Staff Reports
Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin recently shared his thoughts on a crucial issue facing the Senate. The topic of discussion? How to effectively handle government spending, or as Johnson puts it, a spending problem rather than a revenue problem. It seems the Senator has put on his thinking cap, and he is ready to dig deep into the depths of budget analysis.
The Senate is sweating over whether to move forward with one big bill or split it into two smaller ones. The Senate Minority Leader, Mitch McConnell, has been a proponent of such strategies in the past, but it seems some factions of the Republican Party, including Johnson, are more focused on cutting down on spending than crafting lengthy legislation. He believes that instead of focusing on how to make a bigger pie, the folks in Washington should be looking into shrinking it down to sensible, pre-pandemic levels. After all, the last thing Americans want is a pie that just keeps getting bigger and bigger while they struggle to find a decent slice.
Johnson’s plan leans heavily on historical spending numbers. He has suggested using previous administrations’ budgets as a baseline. By examining budgets from Bill Clinton in 1998, Barack Obama in 2014, and even Donald Trump’s proposed budget for 2025, Johnson is targeting a goal of around $6 trillion, a significant drop from the current projected $6.7 or $6.8 trillion. Falling in line with the tax revenue of approximately $5 to $5.5 trillion, he is echoing a common Republican sentiment that it’s not how much you take in but how much you spend that truly counts.
One of the most pressing matters for Johnson is border security and its funding. He argues that the Biden administration has been lax in setting aside necessary funds to protect America’s borders. Instead of creating a fortified wall, it seems to him that the administration has opted for a policy of increased immigration enforcement, but he believes more resources should be directed toward border protection. Johnson’s approach here is akin to a straightforward three-step plan: prioritize border funding, maintain current tax policies to prevent unnecessary automatic tax increases, and finally take a thorough look at the tax code that could use a bit of a spring cleaning.
The Senator has made it clear that the challenges don’t just stop at budget cuts; they extend to the delicate dance of working with differing factions within the Republican Party as well. He envisions a strategy that keeps things simple, focusing on common goals such as border security, effective defense, and keeping taxes in check. These are areas that many Republicans can agree on, making them the perfect starting point for potential legislation. After all, why make a romantic multi-course meal when a well-cooked burger will satisfy both sides of the aisle?
In an age where legislative battles often resemble a messy food fight, Johnson’s push for getting things done in manageable chunks could lead to some much-needed bipartisan agreement. The American public seems on board with ideas surrounding border security as well as rooting out waste in government agencies. And if all goes to Johnson’s plan, perhaps Congress can take a moment, roll up their sleeves, and tackle the daunting task of reforming the tangled mess that is the U.S. tax code, all while maintaining a sense of humor and a bit of charm along the way.
