In discussions over the so-called “big beautiful bill” backed by Donald Trump that’s making its way through Congress, none other than Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson has emerged as the most prominent Republican critic of the bill, saying at a recent Milwaukee Press Club event that it is “not even close to adequate.” Johnson has said he wants spending cuts to go even further, including making cuts to Medicaid. 

But Johnson’s position as a critic of this bill makes him especially influential in these negotiations. But let’s not forget the last time he was in a similar position. In 2017, he was a critic of the Trump tax cut bill, but what he fought for was a tax break for certain types of businesses, perhaps not coincidentally, the business owned by his largest donors, Dick and Liz Uihlein, co-owners of the Wisconsin-based Uline company. In 2018 alone, the Uihleins received more than $200 million in tax breaks because of this bill. 

So as the big beautiful bill is negotiated in the Senate, let’s not forget this piece of recent history, and continue to question what Ron Johnson’s endgame might be with his public criticism.

Johnson’s position as a critic of this bill makes him one of the most influential members of Congress when it comes to negotiating this legislation. But unlike some other critics of the bill, who don’t like that it cuts Medicaid, Johnson has said that it doesn’t cut spending enough, pointing to issues with the national debt.

But that criticism has a problem, too. In 2017, Johnson was the face of GOP opposition to the Trump tax bill, but he then negotiated a larger tax break for certain types of businesses — including his biggest donors — and that bill has massively increased the debt.

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