Shot/Chaser: Senator Ron Johnson’s tin foil hat approach to national security
Instead of proposing a serious plan to defeat ISIS and passing an authorization for the use of military force, incumbent Sen. Ron Johnson continues to shirk his responsibility in Congress. Sen. Johnson’s plan for keeping America safe seems to consist of offering up some of the Internet’s wildest conspiracy theories. Take a look at the AP’s coverage of Johnson’s tin foil hat ramblings to Wisconsin emergency officials last week:
U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson warned Wisconsin emergency officials they need to be prepared for electromagnetic pulse attacks and solar flares that could disable power infrastructures during a wide-ranging town hall meeting Friday.
He began the session by warning that a pulse attack or a massive solar flare could have “horrific” effects on energy infrastructure. He questioned why emergency officials haven’t done more to protect power transformers from those threats.
Chaser: Senator Johnson’s EMP Obession is a “clown show”
A bit of context: Johnson is the senior senator from Wisconsin and a Republican. Ernest Moniz is the secretary of energy and one of the lead US negotiators on the Iran deal. Electromagnetic pulse (EMP) weapons are a nonsense science fiction ”threat” and a longtime point of obsession among certain conservatives, such as Newt Gingrich and Ron Johnson. Johnson’s line of questioning, to a top-of-his-field nuclear physicist, is a little like asking Neil Armstrong if he thinks the moon landing might have been faked.
