U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson isn’t backing away from his call to make funding Social Security and Medicare part of the discretionary budget process.
Dems have taken aim at the Oshkosh Republican over his comments, accusing him of wanting to put the programs on the chopping block.
Johnson touted a post on his website Tuesday as laying out a “comprehensive plan for the future viability of the programs.” In it, Johnson again called for making the programs part of the discretionary budget process, which involves an annual review of funding levels. But he offered no other specific proposals to shore up the programs, instead focusing the post largely on how he would change the annual budget process.
Johnson acknowledged the proposals were unlikely to garner enough support from Dems to meet the 60-vote threshold for passage but argued it would allow “the American public would see who is obstructing a functional process.”
“The government has made promises it cannot keep,” Johnson wrote. “Unfortunately, most in Washington would rather demagogue than have serious conversations to save these important programs. I will not shy away from this conversation. It’s too important to all Americans and the nation’s future.”
Dems continued to accuse Johnson of advocating for cuts in the programs.
“Ron Johnson has made clear yet again that he wants Congress to be able to cut Social Security and Medicare, programs that Wisconsinites have paid into for decades so they could retire without worrying about paying their bills,” said state Dem spokesman Philip Shulman.
See Johnson’s release: https://www.wispolitics.com/2022/johnson-campaign-johnson-lays-out-plan-to-protect-social-security-and-medicare/