Mitt Romney’s ‘Absurd’ Claim Misses Billions in Federal Funds for Cops, Teachers, Firefighters
Mitt Romney was only off by billions of dollars when he said Tuesday that the federal government doesn’t pay for police officers, firefighters and teachers.
Trying to counter criticism from the White House, Romney argued that it was “completely absurd” to say he would cut the hiring of such civil servants because the federal government plays no part in those decisions.
“That’s a very strange accusation,” Romney said on “Fox & Friends.” “Of course, teachers and firemen and policemen are hired at the local level and also by states. The federal government doesn’t pay for teachers, firefighters or policemen. So obviously that is completely absurd.”
In fact, the federal government spends huge amounts of money to support all those professions.
Back in the Lyndon Johnson administration, it started paying out Title 1 education funds, and this year, it is slated to spend $14.5 billion under Title 1. The money is meant to help disadvantaged schools. The bulk of it is used for personnel costs.