Ron Johnson's D.C. Home

Senator Ron Johnson, just one year into his 6-year term as a U.S. senator, has purchased a home in Washington.

Dan Bice, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, has a problem with that. He thinks that in less than a year, Johnson has become an inside the beltway guy, a detached career politician.

Bice writes:

For someone who vowed to serve as a "citizen legislator," U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson certainly is acting like a seasoned Washington insider.

First, Johnson hired a former lobbyist as his chief of staff. Then he announced that he was running for a top GOP post in the Senate and created a leadership fund.

Now it turns out that Johnson has paid cash for a $1 million-plus D.C. house within walking distance of his Senate office.

No sleeping on a cot in his legislative office for this first-term Republican.

Actually, the brick town house - guaranteed to "knock your socks off" in the words of the real estate agent - was bought by The Ronald H. Johnson and Jane K. Johnson Irrevocable Endowment Trust.

Apparently, Bice believes that serving as a "citizen legislator" means one takes a vow of poverty and sleeps on a cot in one's office.

I think Bice doesn't know what "citizen legislator" means.

I have no problem with Sen. Johnson buying a house he can afford. That has nothing to do with him being a conservative voice in the U.S. Senate, representing Wisconsinites.

Are we supposed to be ticked off that he bought the place?

Are we supposed to be jealous and demand that Johnson share his wealth with us because... because... because he has it and we don't?

I don't see how Johnson's D.C. home means he's become a Washington insider.

He bought a property. So what?

We all knew that Johnson was wealthy when we decided to vote for him and fire radical Leftist Russ Feingold. I certainly didn't imagine Johnson would be living out of his office.

He bought a house. Who cares?

Furthermore, what's wrong with Johnson hiring a former lobbyist?

Does that mean he's not looking out for my interests and representing me?

No.

And what's wrong with running for a leadership post?

We need new blood in those positions, people exactly like Johnson.

I think Bice should join the Occupy Milwaukee protesters. He seems to share their opinions. He does seem to be trying to stir up a class war.

The Leftists might enjoy Bice's story on Johnson's "pricey pad in D.C."

I think it's a joke.

It's a good thing Herb Kohl is retiring. The poor guy must be sick and tired from spending over twenty years sleeping on a cot in his office. Or did Kohl give up his cot long ago and become a Washington insider? Maybe he eventually rented a studio apartment. How much room does a single guy need?

I wonder what Feingold's doing with his cot. Surely, the maverick man of the people Feingold didn't put down any roots in Washington. That would be so insider-ish. And there's that problem with roots. It hurts when they get ripped out. Feingold would know.

Since Bice is so interested in homes, he should give us the scoop on where Kohl and Feingold lived during their lengthy Washington stints, kind of a U.S. Senate version of Cribs.