Bad headline after bad headline plagued multi-millionaire Ron Johnson’s re-election campaign this week after he was caught on camera telling Wisconsin families that he’s against Congress taking action to lower child care costs — such as via the Build Back Better agenda, which he opposes — because he’s “never really felt it was society’s responsibility” (or his own).
Rather than try to clean up his comments, Johnson has instead doubled and tripled down on his out-of-touch remarks, stressing that he is “happy to defend” having no plan — let alone a desire — to help Wisconsin families deal with increasingly unaffordable child care. Is that any surprise from a Senator who fought to slash his biggest billionaire donors’ taxes but opposes tax cuts for 36 million families?
On top of that, despite his rhetoric about parents “choosing” to have children, Johnson also denies that people should have the right to decide when to start a family. He has repeatedly urged the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade, opening the door for state and federal-level abortion bans.
Read the coverage:
Wisconsin Public Radio: US Sen. Ron Johnson defends saying taking care of children isn’t ‘society’s responsibility’
WKOW-TV: ‘I’m happy to defend this’: Johnson stands by opposition to child care aid
WBAY-TV: Sen. Johnson faces criticism from Democrats over child care comments
Heartland Signal: Ron Johnson opposes… child care: It’s not ‘society’s responsibility to take care of other people’s children’
HuffPost: Sen. Ron Johnson: Not ‘Society’s Responsibility To Take Care Of Other People’s Children’
MSNBC: All in with Chris Hayes: Ron Johnson’s message to parents: You are on your own
MSNBC: ZERLINA: Ron Johnson makes position on families clear
Business Insider: Sen. Ron Johnson says it’s not ‘society’s responsibility’ to care for ‘other people’s children’ while arguing against child care subsidies for working parents
American Independent: Multimillionaire Sen. Ron Johnson doesn’t think child care is society’s problem
Wisconsin State Journal: Ron Johnson speaks out against federal spending, ‘indoctrinating’ children
The Guardian: Childcare spending not your responsibility, senator? What fine Republican hypocrisy
RawStory: Ron Johnson on taking care of children: ‘I’ve never really felt it was society’s responsibility’
Washington Examiner: Opinion: ‘Society’ doesn’t mean ‘the federal government’ — conservatives ought to know that
Daily Kos: Ron Johnson slams child tax credit with argument I’ve heard drunk GOPers more eloquently state
Newsweek: Anti-Abortion Sen. Ron Johnson Opposes Funding Child Care: ‘People Decide to Have Families’
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Published: Jan 28, 2022 | Last Modified: Feb 1, 2022