MITT ROMNEY TELLS STUDENTS:  ” YOU BETTER SHOP AROUND”

One thing that’s not getting talked about in the conversations about college affordability is Romney’s support of the Ryan budget, which would actually greatly increase the cost of college. See the official statement and the research below for more details, but as you’re covering this issue remember what Romney’s overall attitude towards making college affordable for students has been so far – “Shop Around”

ROMNEY TOLD COLLEGE STUDENTS THEY’RE ON THEIR OWN SO “SHOP AROUND”

Romney In Youngstown Today: “The Best Thing I Can Do For You Is To Tell You To Shop Around, And To Compare Tuition In Different Places.”Romney: “The best thing I can do for you is to tell you to shop around, and to compare tuition in different places, and make sure you’re getting the education you want for the cost that you want. Make sure you can get your degree in four years, or less. Work hard… I was with one college that said, ‘we take the students and go without vacation, go right straight through,’ so you can get done in like two and a half years. Recognize that college is expensive. You don’t want to have huge debts. I know that it would be popular for me to just stand up and say I’m going to give you government money to make sure to pay for your college. But I’m not going to promise that. What I’m going to tell you is: Shop around, get a good price […] But my best advice is find a great institution of higher learning, find one that has the right price, shop around. In America, this idea of competition, it works. Don’t just go to the one that has the highest price, go to one that has a little lower price where you can get a good education, and hopefully you’ll find that, and don’t take on too much debt. And don’t expect the government to forgive the debt that you take on. Recognize that you’re going to have to pay it back.” [Romney Youngstown Town Hall, 3/5/12]

BACKGROUND:

ROMNEY WOULD ENACT THE RYAN PLAN THAT WOULD ALLOW THE INTEREST RATE FOR STUDENT LOANS TO DOUBLE AND CUT PELL GRANTS

The Ryan Budget Would Allow The Interest Rate For Student Loans To Double. “There was wide agreement among members of Congress Wednesday that loans and grants are important, but there were questions about the $6 billion Obama proposal that would hold interest rates constant next year. Ryan’s budget would allow the rate to double as planned.” [Inside Higher Ed, 3/29/12]

2012: Cuts Proposed Under The House Republican Budget Will Likely Target Programs Like Head Start, Pell Grants For College Students And State Aid.“Under pressure from House conservatives, Mr. Ryan cut nearly $20 billion from spending levels set in the debt-ceiling pact, breaking faith with the Senate and potentially leading to a government shutdown this fall. Much of that reduction is likely to come from programs like Head Start, Pell grants for college students and state aid.” [Editorial, New York Times,3/20/12]

Under The House Republican Budget Spending On Pell Grants Would Be Reduced. “The GOP blueprint, authored by House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), is designed to draw a sharp contrast with President Obama heading into the November election in the ideological battle over taxes and spending… Education and job training programs would be consolidated and ‘modernized,’ the plan says. And spending on Pell grants would be reduced and retargeted toward low-income college students most in need of assistance.” [Washington Post, 3/20/12]

Romney: “I’m Very Supportive Of The Ryan Budget Plan” Which “Is Very Similar To The One That I Put Out.”Romney: “I’m very supportive of the Ryan budget plan. It’s a bold and exciting effort on his part and on the part of the Republicans and it’s very much consistent with what I put out earlier. I think it’s amazing that we have a president who three and a half years in still hasn’t put a proposal out that deals with entitlements. This president’s dealing with entitlement reform — excuse me — this budget deals with entitlement reform, tax policy, which as you know is very similar to the one that I put out and efforts to reign in excessive spending. I applaud it. It’s an excellent piece of work and very much needed.” [Politico,3/20/12]

Romney: Ryan Budget Plan Is “Bold And Exciting” And “Excellent.”Romney: “I’m very supportive of the Ryan budget plan. It’s a bold and exciting effort on his part and on the part of the Republicans and it’s very much consistent with what I put out earlier. … I applaud it. It’s an excellent piece of work and very much needed.” [Politico,3/20/12]

Rep. Paul Ryan Was Convinced If Romney Were President, Romney Would Enact Ryan’s Budget.  O’DONNELL:   “Mitt Romney says he supports your plan. Are you convinced he`s a fiscal conservative?” RYAN: “Absolutely.” O`DONNELL: “And are you convinced, if he were president, that he would enact your budget?” RYAN: “Yeah, I think he — I`m not expecting everybody to enact every little piece of this. But, yes. He and the other candidates running for president have embraced these kinds of reforms because we know it`s the best way to save and strengthen the Medicare guarantee, save Medicaid –” O`DONNELL: “If Mitt Romney became president of the United States, you`re convinced he would follow through with a lot of the reductions that you make in this –” RYAN: “Yes.” O`DONNELL: “–in this plan?” RYAN: “Yes.” [Face The Nation, CBS, 3/25/12]

