Romney continues to lie his way out of his "teachers/firefighters" gaffe. Yesterday:
"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’s completely absurd."
WRONG! Someone really needs to grill Mitt Romney about why he doesn't seem to understand basic civics and the relationship between state, local and federal budgets.
In additional to the spending on teachers, firefighters and police officers in the president's stimulus legislation, here are more examples from ThinkProgress:
Teachers
- Improving Teacher Quality State Grants: about $2.5 billion given in 2012 to increasing the number of highly qualified teachers and administrators in schools
- Transition to Teaching: about $26 million in 2012 to recruit and retain highly qualified midcareer professionals for high-need schools
- TEACH Grants: an estimated $118 million in 2012 to fund college students who agree to become highly-qualified teachers in schools serving students from low-income families for at least four years
- Stafford Loan Forgiveness for Teachers: an estimated $130 million in 2012 to forgive federal student loan debt for those who agree to become highly-qualified teachers in schools serving students from low-income families for at least four years
Firefighters
- Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program: grants for fire departments to enhance their abilities with respect to fire and fire-related hazards
- Reimbursement for Firefighting on Federal Property: payments to local fire departments to reimburse their costs for fighting fires on federal property
Police
- Community Policing Development: funds to advance the practice of community policing in law enforcement agencies through training and technical assistance
- COPS Hiring Program: funds to hire an estimated 500-plus police officers in 2012, by paying up to 75 percent of the new recruits’ salaries for three years
- Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation: funds to hire and train police officers for federally recognized Tribal jurisdictions