are very well intentioned, but the fact of the matter is, so often government programs have unintended consequences, negative unintended consequences," says Senator Johnson.
In the News: Blog 04/7/2013
Pierce County Herald: Wisconsin U.S. Senator’s bit hopeful, mostly critical of federal government
In the News: Blog 04/7/2013
Hudson Star-Observer: Senator Ron Johnson is on a mission to share the facts-to inform citizens
U.S. Senator Ron Johnson visited Hudson early April 5 to share what he considers critical information for citizens to understand before the country can move forward. He likened the situation to the first step of a 12-step program -- recognizing there is a problem. "Far too many politicians won't acknowledge the problem," said Johnson. "We are waging war on our children and our grandchildren." The current debt on every single individual is over $50,000. Johnson's presentation included a power-point presentation in which graphs were used to illustrate the history and future path of a number of budget concerns including social security, college costs, poverty and interest rates.
In the News: Blog 04/2/2013
Sawyer County Record: Senator Johnson to be in Hayward