politics
Contributors in Minnesota: Jennifer Brooks, Baird Helgeson, Patricia Lopez, Jim Ragsdale, Rachel E. Stassen-Berger and Glen Stubbe. Contributors in D.C.: Kevin Diaz and Corey Mitchell.
resize text 
subscribe via RSS
DFLers Rybak, Martin pounce on Romney's statement on stimulus aid
Posted by: Corey Mitchell under 2012 Presidential election, President Obama Updated: June 11, 2012 - 5:01 PM
Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak and state DFL chairman Ken Martin are pouncing on Mitt Romney's comments opposing more stimulus aid, claiming they show the Republican presidential candidate doesn't support teachers, police officers and firefighters.
Jumping on President Barack Obama's assertion on Friday that the "private sector's doing fine" -- a statement Obama later retreated from -- Romney said later in the day that the president was "pushing aside the private sector" in favor of more government. That includes the economic stimulus aid that has helped cash-strapped local governments pay the salaries of public employees.
"He wants another stimulus. He wants to hire more government workers," Romney said at a campaign event Friday. "He says we need more firemen, more policemen, more teachers. Did he not get the message of Wisconsin? The American people did. It's time for us to cut back on government and help the American people."
In those remarks, Romney referenced last Tuesday's recall election in Wisconsin, which was triggered by petition signatures collected after the Republican Gov. Scott Walker signed a bill stripping public employee unions of many public bargaining rights. Walker survived the recall.
During a Monday afternoon press call, Rybak -- a Democratic National Committee vice chairman -- and Martin continued an offensive against Romney that began over the weekend, arguing that his statements prove he's out of touch with teachers and first responders -- along with the entire middle class -- and thinks that most public employees are expendable.
"Over and over again, Mitt Romney has put .... those at the top over the middle class," Martin said.
Rybak also told reporters that in Minneapolis, where budget cuts have been severe, stimulus funds helped keep more than two dozen police officers on the street.
Romney's campaign has dismissed the notion that he doesn't value public employees, calling the Democratic response to his statement "manufactured outrage."
ADVERTISEMENT
recent posts
- GOP House members ask Dayton to veto parks money
- Poll gives Franken a big lead over all potential GOP opponents
- White House to honor state Rep. Karen Clark
- DFL leaders call budget 'progress;' GOP says it's 'tax, tax, tax'
- GOP, DFL head home with differing views on session
- Legislature passes scaled-down bonding bill
- Bonding battle takes to YouTube
- Photos: Final hours of legislative season
- Bakk: Not going home 'without the Capitol being done'
- Photos: House passes daycare unionization bill 68-66
- Photos: Senate on final legislative day
- Data bills won't move foward as time runs out
- To bond or not to bond, is the question for the Lege
- House approves care workers union bill by single vote
- Graves-Bachmann matchup starts as a dead heat
- MN Senate unanimously ousts Tax Court judge
- Legislature strikes deals; Capitol fix, unionization, budget all in mix
- House passes $2 billion in new taxes, stadium funding, Mayo project
- Photos: House continues daycare unionization debate
Post By Category
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
inside the StarTribune
-
425 Portland Av. S.
Minneapolis, MN 55488
(612) 673-4000
- Company
- Subscriber Services
- Website
- Buy Ads
- Store
- Connect with Us
© 2013 StarTribune. All rights reserved.
StarTribune.com is powered by Limelight Networks
Newspaper Subscriptions
eEdition
RSS
Newsletters