Headline: “Ryan: Romney Will Enact My Budget” [National Journal,3/25/12]

Romney: Federal Government Subsidies For Higher Education Has Resulted In Higher Tuition.Romney: “In my view one of the reasons for that is when the government subsidizes to a great degree a particular effort, people take advantage of the money coming in from the government and just keep on raising the tuition. And so if the federal government tomorrow were to say we will give $50,000 a year to every student in higher education my guess is that the tuition would go up $50,000.” [Romney, Reno Gazette Journal Editorial Board, 2/2/12]

Romney: “If The Federal Government Tomorrow Were To Say We Will Give $50,000 A Year To Every Student In Higher Education My Guess Is That The Tuition Would Go Up $50,000.” [Romney, Reno Gazette Journal Editorial Board, 2/2/12]

Romney: “There’s No Such Thing As A Free Lunch… I’d Love To Help More Kids Go To School That Want To Go To School, But I’m Not Going To Get Up And Promise More And More Spending In Virtually Every Area People Think Is Important.” Romney said, “You know, um, it is—it has been the, um, the approach of people running for college to promise more more more to every constituency.  And to say, ‘I’m going to give more to every group.  I’m going to give you more money and you more money and you more money.’  And that’s what’s gotten us into the mess we’re in.  And I’d love to say, ‘Look, we’re going to give you money for your kids going to college.  And we’re going to give you money for every program that you might think of.’  And if I did that, I might be having better political prospects, but I wouldn’t be telling the truth.  And, frankly, we can’t keep on spending more than we take in.  And if we raise taxes on people, then those people will have a harder time buying things, which will make our economy worse and put more people out of work.  There’s no such thing as a free lunch.  I’d love to do more to help people who are sending kids to college.  But I—and I’m happy to look at the programs that we have and see if we can make them more efficient and more effective.  You know, we have college loan programs.  Some of them are working well and some probably need improvement.  I look to make government as efficient and as effective as possible.  I’d love to help more kids go to school that want to go to school, but I’m not going to get up and promise more and more spending in virtually every area people think is important.” [WMUR, 7/14/11]

Romney: Pell Grants Is A Program For The Poor. “Look, I — most of the programs that deal with the poor and — and you mentioned Pell Grants or assistance for lunch, I look at a lot of the programs for the poor. I’m gonna examine them one-by-one. But I think most of them I’m gonna turn the money back to the states and say you should craft the plans in the way you think best to care for your own poor.” [Huckabee Candidate Forum, Fox News, 12/3/11]

… AND CLAIMED GOVERNMENT AID TO COLLEGE STUDENTS ACTUALLY INCREASES TUITION

Romney Argued That The Federal Government Subsidizing College Tuition Would Increase Tuition Rates.  Romney said in an editorial board interview with the Ames Tribune, “I look at place like University of Phoenix and others, I think you are going to find students saying, ‘you know what, that’s not a bad deal. I’m not willing to come out of college with $100,000 in debt.’ The alternative is to say that the government’s going to pay for that. And if the government starts writing checks for people to go to a university, they will just keep raising their rates because there will be no incentive to say we’ll have to hold our rates down in order to attract the best students. Now, of course some of the big institutions have great scholarship programs that keep the costs down through those charitable contributions. But, I’m not in favor of having the federal government start spending money which would only in my view raise the cost of tuition.” [Ames Tribune Editorial Board Interview, 12/29/11]

Watch full interview here:

Romney: Federal Government Subsidies For Higher Education Has Resulted In Higher Tuition.Romney: “In my view one of the reasons for that is when the government subsidizes to a great degree a particular effort, people take advantage of the money coming in from the government and just keep on raising the tuition. And so if the federal government tomorrow were to say we will give $50,000 a year to every student in higher education my guess is that the tuition would go up $50,000.” [Romney, Reno Gazette Journal Editorial Board, 2/2/12]

Romney: “If The Federal Government Tomorrow Were To Say We Will Give $50,000 A Year To Every Student In Higher Education My Guess Is That The Tuition Would Go Up $50,000.” [Romney, Reno Gazette Journal Editorial Board, 2/2/12]

ROMNEY CRITICIZED AID FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS, INCLUDING PELL GRANTS, IMPLYING THE COST OF EDUCATION WOULD WORK ITSELF OUT IN THE FREE MARKET SYSTEM…

