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 9:44 AM, Sep 8, 2011 • By MICHAEL WARRENRick Perry's doubling down on his "Social Security is a Ponzi scheme" rhetoric during last night's debate could be beneficial for him in a Republican primary but hurtful in a general election. And while the Mitt Romney campaign was quick to pounce on the statement with its not-so-subtle "PERRY DOES NOT BELIEVE SOCIAL SECURITY SHOULD EXIST" press release, Perry seems to be sticking by the characterization. "Maybe it's time to have some provocative language in this country," he said in the debate.
At Politico, Alexander Burns points out that the "Ponzi scheme" rhetoric on Social Security didn't sink at least one Republican in a high-profile (state) race (something John McCormack noted last week). Ron Johnson defeated incumbent senator Russ Feingold in Wisconsin last year, even as Feingold criticized the political novice, Johnson, for criticizing Social Security in the same way. Burns points to this ad from Johnson, who took the attack head on:
Johnson, however, emphasized that reform was needed in order to save Social Security -- and that message didn't come through clearly when Perry focused on defending his "provocative rhetoric." Perry is probably right that voters, even general election voters, want provocative honesty from their politicians, but even many Republican primary voters aren't looking to end Social Security or Medicare. As McCormack noted, it's an argument Perry will have to hone.
Introducing the Regulation Moratorium and Job Preservation Act12:20 PM, Aug 5, 2011 • By MARK HEMINGWAYLately there's been a spate of businessmen loudly complaining about the burdensome regulatory climate of the Obama administration. Fortunately, there's at least one highly experienced businessman in the Senate that feels their pain. Until he was elected last fall, Wisconsin Republican Ron Johnson was CEO of a plastics manufacturing company and knows all about the problems of excess regulation.
Read more... 11:15 AM, Jul 7, 2011 • By JOHN MCCORMACKFreshman senator Ron Johnson, Republican from Wisconsin, expressed frustration today that most members of Congress are in the dark on debt ceiling negotiations.
“You reporters have more detail on what's happening here in Washington on these debt ceiling talks than rank and file members of Congress," Johnson said on a conference call this morning. "To me, that’s outrageous, disgusting. That’s that is not the way this process should work."
Read more... Ron Johnson and Mitt Romney weigh in, while the administration still works the PR.12:25 PM, Mar 23, 2011 • By MICHAEL WARRENRepublican senator Ron Johnson, from Wisconsin, has an op-ed in today's Wall Street Journal, marking the first anniversary of the passing of Obamacare. Johnson writes that under a more bureaucratic system, the sort of medical innovations that 27 years ago saved his newborn daughter's life would be fewer and more expensive:
Read more... 6:31 PM, Feb 22, 2011 • By JOHN MCCORMACKMadison, Wisc.
Last week, President Obama said that Wisconsin governor Scott Walker's budget bill is an "assault on workers." Today, Wisconsin senator Ron Johnson said Obama should mind his own business.
Read more... The GOP risks misdiagnosing the weak economy.Feb 21, 2011, Vol. 16, No. 22 • By JEFFREY BELLFreshman Wisconsin senator Ron Johnson, one of the most promising of the new wave of Tea Party-allied Republican legislators, was chosen to give the Republican radio address, delivered just after President Obama’s weekly radio offering, on Saturday, January 29. This was a notable assignment for a freshman because, for a party not occupying the White House, the weekly radio address (often billed as a “response”) is customarily seen as representing the views of the national opposition party as a whole.
Read more... 'We have to see this thing through.'12:00 PM, Jan 17, 2011 • By JOHN MCCORMACKSenator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, like Marco Rubio, comes away from his trip to Afghanistan with a stronger commitment to victory in that war. “We’ve sacrificed so many lives and so many dollars in this effort and it’s such an important effort in terms of our national security, we have to see this thing through. And I honestly believe if we see this thing through, I believe we can do it,” Johnson told reporters today.
Read more... Rubio says timeline for withdrawal detrimental to progress.11:04 AM, Jan 17, 2011 • By JOHN MCCORMACKFour new Republican senators--Marco Rubio (Fla.), Kelly Ayotte (N.H.), Ron Johnson (Wisc.), and Pat Toomey (Penn.)--just concluded a trip to Afghanistan and Pakistan. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and senators Richard Burr (N.C.) and Lindsey Graham (S.C.) were on the trip as well.
Read more... Has Ron Johnson run the best ad campaign of 2010?4:49 PM, Oct 13, 2010 • By JOHN MCCORMACKWisconsin's junior Democratic senator Russ Feingold is out with a new ad attacking his Republican opponent Ron Johnson for keeping "privatization" of Social Security for "some" voters on the table. Feingold's position? In the ad, he literally takes everything off the table and promises not to "turn any part of Social Security over to Wall Street."
Read more... Mr. Clean?1:24 PM, Oct 5, 2010 • By STEPHEN F. HAYES
Senator Russ Feingold, a leading voice for tight regulations on campaigns and elections, has been contacted by the National Football League today for using NFL footage without permission for a new campaign ad.
Read more... 12:07 PM, Sep 28, 2010 • By JOHN MCCORMACKVia TPM, a Fox News poll shows Republican Ron Johnson leading Democratic senator Russ Feingold by 8 points in the Wisconsin Senate race. Johnson leads Feingold by 8.4% in the RCP average of polls; Johnson has been ahead of Feingold in every poll since July 13. As Jay Cost noted yesterday, Feingold has been stuck in the mid-40s for the past five months.
Wisconsin voters favor repealing Obamacare by a 53% to 38% margin.
Read more... 5:24 PM, Sep 22, 2010 • By JOHN MCCORMACKThe leading liberal from Wisconsin, Sen. Russ Feingold, can't seem to accept the reality that the political climate continues to change in Wisconsin.
Read more... GOP candidates seeking a Senate seat and the governor's office battle with local Democrats.12:35 AM, Sep 15, 2010 • By STEPHEN F. HAYES
With 49 days until the midterm elections, Wisconsin looks increasingly like it will be among the most intensely contested states – between primaries there Tuesday and the November 2 general election.
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- Conservative Intelligence
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Ethan Epstien, in a New York System state of mind
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Washington plays by TSA rules.
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Really?
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A film without pretension about warriors as heroes.
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With American evangelicals on the ground in South Sudan.
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Romney’s challenge is to address the deep uneasiness in America and point the way to a comeback.
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The American and his/her car.
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   Obama’s overblown tax breaks
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 Why we need to break up the banks.
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