Senator Johnson Responds to President Obama's Joint Address to Congress

Statement

Albert Einstein once said: "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting different results. Unfortunately, President Obama's latest government stimulus program fits this definition to a tee. His proposals would simply double down on already tried - and failed - policies. Instead of taking a hard look at the harm his agenda is causing, and reversing course, President Obama has decided to offer proposals that are primarily designed to assist in his reelection campaign, rather than strengthen our economy and create jobs.

Since taking office in admittedly tough economic conditions, President Obama has taken America 180 degrees in the wrong direction. His failed $800 billion stimulus, Obamacare, Dodd-Frank, and the explosion of his Administration's other job killing regulations have combined to put a stranglehold on our economy. As the former owner of a plastics manufacturing business that I helped build over the span of 31 years, I know firsthand how a high level of uncertainty causes businesses to delay action. Business owners and managers need to feel confident that the rules of the game won't change before they are willing to risk their hard earned capital to start or expand their business.

After living under the President's agenda for two and a half years, consumers and businesses simply do not have the confidence they need to spend and invest. As a thought experiment, imagine how much uncertainty would be removed - and the level of confidence that would return - if the President's entire agenda were repealed tomorrow. A pretty pleasant thought, isn't it? Unfortunately, we can't repeal the additional $4 trillion that has been added to our nation's debt during his tenure, but we can repeal his agenda. The sooner the better. Washington cannot create the jobs that America needs to pull out of this depressing economy. Going further into debt to expand government, won't solve the problem. Economic expansion must come from the private sector - and sadly, that is what President Obama simply does not understand. I will continue to work with my colleagues in both the House and the Senate to pass a real pro-growth agenda that will promote long term, self-sustaining jobs in the private sector. The elements will include a credible plan to limit spending and the size of government, a regulation moratorium, tax reform, a federal hiring freeze, budgetary reform, and a Sunset Committee that will actually begin to eliminate harmful laws and regulations.

The sooner we stop growing government, the sooner real growth and job creation will return to the private sector.

Senator Johnson Comments on the Tenth Anniversary of the September 11th Attacks

Most of us will never forget where we were, or what we were doing the morning of September 11th, 2001. In that moment, our world changed.

We should never forget the victims of that day, or what our world felt like on September 10th. We had just experienced a decade of relative peace and prosperity. Ten years earlier, the Soviet Union had collapsed and the Cold War was fading into history. Businesses and products that had been created in the 1980's had flourished in the 1990's. The future looked bright with endless possibilities.

Then the cloud and threat of terrorism descended upon us. It still hangs over our heads, but has been diminished through the brave actions of the finest among us. Let us always remember their sacrifice.

What should give us all hope is the enduring image of firefighters, police officers, and members of our military walking into danger to defend and protect our life and liberty. With citizens like that, we can be confident that a peaceful, prosperous America not only lies in our past, but will also be our future.

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