Ron Johnson for Senator of Dumbeddownistan (Part II)

Issue #4: The Economy

As our next US Senator, Ron will work to create a jobs friendly environment by reducing and simplifying taxes and regulations on business. He opposed the Wall Street bailout and the $862 billion stimulus bill. Ron does not believe the federal government is capable of picking ‘winners and losers’ and should not remove capital from the private sector to create more government programs and jobs, which are unsustainable.


Government doesn’t create jobs – the private sector creates jobs. Small businesses are the backbone of the American economy and represent roughly 98 percent of employers. They are being punished with higher taxes and regulation that stifle new growth, development, and productive investments in our communities.


Russ Feingold has little or no experience creating private sector jobs. His vote for the $862 billion failed stimulus bill is a prime example of a career politician, crafting policy that is ultimately detrimental to America’s economic future. Three days before the passage of the stimulus bill, Feingold issued a press release stating 2.4 million jobs would be created in the first year and 9 million jobs would be created over 3 years. Instead of creating new jobs, our nation has lost over 2.5 million jobs and unemployment remains near double digits.


Specifics Ron, Specifics!  So you want to simplify taxes and regulation.  Okay, how?  I know one way we could simplify taxes, a flat tax or a national sales tax!  I bet you any money that is what Johnson will propose if he is elected.  Both of these forms of taxation are very regressive (they burden the poor far greater).  But, your guess as to what Ron Johnson would do if elected is as good as mine.  As far as regulations, does Ron mean he will simplify or eliminate regulations?  A lot of regulation is meant to mitigate externalities like pollution or systemic risk to the economy, by removing regulation Mr. Johnson is imposing the costs of these externalities on the public as a whole, while the private sector reaps profits.  There may be unnecessary regulations, but you have to identify them for anyone to evaluate whether or not they are good.

Johnson opposed the bailouts and the stimulus bill, so he is for economic armageddon and global economic catastrophe (Feingold was wrong on the bailouts as well).  The bank bailouts cost us relatively little compared to the damage that massive bank failures would have done to our economy.  When the banks are healthy, it will be time to restore protections like the Glass-Stegall Act, but you can't just pull the rug out from underneath the economy when it is already stumbling.  The stimulus bill counteracted massive state budget contractions and created lots of jobs (particularly in construction) that made needed infrastructure repairs.  The benefits of the stimulus will be long lasting, and much of it was a tax cut, so Johnson would have opposed a program that cut taxes.  Ron says small businesses have faced higher taxes but cites no evidence of this.  Ron says small businesses have faced too much regulation, but regulation had been unwound dramatically during the Bush year, with much of the new regulation during the Obama Era a necessary response to prevent further systemic risk to the economy.

Ron does not want the government to pick "winners and losers," but something like the auto industry cannot simply recreate itself overnight if it is allowed to fail.  Allowing Detroit to fail would have been devastating to the Midwest (Wisconsin included).  The bailout saved jobs and the "Big Three" are making a come back with much higher quality cars.  GM and Chrysler didn't really get "bailed out" as much as they underwent a government facilitated restructuring plan that shook up the entire corporate apparatus of both GM and Chrysler.  No bailing out GM and Chrysler would probably have taken Ford down with it, and all of the small town dealers that sell their products (one of the few economic contributors to small towns).  So, how is Ron Johnson for small business again?

Issue #5: Wisconsin Values

“I’m a pretty traditional guy.  I believe in a culture of life, and I believe marriage is between one man and one woman.” – Ron Johnson

Ron is pro-life, pro-family, and believes that freedom of religion doesn’t mean freedom from religion. Ron will take these principles with him to Washington and will stand up to those who would attack these cherished traditional values.

Ron is an avid fisherman and outdoorsman who believes strongly in maintaining a clean and healthy environment.  He believes Wisconsin’s sporting traditions and the Constitution’s 2nd Amendment should be protected.

Ron and Jane have been married for 32 years and together they have three children

Most of this is take it or leave it kind of stuff that does not lend itself to non-emotional argument.  The big red flag is that Ron believes that freedom of religion doesn't meant freedom from religion.  What does he mean by that, must everyone follow a religion?  Does Ron mean that religion should not be absent from the public square, like school prayer and whatnot?  Well, if that is the case then whose religion should the government endorse in the public square?  Islam?  Judaism?  Buddhism?  Probably not, I'm pretty sure Ron wants the government to endorse Christianity in clear violation of the 1st Amendment.

Issue #6

“My work in education has taught me that we are making it difficult for teachers to teach. The education of our children is not something that can be dictated from Washington or Madison.  We need to return to local control of education, and bring the dollars we send to Washington back to Wisconsin’s local school districts.”    – Ron Johnson

Ron will vote to reduce federal mandates that strip power from states and local school boards, and instead provide for more local control over education.

Ron supports reforming the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) to reduce waste in education spending and return more flexibility and decision-making powers to states, local school boards and teachers.  A one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t fit Wisconsin.

Wow!  Ron and I agree on something.  I think federal mandates for education are not the solution either and local control is important.  I want to go with you here Ron, but give me something concrete to hold on to!

Quotes from www.ronjohnsonforsenate.com