http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/news/115719084.htmlRon Johnson rips liberalism at national conservative gathering, calls for more "citizen-legislators"
By Craig Gilbert of the Journal Sentinel
Addressing the nation’s largest annual gathering of conservatives Thursday, Sen. Ron Johnson accused liberals of demonizing doctors and business people, fostering entitlement and dependency, and sacrificing “our freedom in their quest for more power over our lives.”
Johnson was the second speaker at CPAC, an annual three-day event in Washington DC that will feature many of the Republican Party’s presidential hopefuls. Conference organizer David Keene said 11,000 people had registered for the event, although there were far fewer than that in the hotel hall at the outset of the event.
Johnson followed key-note speaker Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, who told attendees, “We have seen President Obama usher in socialism under his watch over the last two years.” After Bachmann’s speech earned a loud ovation from the crowd, Johnson called it a “hard act to follow.”
The GOP freshman from Wisconsin was one of several speakers chosen by organizers to showcase the election last fall of conservative newcomers to politics. “I realize many - if not most - of you, had no idea who I was prior to November second - or even five minutes ago for that matter,” Johnson told the morning crowd, before retelling the story of his decision to run for office to fight the new health care law.