Romney “Seemed To Imply The Problem Would Work Itself Out In The Free Market System.” “Two voters at the town hall asked Romney about the rising cost of higher education. The GOP candidate agreed tuition rates were troublesome but seemed to imply the problem would work itself out in the free market system. ‘Of course there will always be the Dartmouths and Dukes and so forth that will charge a very high price and will get a number of terrific students,’ he said, referring to two major U.S. schools. But some state schools will decide ‘we’re going to compete by giving people an education at a more reasonable price,’ Romney said.” [CNN,12/22/11; Conway, NH Town Hall, 12/22/11]

AND THE  ASSAULT ON COLLEGE STUDENTS CONTINUES…

Romney: “There’s No Such Thing As A Free Lunch… I’d Love To Help More Kids Go To School That Want To Go To School, But I’m Not Going To Get Up And Promise More And More Spending In Virtually Every Area People Think Is Important.” Romney said, “You know, um, it is—it has been the, um, the approach of people running for college to promise more more more to every constituency.  And to say, ‘I’m going to give more to every group.  I’m going to give you more money and you more money and you more money.’  And that’s what’s gotten us into the mess we’re in.  And I’d love to say, ‘Look, we’re going to give you money for your kids going to college.  And we’re going to give you money for every program that you might think of.’  And if I did that, I might be having better political prospects, but I wouldn’t be telling the truth.  And, frankly, we can’t keep on spending more than we take in.  And if we raise taxes on people, then those people will have a harder time buying things, which will make our economy worse and put more people out of work.  There’s no such thing as a free lunch.  I’d love to do more to help people who are sending kids to college.  But I—and I’m happy to look at the programs that we have and see if we can make them more efficient and more effective.  You know, we have college loan programs.  Some of them are working well and some probably need improvement.  I look to make government as efficient and as effective as possible.  I’d love to help more kids go to school that want to go to school, but I’m not going to get up and promise more and more spending in virtually every area people think is important.” [WMUR, 7/14/11]

Romney: Pell Grants Is A Program For The Poor. “Look, I — most of the programs that deal with the poor and — and you mentioned Pell Grants or assistance for lunch, I look at a lot of the programs for the poor. I’m gonna examine them one-by-one. But I think most of them I’m gonna turn the money back to the states and say you should craft the plans in the way you think best to care for your own poor.” [Huckabee Candidate Forum, Fox News, 12/3/11]

ROMNEY WOULD GUT THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND MAKE ITS ROLE TO PUSHBACK ON TEACHERS UNIONS

Romney Said He Would Either Consolidate The Education Department With Another Agency Or Make It “A Heck Of A Lot Smaller.”“On Sunday, Mr. Romney said he would look to the education department and HUD for potential cuts. ‘That might not be around later,’ Mr. Romney said of HUD. Mr. Romney said he would either consolidate the education department with another agency or make it ‘a heck of a lot smaller.’” [Wall Street Journal, 4/15/12]

Romney Said He Would Not Get Rid Of The Department Of Education Entirely To Maintain A Federal Role In Pushing Back Against Teachers’ Unions. “‘The Department of Education: I will either consolidate with another agency, or perhaps make it a heck of a lot smaller. I’m not going to get rid of it entirely,’ Romney said, explaining that part of his reasoning behind preserving the agency was to maintain a federal role in pushing back against teachers’ unions.” [First Read, NBC News, 4/15/12]

AS GOVERNOR, ROMNEY CUT HIGHER EDUCATION BY MILLIONS AS TUITION AND FEES INCREASED

Romney Cut $140 Million – 14 Percent – Of The Higher Education Budget During His Tenure. “Another shift hit students at state colleges and universities, where fees soared 63 percent during Romney’s tenure, from an average of $2,959 in 2003 to $4,836 in 2007, according to the state Board of Higher Education. The fee hikes were enacted by each campus to offset deep budget cuts of about $140 million, or about 14 percent, during the fiscal crisis.” [Boston Globe, 6/29/07]

During Romney’s Tenure State Colleges And University “Fees Soared 63 Percent.” “Another shift hit students at state colleges and universities, where fees soared 63 percent during Romney’s tenure, from an average of $2,959 in 2003 to $4,836 in 2007, according to the state Board of Higher Education. The fee hikes were enacted by each campus to offset deep budget cuts of about $140 million, or about 14 percent, during the fiscal crisis.” [Boston Globe, 6/29/07]

UMass “Tuition And Fees Have Risen 92 Percent Since The 2001-02 School Year” And “The Nine State Colleges…Have Climbed 98 Percent.” [Boston Globe, 4/4/07]

Meanwhile, today, President Obama is honoring TEACHERS at the White House for 2012 National Teacher of the Year.

MITT ROMNEY IS NOT A FRIEND TO COLLEGE STUDENTS!