Op-Eds and Blogs

In the News: Blog 07/26/2012
The Wall Street Journal: Avoiding Another Shutdown
Republican leaders in Congress haven't done very well negotiating on the budget, and now a new threat looms: a showdown in the fall, before Election Day, that could force Republicans to choose between more spending and higher taxes or the risk of a government shutdown. That increasingly looks to be the Democratic strategy, pushed quietly by the White House and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. Senate Democrats are refusing to complete individual spending bills, much less an overall budget, and the federal government will run out of money at the end of the fiscal year on September 30.
In the News: Blog 07/26/2012
WXOW: Senate Votes on Tax Cut Extensions
LA CROSSE, Wisconsin (WXOW) – The United States Senate voted against extending the George Bush-era tax cuts for all Americans Wednesday – instead opting to endorse a Democratic proposal to only extend the cuts for people earning less than $250-thousand annually. Democrats say the wealthiest two percent of Americans need to pay their fair share, to help the middle class grow and invest in the economy. "I would hope my colleagues on the other side of the aisle would vote with us," said Senator Al Franken (DFL, Minnesota) who supports the Democrats' proposal.
Op-eds 07/25/2012
Wausau Daily Herald: Obama's vision puts government first
<b>Originally published in the Wausau Daily Herald, July 25th, 2012 </b> Like many Americans still enduring Obama's broken economy, I was astounded by the president’s recent comments. It was another Joe-the-Plumber moment where — detached from a teleprompter — he committed the classic gaffe of revealing what he truly believes. “If you’ve got a business,” President Obama said, “you didn’t build that. Somebody else made that happen.” This comment is incredibly insulting to entrepreneurs who work 60 hours a week building businesses that provide products, services, and employment to society.
In the News: Blog 07/22/2012
WEAU: Colorado Theater Massacre: Wis. Sen. Johnson says guns are not the problem
(WEAU) - The mass shooting at a Colorado theater showing The Dark Knight Rises is once stirring the gun control debate in Washington. On Sunday, U.S. Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin defended the 2nd Amendment and gun rights. "This isn't an issue about guns. This is really an issue about sick, demented individuals. It's a tragedy, and I don't think there’s a solution in Washington to solve that problem, other than look to our families, look to our communities, starting with our education system. We've got to re-instill values in what we're teaching our children. We need to look at families and the education system,” the Republican Senator said on Fox News Sunday.
In the News: Blog 07/20/2012
The Daily Caller: Sen. Johnson: It’s time for Republicans to play offense on spending
Wisconsin Republican Sen. Ron Johnson told The Daily Caller that House Republicans must go on offense now and pass a spending plan that funds the government into 2013 or else congressional Democrats will try raising taxes in the post-election lame duck session of Congress. “Let’s get out in front of this thing,” Johnson told TheDC. “Let’s do what’s reasonable. Let’s create some certainty.” In a Thursday phone interview, the Wisconsin legislator argued that Republicans passing a government spending plan now will prevent Democrats from being able to use the threat of another government shutdown at the end of the year to push through tax increases.
In the News: Blog 07/19/2012
Investors Business Daily: The Budget Measure That Could Be A Godsend For Romney
Fiscal Cliff: Prominent Republicans are pushing a bright idea to prevent Democrats' promise of a post-election fiscal crisis: a stopgap funding measure that could also put Mitt Romney back on offense. Some 20 GOP members of Congress — including John McCain and 10 other senators — are proposing a measure as sensible economically as it is smart politically. Sens. Jim DeMint of South Carolina, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Marco Rubio of Florida and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, among others, have joined with congressmen like Jim Jordan of Ohio and Joe Wilson of South Carolina. All back the idea of passing, before August's recess, a six-month continuing resolution in the House of Representatives to fund the government into next year.
Op-eds 07/18/2012
Washington Examiner: GOP must prevent a lame-duck looting session
<b>Originally printed in the Washington Examiner, July 18th, 2012</b> If Republicans want to win big in November, we must do more than show voters how we plan to govern in 2013. We must also demonstrate how we're working right now to stop the last-minute spending spree the Democrats have planned for December. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., wants to force a postelection lame-duck session of Congress, in which defeated politicians will no longer be accountable to voters. In that context, he will have more leverage to raise taxes and increase spending against the threat of yet another government shutdown, leaving taxpayers on the hook for more borrowing, debts and deficits.
In the News: Blog 07/13/2012
WJFW Channel 12: Cranberry Growers Hope To Keep Juices In School Vending Machines, Lunches
Manitowish Waters - Juice, sauce, and craisins. That's what cranberries from Northern Wisconsin turn into after harvest. But cranberries aren't naturally sweet. So they add sugar. That's what irks the USDA and first lady Michelle Obama. As part of Mrs. Obama's "Let's Move Campaign", she and the USDA are pushing for stricter guidelines for school lunches. Drinks with less sugar is part of the move. Under the guidelines, cranberry drinks could be removed from school vending machines and lunches.
In the News: Blog 07/11/2012
Beaver Dam Daily Citizen: Sen. Johnson staff to visit
In the News: Blog 07/11/2012
Green Bay Press Gazette: Senator's staff to be available in Marinette, Lena