Ron Johnson

We have an uncompetitive tax system forcing companies, in order to survive, to take over that corporate ownership.

The reality of the situation is we have an uncompetitive Tax Code, and if U.S. businesses do not respond to that, they will be put out of business because they will not be able to compete.

It is not that hard to do. What is difficult is developing the political will and achieving those compromises to actually enact it.

If you are a global manufacturer and you want to take advantage of what I think we have in terms of global advantages, competitor advantages, we are the world's largest market here in the United States, right?

This is an excellent first hearing, so thank you.

In attempting to defend its work, the VA Inspector General criticizes and demeans the very individuals its healthcare inspection failed to protect in the first place; the victims and whistleblowers of the Tomah VA Medical Center.

That actually was 10 seconds.

We have to understand it. One of the reasons I throw it out there is you have to simplify what it is that we need to do, so people understand.

Again, we like those indicators improving for America.

The important emphasis for you, given the committee's jurisdiction and our general interest in this strong, vibrant, global economy, is the United States should be involved in those decisions because ultimately, cumulatively, they can have…

Our regulatory environment is onerous. There are numerous studies pegging that at about $2 trillion per year.

Talk a little bit more about what I would consider the possibility or almost certainty of the misallocation of capital when you have unrealistically low interest rates, how you do chase yield, how you end up putting money into high-risk…

But their debt was not at----

I think the concern is it is going to go the one way where people have said that it worked pretty well for them.

I mean, they could be doing very well if they had better policies.

Certainly, getting at the early retirement system is going to be core for any sustainable solution in Greece.

I am not an economist. I am a business guy, so I have done a lot of strategic planning.

I always relate national debt loads to family debt, where if you are in debt over your head, how are you going to grow your personal economy?

One of the things we did, we held a hearing in our Homeland Security Committee with CBO Director Hall, and we have converted to dollars their long-term fiscal scenarios and the alternate fiscal scenario.

So let me ask you, how are we getting away with this when we have almost doubled the debt per capita? Why are we not seeing riots in the streets?

Our tax system is uncompetitive.

America's primary strength, number one, is that we are the world's largest market.

The mandatory spending programs, the pensions in Europe, we call them entitlements here, Dr. Kahn, you said that was 16 percent of Greece's GDP.

They are in such deep trouble. The deep recession of 2009, that was basically the catalyst for the ongoing crisis.

Let us to consider lessons learned first by going back to the history of Greece.