Why Exactly Does Romney Want Fewer Firefighters, Police and Teachers?

[Lakhota]

By Michael McAuliff

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.

More: Mitt Romney's 'Absurd' Claim Misses Billions In Federal Funds For Cops, Teachers, Firefighters

Mitt Romney On Charge He'd Cut Jobs For Teachers, Firemen, Cops: 'Completely Absurd'

Romney Doesn’t Want to Argue Against Hiring Cops

 

[Lakhota]

Mitt Romney's Long Assault on Firefighters | Election 2012 | AlterNet

 

[Stephanie]

Yeah we know, we need MORE government..

 

[JoeB131]

Yeah we know, we need MORE government..

Again, because of people like Romney we do.

The ideal would be that everyone works a good paying job, and the government is just their to take care of the elderly and infirm beyond what their families can provide.

I personally find the thought of able-bodied people living on the dole to be abhorent.

But when you have a Mitt Romney who gets rid of good paying union jobs at GS Steel or AmPad and replaces them with crappy McJobs at Staples with no benefits, you create more government dependency, not less.

When you close down a factory in the US because those Chinese folks will work cheaper, and you can use the profits to buy yourself an elevator for your car, you create more government dependency, not less.

You see, funny thing about the working poor. They just refuse to die off in a Darwinian manner.

If they can't get what they need from their job, they go to the government for it. They get food stamps to put food on the table, they get section 8 housing to put a roof over their heads and they get Medicaid to see a doctor.

And when the government does more for them than their employer, they are totally going to vote for more of that stuff.

That you all seem unwilling or unable to see this amazes me.

 

[Stephanie]

Yeah we know, we need MORE government..

Again, because of people like Romney we do.

The ideal would be that everyone works a good paying job, and the government is just their to take care of the elderly and infirm beyond what their families can provide.

I personally find the thought of able-bodied people living on the dole to be abhorent.

But when you have a Mitt Romney who gets rid of good paying union jobs at GS Steel or AmPad and replaces them with crappy McJobs at Staples with no benefits, you create more government dependency, not less.

When you close down a factory in the US because those Chinese folks will work cheaper, and you can use the profits to buy yourself an elevator for your car, you create more government dependency, not less.

You see, funny thing about the working poor. They just refuse to die off in a Darwinian manner.

If they can't get what they need from their job, they go to the government for it. They get food stamps to put food on the table, they get section 8 housing to put a roof over their heads and they get Medicaid to see a doctor.

And when the government does more for them than their employer, they are totally going to vote for more of that stuff.

That you all seem unwilling or unable to see this amazes me.

wow, Us taxpayers (Government) are sure a bunch of suckers...people unhappy about where they work, they just go and live off us..

how lovely

 

[JoeB131]

Yeah we know, we need MORE government..

Again, because of people like Romney we do.

The ideal would be that everyone works a good paying job, and the government is just their to take care of the elderly and infirm beyond what their families can provide.

I personally find the thought of able-bodied people living on the dole to be abhorent.

But when you have a Mitt Romney who gets rid of good paying union jobs at GS Steel or AmPad and replaces them with crappy McJobs at Staples with no benefits, you create more government dependency, not less.

When you close down a factory in the US because those Chinese folks will work cheaper, and you can use the profits to buy yourself an elevator for your car, you create more government dependency, not less.

You see, funny thing about the working poor. They just refuse to die off in a Darwinian manner.

If they can't get what they need from their job, they go to the government for it. They get food stamps to put food on the table, they get section 8 housing to put a roof over their heads and they get Medicaid to see a doctor.

And when the government does more for them than their employer, they are totally going to vote for more of that stuff.

That you all seem unwilling or unable to see this amazes me.

wow, Us taxpayers (Government) are sure a bunch of suckers...people unhappy about where they work, they just go and live off us..

how lovely

See, missed the point.

Do you ever get the fucking point, or do you just work really hard to be oblivious?

 

[Stephanie]

Again, because of people like Romney we do.

The ideal would be that everyone works a good paying job, and the government is just their to take care of the elderly and infirm beyond what their families can provide.

I personally find the thought of able-bodied people living on the dole to be abhorent.

But when you have a Mitt Romney who gets rid of good paying union jobs at GS Steel or AmPad and replaces them with crappy McJobs at Staples with no benefits, you create more government dependency, not less.

When you close down a factory in the US because those Chinese folks will work cheaper, and you can use the profits to buy yourself an elevator for your car, you create more government dependency, not less.

You see, funny thing about the working poor. They just refuse to die off in a Darwinian manner.

If they can't get what they need from their job, they go to the government for it. They get food stamps to put food on the table, they get section 8 housing to put a roof over their heads and they get Medicaid to see a doctor.

And when the government does more for them than their employer, they are totally going to vote for more of that stuff.

That you all seem unwilling or unable to see this amazes me.

wow, Us taxpayers (Government) are sure a bunch of suckers...people unhappy about where they work, they just go and live off us..

how lovely

See, missed the point.

Do you ever get the fucking point, or do you just work really hard to be oblivious?

you had a point?
lol

 

[Warrior102]

Firefighters, police, EMS, etc. - all hired at LOCAL, not Federal, levels.

Neither Romney, Obama, the Man in the Moon have a say-so on the issue.

Case fucking closed.


Next...... !!!!!

 

[JoeB131]

wow, Us taxpayers (Government) are sure a bunch of suckers...people unhappy about where they work, they just go and live off us..

how lovely

See, missed the point.

Do you ever get the fucking point, or do you just work really hard to be oblivious?

you had a point?
lol

One that you were too stupid to comprehend, obviously.

When you make people dependent on government, you get more government.

