How many times do we have to repeat that the United States spends more per elementary and secondary student than almost any other industrialized nation before our political leaders stop talking like our schools get by on pennies a day? And how often do we have to point to state spending to show that, annual cries of the sky falling notwithstanding, expenditures have been on a very long, inflation-adjusted upward trend?

Judging by this tired fare from new U.S. secretary of education Arne Duncan, and this standard story of rage from California, a lot more. So here you go:

Check out the OECD data here (table B1.1a)…

…see the figures for state spending here…

…and reporters who cover incessant assertions of financial misery from educators, please check out the contact info for Cato’s media department here.

Operators are standing by.