Ron Johnson’s Stance on Social Security is Wrong

I worked for 45 years to earn a living for myself and my family. For decades, I paid into Social
Security, setting money aside so that when I retired, I could keep a roof over my head and food
on the table. Like so many people across our state, I knew that Social Security and Medicare
would support me in the next phase of my life.

This past weekend marked the 87th anniversary of Social Security. Over the last 87 years, this
program and Medicare have become overwhelmingly popular programs that millions of working
people rely on. Yet, while this anniversary should have been a celebration of this important
program, it was instead a grave reminder that Republican politicians are pushing an agenda that
would gut Social Security. If Republican politicians get their way, they would strip funding from
these programs and cut the benefits that serve as lifelines for seniors across our state.

Here in Wausau, it’s pretty clear that Ron Johnson doesn’t care about me or my fellow
Wisconsinites who rely on these programs that we spent decades paying into. In fact, Johnson
has spent his career working against Social Security. He has called this life-saving program a
“Ponzi Scheme” and supported legislation that would cut funding for this program as well as
Medicare. After Johnson broke his two-term pledge to run for another six years in office, he has
recommitted to the idea that Congress should be able to cut funding for these programs – which
would mean six more years of living in fear of his attacks on Social Security.

The senator’s disdain for Social Security isn’t a one-off case – Republican politicians across the
board have made it clear that the GOP’s agenda is steeped with an anti-senior sentiment.

In Congress, the Republican Study Committee, which represents a majority of House
Republicans – including Wisconsin’s own GOP lawmakers Tom Tiffany, Scott Fitzgerald, Glenn
Grothman, and Bryan Steil – unveiled their agenda to drastically cut Social Security and
Medicare. And the only agenda proposed by Senate Republicans – introduced by the Chair of
the National Senatorial Campaign Committee and praised by the chair of the Republican
National Committee – clearly puts Social Security and Medicare on the chopping block.

It must be nice for multi-millionaire Ron Johnson and his Republican colleagues to not have to
worry about what will happen when they retire. This privileged nonchalance puts Ron Johnson
and Republican politicians wholly out of touch with millions of families across our state. After
decades of attacking seniors’ benefits, it’s abundantly clear that Republican politicians do not
care about working people.

Meanwhile, Democrats like President Joe Biden and Wisconsin Senator Tammy Baldwin are
focused on passing bills to help lower costs and bolster Social Security. While Democrats
deliver legislative win after legislative win and pass bills that will lower costs for people across
our state, Republicans continue to pose a severe threat to Wisconsin seniors.

That is why, as we celebrate the 87 birthday of Social Security, I’m more committed than ever to
electing Democrats – because I know that Social Security is on the ballot this fall. If seniors
want to continue celebrating this program, it’s essential that Wisconsin voters fire Ron Johnson
and elect Democrats up and down the ticket. We must hold Republican politicians accountable
for betraying Wisconsin seniors – and that starts at the ballot box

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