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Sen. Johnson talks Supreme Court, child care on the campaign trail

ron johnson
Posted at 5:04 PM, Jan 27, 2022
and last updated 2022-01-28 10:43:12-05

BROOKFIELD, Wis. — The upcoming vacancy on the U.S. Supreme Court was a hot topic at Senator Ron Johnson’s stop in the Town of Brookfield Thursday.

President Joe Biden is vowing to nominate a Black woman to replace retiring Justice Stephen Breyer. Johnson says he will likely not support anyone Biden nominates.

“I’ll bet you a rather large sum of money he’ll be nominating a judicial activist rather than a judge, and a liberal activist at that,” Johnson said. “We just came off Martin Luther King Day, and I think the goal King set for us many decades ago, to judge people by the content of their character not the color of their skin, is really what our goal should be, but some people don’t apparently share that goal.”

Johnson is also speaking out against proposed child care subsidies for working parents. During a stop in La Crosse on Tuesday Johnson said, “it’s not society’s responsibility to care for other people’s children.” Thursday, he clarified those remarks.

“I don’t think it’s controversial to believe it’s parents’ primary responsibility to raise their children, not someone else’s,” he said. “I don’t think it’s controversial to be concerned that we’re $29 trillion in debt, and all our deficit spending has sparked 7 percent inflation. We have a real problem with all these benefits that we promise the American people, that we can’t pay for. Our current administration is spending money on new programs, making it possible for people not to have to enter the workforce, then increase taxes on the people who are working, and the businesses who are trying to hire.”

The question on child care is also prompting Johnson’s view on teaching kids about the impact of racism.

“We shouldn’t be teaching critical race theory to our children,” Johnson said. “When the federal government funds anything, it comes with strings attached. I don’t want the federal government indoctrinating our children even earlier than they do today.”

Senator Johnson also doubled down on his conservative convictions, as his reelection campaign is now in full swing.

Before meeting with Town of Brookfield leaders at the town hall Thursday afternoon, he met with parents at Park Bank Plaza in Madison.

“They were telling me how concerned they are about what has happened to their children as a result of the response to Covid-19 that has been so harmful to our children,” Johnson said.

After his stop in the Town of Brookfield, he spoke at Benz Metal Products in Menomonee Falls.

“Companies can’t find enough people to work,” Johnson said. “They’re facing supply shortages and cost increases in all raw materials. They’re struggling, and they’re looking for some stability, but they’re not getting that from this administration.”

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