WLUK: Sen. Johnson's budget cut plan
How he says the govt. can save $1.4 trillion
Our country's debt problem is one both Democrats and Republicans are trying to solve.
“We need to get more serious about debt deficit reduction in this country if we're going to avoid debt crisis,” said Republican Senator Ron Johnson
Johnson says he has a plan that will help. He suggests nearly 60 items be cut from the nation's budget...totaling about $1.4 trillion over a 10 year period. Johnson says it's a lot of money, but it's doable.
“Most of the cost savings that we identified generally dealt with duplicated programs elsewhere in the budget,” said Johnson.
But Lawrence University Political Science Professor Arnold Shober says there are problems with the plan.
“For the most part, I don't see this going anywhere as it is,” said Shober.
Shober says some items in Johnson's plan are feasible, like cutting federal advertising, removing the number of limousines and limiting the amount of documents printed for the government. But he says others don't stand a chance.
“His cuts about restructuring retirement benefits or pension plans, these are things that are going to garner strong push back from with in the federal government,” said Shober.
But Johnson says some cuts look worse than they are.
“You may take a look at the programs and go, boy, that's gonna really hurt some folks and the fact of the matter is these folks are probably being served, this funding is probably showing somewhere else in the federal government,” said Shober.
Johnson says all members of the senate have been asked to come up with ideas to cut between one point two trillion and one point five trillion dollars from the budget. Shober adds any politician will be met with resistance trying to cut that much money.
“It's easier to fight about not expanding government. But once you get a benefit, now there's a constituency that really likes that benefit. Trying to take on a lot of these at the same time is very difficult,” said Shober.
FOX 11 tried to get in contact with Democratic Senator Herb Kohl, but he did not return our phone calls.
