Wis. Sen. Johnson slams Obama for economic policy "failure"

Updated 10:45 a.m. ET

(CBS News) In the Republican weekly address, Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.) blamed the president for American "dependence on government."

"Instead of concentrating on job creation, President Obama has concentrated on growing government and increasing its control over our lives," Johnson said. "Because of his policies, dependence on government has increased, and individual opportunity has declined."

At least one analysis takes issue with Senator Johnson's statement. According to the liberal-leaning Economic Policy Institute, government jobs have decreased by 584,000 at the federal, state and local level since June of 2009.

The senator, who was elected in 2010, added: "We are all disappointed by the failure of President Obama's economic policies."

Johnson pointed to recent unanimous votes in the House and the Senate against the president's budget plan, calling it a "stunning repudiation of his leadership."

Johnson represents a state in the middle of a divisive recall election of Republican Governor Scott Walker, the lieutenant governor and four state Senators, which is set to take place on June 5.

"President Obama offers no solutions," Johnson said, adding that none of his budget blueprints "ever included a plan to save Social Security or Medicare."

The freshman senator said, "The president and members of his administration are true believers in big government. They point to the 46 million Americans now on food stamps as a metric of success. It is not. It is a metric of failure that highlights how his policies have not put Americans back to work."

In this election year, Johnson, who is Mitt Romney's liaison to the Senate, said, "Republicans are ready, willing, and able to lead this noble effort."

[Anotheryahoo]

Where were the republicans when Bush/Cheney was running this economy into the ground and having needless wars costing trillions? Obama only got elected because of the horrible job the Republicans were doing. how soon they forget. Fact is both parties are terrible. We need a 3rd choice.

[hypnotoad72]

I'm sure they were ready to lead back when they had:

http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2011/04/14/158424/republican-leaders-debt-limit-hypocrisy/

Also, noting McConnell was mentioned a few times in that first article:

http://www.ontheissues.org/senate/Rick_Santorum.htm#Corporations
http://www.ontheissues.org/senate/mitch_mcconnell.htm#Corporations
http://www.ontheissues.org/john_mccain.htm#Corporations
http://www.issues2000.org/senate/Judd_Gregg.htm#Corporations
http://www.ontheissues.org/senate/jim_demint.htm#Corporations
http://www.ontheissues.org/senate/Orrin_Hatch.htm#Corporations

"Voted NO on repealing tax subsidy for companies which move US jobs offshore. (Mar 2005)"

Now, read that - giving taxpayer money to corporations that offshore (to communist countries). This means people in America are out of work as we're shipping jobs overseas. This also means we create a revenue problem because there are fewer working people to tax.

McConnell helped create the problem this Johnson claims they're ready to get out of.

WHAT A CROCK.

Also, FWIW, Obama voted 'YES' to repeal, so everyone can stop the rubbish about Obama being the communist supporter. That list, coming from a nonpartisan source, readily tells who the communist supporters are.

[marychgo]

Surprise, surprise! An idiotic GOP millionaire who bought his Wisconsin Senate seat with the help of the Koch brothers thinks Obama has ruined the economy. He ignores the 4 million private-sector jobs the U.S. economy has created under Obama's policies, as well as the nearly 600,000 public-sector jobs lost, largely at the state and local level, because of GOP rejection of Democratic plans to help governments avoid laying off first responders, teachers, and other workers. And he thinks Democrats love food stamps: sorry, Ron, we just think food stamps are preferable to starvation!

Ron Johnson is confident that his party is "ready, willing, and able to lead." That's what we're afraid of, Ron; you're "ready, willing, and able" to lead us straight to hell....

[OyVeyOyVey]

This board looks like a LOVEFEST for Barack (If I had a son) Obama America's very FIRST Gay President according to that far-left-leaning-liberal rag-mag Newsweek!

[RDriftwood]

If the GOP knew how to fix the economy, then why did they wreck it between 2000 and 2008? Actually, by 2006 the damage was already done. The wars were already declared and the trillions in costs already committed to. And, the tax cuts for the wealthy were already in place. What would it take to get the GOP to accept some responsibility for their actions between 2000 and 2006? What would it take to get the GOP to admit that this is the source of our current debt problem?

[76SpiritOf]

by DJ3212 May 19, 2012 7:22 PM EDT
The fact that Democrats would have to accept some responsibility and you people won't
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

DJ, I have to agree with the poster on this one. All the GOP has done the last two years is say no to everything and used the fillabuster to stop everything.

In any project, I would expect the team to work together and solve real problems like stimulating the economy and use responsible regulation to govern behavior of business to benefit the majority.

If the GOP congressional members were in the prviate sector, they would have had their employment terminated for lack of performance.

A true leader contributes when needed and pushes to obtain a meaningful solution to the task at hand. The GOP has done nothing so they are not fit to lead.

Therefore, voting for Obama is the best move for our future.

