Feb 23
POLITICS
What Would Happen if Red States Seceded?
MTG wants a divorce and I'm inclined to grant her one
Let's talk about divorce. Specifically, Marjorie Taylor Greene's (MTG) idea of a national divorce between red states and blue states. Personally, I think it sounds like a great idea. I have absolutely no desire to live in a state or a country that puts white men in charge of everything while removing the basic human rights of women, children, people of color, Jews, Muslims, and the LGBTQ+ community.
From MTG's point of view, it's a good idea because:
"We need a national divorce. We need to separate by red states and blue states and shrink the federal government. Everyone I talk to says this. From the sick and disgusting woke culture issues shoved down our throats to the Democrat's traitorous America Last policies, we are done."
Which is basically the mirror image of what I just said.
It's kinda interesting that she is pushing for this because Georgia, of which she represents a tiny corner, is becoming a purple state. It was red, but it has sent two Democratic senators to Washington, giving Democrats a majority in that chamber.
I have to wonder, if MTG's proposed divorce were to happen, how would Georgia handle it? Would Georgia become a member of the new "red" country, forcing liberals to leave, or would it become part of the new "blue" country and force the MAGA adherents to leave?
The one thing that all MAGA enthusiasts and those who advocate secession seem not to realize, is how much red states depend on the federal government that they claim to despise. If you take a look at how federal funding is distributed, it's actually a huge income transfer from the wealthier, mainly blue states, to the poorer, mainly red states.
Let's take a closer look.
The ten states with the most federal funding per resident in 2023 are (drum roll, please):
Virginia — $10,301
Kentucky — $9,145
New Mexico — $8,692
West Virginia — $7,283
Alaska — $7,048
Mississippi — $6,880
Alabama — $6,694
Maryland — $6,035
Maine — $5,572
Hawaii — $5,270
Lotta familiar red faces, wouldn't you agree?
Now, let's take a look at the ten states that have the lowest net federal funding per resident:
New Jersey — (-$2,368)
Massachusetts — (-$2,343)
New York — (-$1,792)
North Dakota — (-$720)
Illinois — (-$364)
New Hampshire — (-$234)
Washington — (-$184)
Nebraska — (-$164)
Colorado — (-$95)
California — ($12)
See all those negative numbers? That means those states sent more money to the federal government in taxes than they received back. So, in my case, I live in New Jersey and $2,368 of my taxes went to other states, most of which I wouldn't want to live in. I am subsidizing a culture that I despise.
So, you know what Marge? Secede. Please. I want my $2,368 back.
Just for shits and giggles, let's take a look at what those funds are spent on. Mandatory federal spending includes: Medicaid, Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), child nutrition programs, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP aka food stamps), child support enforcement programs, child care and development block grants, adoption and foster care programs, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF aka welfare), and social services block grants.
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I don't see any "sick and disgusting woke culture issues" there, do you? In fact, I see a lot of money going to children, and aren't children the number one reason that red states want to get away from blue states?
Now let's take a look at discretionary federal spending. That includes funding to high-poverty schools, special ed programs, Head Start, Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), Section 8 housing vouchers, community development block grants, training and employment services, and public safety grants.
Hmmm … more programs for those children that MAGA morons claim to care about so much. Maybe it's all those other programs that assist poor people that MAGA morons are trying to get away from. After all, if people put some effort in, they wouldn't be in poverty, would they?
Seriously, though. If red states were to secede, they would be in for a very nasty surprise. Huge chunks of their budgets would evaporate immediately when the now-blue federal government stopped sending money.
How are they going to fill those gaping holes? Can't tax the rich or the corporations, so it looks like they will have to raise taxes on their base or, what is more likely, allow huge swathes of their population to suffer and possibly die.
Marge, are you sure that you want to do this? Georgia receives $2,253 per resident in federal funding from the government that you claim to despise. That's a grand total of $104.5 billion for the entire state. Are you willing to give up that much funding just on principle?
Don't you think that you should consult your constituents first? After first making them aware of exactly how much they would be giving up by seceding, of course.
Reminds of my days working on Wall Street. Our favorite expression was "Money talks and bullshit walks."
Walk away, Marge, walk away.
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