GOP senator says government's too big

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WASHINGTON, Jan. 29 (UPI) -- The U.S. federal government is too big and meddlesome, Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., said Saturday in his party's weekly media address.

The freshman senator criticized Democratic President Barack Obama's "ever-expanding size, scope and cost of government," The Hill newspaper reported.

"I hope the president and his allies in Congress accept a simple truth: Big government is blocking job creation, not helping it," Johnson said. "The sooner Washington ends its dependence on more spending, the sooner our economy will see real growth."

In response to Obama's weekly radio and Internet address in which he said the United States would "win the future by being the best place on Earth to do business," Johnson said that wasn't possible under the current administration.

"The lesson we all should have learned from the pitiful results of the $814 billion stimulus bill is that growing government does not grow our economy or create long-term, self-sustaining jobs," he said. "It is the private sector that creates jobs."