[speakthetrut]

by DJ3212 May 19, 2012 7:22 PM EDT

If the GOP congressional members were in the prviate sector, they would have had their employment terminated for lack of performance.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Long before that, GOP would be fired for insubordination. That is worse than getting fired for poor performance.

[liberalmike]

FAIL! This idiot needs to be recalled like walker will soon be!

[hypnotoad72]

The same Walker people cite as being noble and dignified and honorable?

http://www.politifact.com/wisconsin/statements/2011/feb/18/scott-walker/wisconsin-gov-scott-walker-says-his-budget-repair-/

http://www.politifact.com/wisconsin/statements/2011/feb/24/scott-walker/wisconsin-gov-scott-walker-says-his-remarks-during/

http://www.politifact.com/wisconsin/statements/2011/mar/03/scott-walker/wisconsin-gov-scott-walker-says-wisconsin-broke/

http://www.politifact.com/wisconsin/statements/2011/feb/23/scott-walker/wisconsin-gov-scott-walker-says-out-staters-accoun/

http://www.politifact.com/wisconsin/statements/2011/feb/22/scott-walker/wisconsin-gov-scott-walker-says-he-campaigned-his-/

http://uppitywis.org/blogarticle/walker-still-fudges-college-record

If that's "honorable", what's "dishonorable"?

[BogusPeavy]

Do you think Republican read these comments in the news services? They should as the indicate, at least to me, how fed up with the party of no people are. How long can they stand there, bare faces hanging out and clearly state that they'll do ANYTHING to defeat Obama and land a "good" Republican back in the Oval Office?

What terrifies me is that should Obama win and I am pretty sure that he will, we're all doomed to another term of no. NO progress, NO solutions, NO help for the weary - NO NO NO. Just say "no" to them all. There has to be a way to rid ourselves of this scourge. We need an anti-Norquist and leaders who think for themselves instead of signing up for a club to say no. It's like MENSA - do your REALLY need to be in a club to prove you're smart?

[hypnotoad72]

Don't forget and I need to remember this as well:

Congress makes the laws and passes the bills to be signed or vetoed... Obama could do sympathy vetoing, which could be perceived as "no progress", wasting time and money, etc, as well...

And before anybody says it, about his first two years in office:

http://538refugees.wordpress.com/2011/06/22/the-democratic-super-majority-myth/

http://blog.reidreport.com/2011/07/myth-of-progressive-majority/

It's easy to make decisions without ALL the facts and I'm guilty of that as well...

And Obama going "no no no", let's have a quick recap:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3096434/vp/40575006#40575006

http://www.forbes.com/sites/aroy/2011/10/11/how-mitt-romneys-health-care-experts-helped-design-obamacare/

"no no no", what again?

You're right - we do need anti-Norquist types since Norquist and his buddies don't mind doing what it takes to gut and destroy the system for their beliefs and gain (hey, what's the official definition of "terrorism", again? Maybe this guy knows http://www.businessinsider.com/ballmer-threatens-obama-says-hell-move-jobs-overseas-2009-6 but before I digress into how that corporate welfare king has taken our tax money without representation and has offshored for a number of years already, thus making any threats on his part merely "nominal" (in name only)...)

[BogusPeavy]

"Republicans are ready, willing, and able to lead this noble effort."

Perhaps they are ready to lead - but to where? They have zero answers and openly show that they will NOT help me, a little guy. Only the rich and never anybody else, the Republican way - and I am a Republican! I will no longer blindly follow a party of no. Between Boner, McConnell and Mitt, I have no confidence in my party any more. They have lost not only my vote but all credibility.

[tafhdyd]

...ready to lead-but to where?

It looks like they are ready to lead the USA into 18th century. Turn back the clocks and get ready for the American Taliban.

[hypnotoad72]

To where?

The gutter.

Anyone is free to look at what "representatives" have done and I've seen no change on their side.

[Ben37221]

How stupid is this Johnson guy? He ignores the root cause of the financial melt down that resulted in millions of job being lost, conveniently failing to tell the American people that it was the republicans that wrecked the economy. Now he is blaming Obama who is working hard to fix the economy.
What has Johnson and his republican friends in congress done since he came in? Instead of putting their focus on issues that creates jobs, the republicans are fixiated on a woman's uterus and Plan Parenthood. Senetor Johnson should be ashame of himself for being so dishonest. Why should we go back to the failed republican policies that resulted in millions of people lossing their jobs.

[jmn122736]

"They point to the 46 million Americans now on food stamps as a metric of success. It is not. It is a metric of failure that highlights how his policies have not put Americans back to work.----------------------
------------

It is obvious that Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.), would solve that problem by totally eliminating the food stamp program. Then use the savings to further cut corporate taxes while letting those 46 million Americans starve.

ANYONE who cannot see that NONE of the jobs Republicans have exported will ever be returned until EVERY American workers wages are reduced to those of third world countries, are either self-delusional or worse.

A word of warning; you get what you vote for and while you may deserve it, Sadly your children and grandchildren do not.