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Ron Johnson: “By 1948, they were down to 11.4%.”

Featuring: Ron Johnson, Republican | U.S. Senate, Wisconsin

Senator Ron Johnson Discusses Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Reconciliation Challenges

Published May 25, 2025 | Video Starts at 48:13

In my column, I pointed out our forefathers, the greatest generation, responsible leadership entered World War II spending about 11.7%, ramped it up to 41% during the war. By 1948, they were down to 11.4%. So it's entirely possible. But you need leadership. I need the President of the United States. By the way, I've been in the White House with him. (48:13–48:17)

CLAIM

Asserts that by 1948, U.S. government spending was reduced to 11.4% of GDP.

This is an excerpt from a raw transcript. The assertions have not been audited or verified. Tap the video to view the source footage and understand the context.

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Ron Johnson

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“A dollar you held in 1998 is worth 51 cents [today].”
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“We spent something like 5 or 6 trillion dollars globally on climate change...we haven't bent the needle.”
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“In 1930, the federal government spent about 3.5% of our GDP.”
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“Now we're spending close to 24% [of GDP] at the federal level.”
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“Our forefathers... entered World War II spending about 11.7%, ramped it up to 41% during the war.”
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“The first goal of this Republican budget reconciliation should be don't add to the deficit.”
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“The first goal of this Republican budget reconciliation should be don't add to the deficit.”
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“President [Biden] is determined to not keep funding the deep state at buying levels, return to a reasonable pre-pandemic level.”
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“I don't think President Trump, he's not focused on reducing spending.”
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“I can't be pressured by President Trump.”
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“Obamacare is now called Medicaid expansion.”
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“Other mandatory hit well over $2 trillion during COVID.”
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“Last fiscal year was about $1.3 trillion. This year will be over a trillion.”
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“We don't have a balanced budget requirement like states do.”
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“The appropriation committees were literally set up because the authorized committees were big spenders.”
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“Simpson Bowles didn't work. The Budget Control act didn't work.”
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“The 10-year deficit projected by CBO is $22 trillion, averaging $2.2 trillion a year.”
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“The CBO projection I'm looking at assumes we're going to gain another $4 trillion from increasing taxes.”
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“Going from 37 to $59 trillion in debt is a rosy scenario.”
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“We are operating for this fiscal year under a continuing resolution.”
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“The answer was something like $6.3 trillion because we had gone from 4.4 trillion in 2019 up to 6.5.”
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“Clinton, if you use that process, go from 1.7 to 5.5 trillion.”
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“Congress was oblivious and ignorant of all this waste, fraud, and abuse.”
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“The last time I looked at Doge's website, they were up to 165 things higher than that.”
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