It's so fantastically simple, but the people who get the car elevators spend a lot of money tricking dumb people like you into not seeing it.

 

[JoeB131]

Firefighters, police, EMS, etc. - all hired at LOCAL, not Federal, levels.

Neither Romney, Obama, the Man in the Moon have a say-so on the issue.

Case fucking closed.


Next...... !!!!!

Except the Federal government pays block grants to support their budgets.

More to the point, when the Federal Government slashes back, so do the States and local governments.

 

[Warrior102]

Firefighters, police, EMS, etc. - all hired at LOCAL, not Federal, levels.

Neither Romney, Obama, the Man in the Moon have a say-so on the issue.

Case fucking closed.


Next...... !!!!!

Except the Federal government pays block grants to support their budgets.

More to the point, when the Federal Government slashes back, so do the States and local governments.

EVERY locale in the nation does NOT get a Federal Grant, dipshit.

They have their own budgets.

Braindead?

 

[JoeB131]

Firefighters, police, EMS, etc. - all hired at LOCAL, not Federal, levels.

Neither Romney, Obama, the Man in the Moon have a say-so on the issue.

Case fucking closed.


Next...... !!!!!

Except the Federal government pays block grants to support their budgets.

More to the point, when the Federal Government slashes back, so do the States and local governments.

EVERY locale in the nation does NOT get a Federal Grant, dipshit.

They have their own budgets.

Braindead?

Okay, good point. Wealthy suburbs like the one I live in don't need federal grants.

Small rural towns and big cities do.

Unfortunately, those are the ones that probably NEED the federal grants.

 

[Warrior102]

Except the Federal government pays block grants to support their budgets.

More to the point, when the Federal Government slashes back, so do the States and local governments.

EVERY locale in the nation does NOT get a Federal Grant, dipshit.

They have their own budgets.

Braindead?

Okay, good point. Wealthy suburbs like the one I live in don't need federal grants.

Small rural towns and big cities do.

Unfortunately, those are the ones that probably NEED the federal grants.

I live in a small county, Brainiac.
We are not "showered" with Federal funds.
We pay our taxes.
We have a budget that pays our emergency responders, teachers and police officers.
You're trying to create a situation (small towns rely on federal grants) that doesn't exist across the board.

Why don't you STFU. You are coming across as dense.

 

[old navy]

Police services, fire suppression, and education is for the most part local. If local jusisdictions cannot support these services then cuts must be made.

The majority of fire department shifts around the country are manned by volunteers.

When seconds count, the police are only minutes away. They are a reactive force and that should not cost an arm and leg.

The feds should stay out of education as they just screw it up. The state should continue to set standards and curriculum and the city/county should provide teachers, facilities, and equipment, all funded by property taxes.

I find it disturbing that the city with the worst crime rate and worst education system sent us people who are now in charge of those things at a national level.

 

[JoeB131]

I live in a small county, Brainiac.
We are not "showered" with Federal funds.
We pay our taxes.
We have a budget that pays our emergency responders, teachers and police officers.
You're trying to create a situation (small towns rely on federal grants) that doesn't exist across the board.

Why don't you STFU. You are coming across as dense.

I'm very happy for you...

But you know, where lots of people live, and we actually have real crime and real fire, and Andy and Barney aren't our police department, we actually need to get those federal grants.

And here's the gag. I love to shit how folks in Red States whine about self-reliance, when the Red States usually get more money back from Washington than they send, and the Blue states usually end up getting less back.

For instance, take a look at the map below...

Barack Obama's Illinois only gets back .73 for every dollar we send to DC. Meanwhile, Sarah Palin's Alaska gets back 1.87 for every dollar they send east.

 

[old navy]

Your numbers are dated Joe but they are probably still similar.

That is not free money just given to states. Virginia for example gets lots of federal money due to its proximity to DC and the large amount of military assets. Norfolk Naval Base for example is the largest in the world. Then add the Air Force, Coast Guard, Army and you have a huge military complex. My school system for example gets federal money for educating military dependents that live on base. The parents do not pay property taxes so the shortfall is made up with federal funds. There are other reasons for federal payments to states but I'm at work and the taxpayer expects me to educate their kids and not the USMB.

 

[rdean]

Firefighters, police, EMS, etc. - all hired at LOCAL, not Federal, levels.

Neither Romney, Obama, the Man in the Moon have a say-so on the issue.

Case fucking closed.


Next...... !!!!!

Many times with federal help.

Next.....!!!!!

 

[Warrior102]

Firefighters, police, EMS, etc. - all hired at LOCAL, not Federal, levels.

Neither Romney, Obama, the Man in the Moon have a say-so on the issue.

Case fucking closed.


Next...... !!!!!

Many times with federal help.

Next.....!!!!!

We've never received federal aid. Nor do we want it.

Next ...!!!!

 

[rdean]

Right wingers want to get rid of the police and say I'm anti police.

Right wingers want to get rid of firefighters and say "volunteers" are fine. If my house caught fire, I would want the fire put out by "professionals" who are on the job, ready, willing and most of all "able".

Right wingers say there are too many teachers. Fine, let them home-school and grow up prepared for nothing. Only with an education can you compete. Right wingers will end up in government trailers. I suspect that many already are.

 

[Stephanie]

Right wingers want to get rid of the police and say I'm anti police.

Right wingers want to get rid of firefighters and say "volunteers" are fine. If my house caught fire, I would want the fire put out by "professionals" who are on the job, ready, willing and most of all "able".

Right wingers say there are too many teachers. Fine, let them home-school and grow up prepared for nothing. Only with an education can you compete. Right wingers will end up in government trailers. I suspect that many already are.

oh brother...