The “Blue” or Democratic states are mostly donor states, more prosperous, who give much more in tax money to the federal government than they gain in return.
The “Red” or Republican states are mostly poor states who give much less in tax money to the federal government, and benefit from the generosity of the “Blue” states.
So we have Speaker John Boehner refusing to call up a bill for disaster relief for New York and New Jersey, due to the damages wrought by Hurricane Sandy!
But in “Red” states, disaster relief is much more quickly dispensed, as for instance, Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina in 2005!
This is eminently unfair, and due a lot to envy and jealousy of the advantages in so many ways of New York and New Jersey, culturally, educationally, and otherwise, by states that are in many cases still backward, and living more in the 19th century, while New York, New Jersey, and other “Blue” states live in the 21st century!
Not all “Blue” states are donor states, but 17 of 26 which are include:
New York
New Jersey
Massachusetts
Connecticut
New Hampshire
Rhode Island
Delaware
Florida
Michigan
Wisconsin
Minnesota
Illinois
Colorado
Nevada
Washington
Oregon
California
The only “Red” state which is a donor state is Texas!
It is time for change on this matter!
Professor,
Had the same argument with some yahoo on an American History discussion board, who along with gun rights, wants to repeal the 16th ,17th and hmm, the 19th is not turning out so good now that most woman voters are single and don’t vote the “right” way.
I love how these wingnuts know down to a science what the Founding Fathers intent was and is on every issue then and how it pertains to issues that the FF would probably be scratching their heads as to “intent”.
Pasted the attached linked graphic and told him I hope his state can raise enough revenue when he weans himself off the federal largesse. Never heard a reply back ; )
http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/give-take-small-final.png