MANITOWOC — U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson used Friday's bleak jobs report from the Labor Department as ammunition to fire away at President Barack Obama.

"The president doesn't have a clue when it comes to creating jobs," the first-term Republican from Oshkosh told a group of business and civic leaders at Orion Energy Systems, a manufacturer of energy-efficient lighting systems and solar light pipes.

The federal report indicated no net job growth in August, with 14 million unemployed — including nearly 43 percent without work for six months or longer.

"To remove uncertainty and re-inject confidence in the economy, we need to repeal everything that Obama has done (related to) health care and regulations … I wish the president would take an honest look at the havoc his policies have wreaked," said Johnson, 56, who in November defeated Democrat Russ Feingold seeking his fourth six-year term.

Sharing numbers

Johnson spent the first 25 minutes of his 40-minute appearance in the Lakeshore area "just being the messenger" sharing numbers he deemed "scary."

Specifically, he railed against Congress approving raising the federal debt ceiling to $14.6 trillion, about the size of the nation's gross domestic product.

"When nation-states incur a level of debt that exceeds 90 percent of GDP, they reach a tipping point and make it very hard to get under control without economic dislocation," said Johnson, who in August voted against the bill raising the debt ceiling saying it fell far short of serious budget reform.

"I grew up where hard work was valued … there has been a steady lurch toward societal entitlement," said Johnson, who has a bachelor's degree in business and accounting from the University of Minnesota.

He urged visiting the website www.usdebtclock.org, which shows a more than $47,000 "debt per citizen" and unfounded liabilities related to Social Security, Medicare and prescription drug benefits posing a $1 million-plus obligation on every taxpayer.

Johnson urged the audience to not fall for "Washington speak" like saying a program's budget has been "cut" when only its rate of growth has been limited.

He said he was "highly offended" when a White House press spokesman said Johnson and other fiscal conservative Republicans want to end Social Security.

"That is a lie … we want to preserve Social Security and make it structurally sound for future workers," said Johnson, whose website states he ran for office "because the federal government is bankrupting America."

But "don't expect Washington to fix the problem, at least not with the current" politicians in office, he said.

Urges participation

"Now is not the time to sit back … you have to get involved in the process," Johnson said. "You don't have to run for office, but you have to support those candidates who will take this situation seriously and make the tough votes."

Johnson isn't optimistic major tax reform is possible, though he said reform of the code that is more than 70,000 pages long is critically needed

Johnson said he understands how businesses, organizations and individuals want to engage in lobbying activities.

"When people come to my office, if they say they want to get government off their back, they'll find a receptive audience," Johnson said.

But, if additional funding is sought, Johnson won't have an encouraging word.

"No matter how worthy your program, organization, business … as much harm as would come by not being funded, that pales in comparison to the harm to the nation if we hit that debt crisis," Johnson said.

He said his first eight months in office has had some inspiring moments.

Johnson told of going to military hospitals to visit young veterans, many of whom are triple amputees.

"Their bodies are horribly broken, but not their spirits," he said. "One of them told me that his next job will be to visit newly injured and boost their morale …

"That should give you hope and inspire you to get involved. We, the American people, have to step up to the plate and demand that our public officials do the right thing.

"We were founded on phenomenal principles including liberty and freedom," Johnson said. "We can return to prosperity."