Sen. Johnson: Solyndra is comparable to Soviet Union, Cuba

Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) tells CNN’s Soledad O’Brien that Solyndra is a classic example of crony capitalism. CNN Anchor Soledad O’Brien says that his statement is ‘not accurate.’ On Starting Point, Johnson also talks Mitt Romney’s tax returns and President Obama’s record on job creation.

Sen. Johnson says, “The main problem here is that President Obama simply doesn’t understand that it’s the free enterprise systems, the private sector, productive sector, not the government sector that creates long sustainable jobs. All of his efforts are towards growing government. Take a look at the Soviet Union, Venezuela is economic basket case, is anyone moving to the island paradise of Cuba?

He continues, “When you take taxpayer money and you invest that into businesses, that’s the taxpayer money put at risk. Let’s face it, the lesson on the Soviet Union, governments are poor allocators of capital. It’s an economic model that doesn’t work.”

Soledad O’Brien asks, “Didn’t it work in Massachusetts? Isn’t that exactly what Governor Romney did Massachusetts in green energy when he was the governor of Massachusetts?”

Sen. Johnson responds, “Listen, the path we need to take this country on is with free enterprise system, the private sector that creates long term self-sustaining jobs. And that’s exactly what Governor Romney would do as President Romney.”

Starting Point with Soledad O’Brien airs weekday mornings from 7-9am ET on CNN.