Atrios: Tax Fairness Act or Ending Redstate Welfar

[bonddad]

I suggest the Democrats first major legislative proposal, complete with press conferences, laser show, hunger strike, whatever, is the "Tax Fairness Act of 2005." This Act would mandate that, within some reasonable margin of error, your state should get as much back from the feds as is sent to them in taxes. It's time to end this kind of geographic welfare

http://atrios.blogspot.com/

[Nite Owl]

1. As a NYer we would

certainly love that.

[oneighty]

4. Me too

speaking as a New Yorker. But we would harm our fellow democrats in the welfare states? My southern in-laws have no idea what I am saying when I speak of this type of redistribution of income. They also do not understand about two Senators per state regardless of population as not being one man one vote.

But still?

180

[rooboy]

2. Hear hear !!! n/t

[rogerashton]

3. And if a state gets more than a threshold,

difference of tax expenditure than they pay, they revert to territorial status.

Well, another nice idea and a talking point.

[liberalmuse]

5. No 'faggot' money for them.

If I were gay, I would stop paying state taxes if I were in one of the 11 states that passed those atrocities of bigotry. I'd move to a blue state and spend my money where people were evolved.

As libs, I think we should all move to the blue states and watch the welfare red states crumble. The teeny weeny blue areas on our country's map are extremely misleading--kind of like the Mercator map of Russia during the cold war. It's a lie. If we blew up areas by population the red areas would be tiny and the blue areas HUGE. I wish someone with a knack for statistics, autocad/graphics could do that, btw.

We should boycott major 'pub donors, too. I will not have my money used to blow up civilians overseas.

Wow...I guess I'm going through the anger stage right now...

[bettyellen]

15. Yes, Brilliant!! We have to stop supporting Repugs-- starting this Xmas !!

Loved every word of your post, especially the map by population. I could have used that today at work! Damn!
I want to work on a boycott for this Xmas, a massive email, don't accidentally support the big Repug funders. The $$ matters to them most of all, and maybe we could get some good press on this before the inaugural.
As a New Yorker, we get a lot of the same resentment, oh hell, contempt from those who w are f*&$&)ing subsidizing. When I read the stats about tax money in vs money out, it confounds people. Because these are the idiots who think they are paying for the urban ethnic poor. It's a huge suburban myth that needs to be exploded!!

[SoCalDem]

28. Here's your proportional map

You can also click the pic to create your own Electoral Vote magic..:):(

[stepnw1f]

6. Massachusetts Is Down

How ironic. Big tax states paying for those Red States ENDS!

[SoCalDem]

29. Liberal dollars going to slave states.. sounds like an "old" theme

[MI Cherie]

7. Stop tax redistribution!

It's time for Tax Fairness! Why should OUR taxes go to support deadbeat states that suck money from us?

http://www.taxfoundation.org/taxingspending.html

[DU9598]

25. Iowa a taker

Only because of the rural farmers who vote conservative. Cut them off, hell, half are big corporations taking the handouts anyway. There are very few farmers left - those who are in Iowa often appear to be on the public dime.

[MI Cherie]

33. Big corporations should not be taking

money from family farmers, either.

[FlaGranny]

30. I wonder why Florida is purple - should be white

It supposedly gets $1.00 per $1.00. That is breaking even. I'm a little suprised doofus doesn't given the jebster a little more. I guess it's because out of the 10 years, FL did get a little more, but not in the last two years.

[MI Cherie]

32. The map may be averaged from previous years

Plus it doesn't include '04 yet.

[Kire]

8. New Jersey is bottom of the list.

We get 57 cents on the dollar. I LIKE this idea.

[Inland]

9. Kinda undercuts the concept of progressive tax systems and welfare?

After all, if the rich pay more, then the wealthier states----on the coasts---will pay more than the great American hinterland filled with failing farms and extractive industries.

Better to concept on the pubbie boondoggles---giveaways of forests, mines and pasture, water projects, subsidies for corporate farming, marginal military bases.

[susanna]

23. Not really...

Progressive taxation should work both ways. If they take it away from us in the form of tax cuts for the super-wealthy, well, we take it away from them in the form of subsidizing the poor who won't give up the subsidized farm and get a "real" job.

I'm sick of paying for welfare states "popping out babies" and forcing me to pay for 'em. Isn't that the old Reagan mantra?

It's about time someone turned on them. Pretty simple in my mind.

Keep in mind, a certain amount of sarcasm should be dripping from this post. Then again maybe not.

[lakeguy]

10. I'm in! n/t

[tinymontgomery]

11. I'm in for the change

and I'm stuck in a state thats a taker!

[NervousRex]

12. This Minnesotan says...

AMEN. Down with Red State welfare!!!

[radar]

13. I LIKE IT!!!!

Atrios says it is partly in jest, but isn't this the kind of simplistic thing that appeals to the "masses?"

...Plus, it could maybe turn Texas, Georgia and Florida.

[many a good man]

14. Good first step

Step #2:

[DU9598]

26. Please put Iowa back in the US of Canada

We have almost 4% of the vote stuck in provisional ballots. Those will tend to Kerry. When this election is finally decided in Iowa in a few weeks, Kerry will win our electors. Plus, we gained state senate and house seats.

[DeepModem Mom]

16. "Red State welfare" -- let THAT terminology enter the language --

We in the Blue States carry these God-guns-and-gays people on our backs, yet THEY enable and celebrate the Bush cabal and its absolute power, while we sit here today in shock, horror and tears, ignored and powerless in the country we love, and PAY for with our hard work and intellect. Something is very wrong with this picture. AND, I've just read on this board about these paragons of moral values, and their enormous divorce rates, etc. Shape up out there, start carrying your weight, and get off our effete liberal elitist backs.

[susanna]

24. Another thing I'd like to turn on them...

Is the idea that I'm some sort of elitist because I went out and pursued an education. WTF is that all about? Good grief, I paid some serious dues for that. It was not "free" by any stretch of the imagination.

When I say I'd turn it on them, it goes thusly: the Red Staters are acting like "moral elitists" who try to tell me what I should do in order to placate God. Why don't they leave me alone to work out the whole Grace/Sin/Heaven/Hell thing with God and me as the final arbiters? Can I not be trusted to consider my own eternity? Must they force on me their version of HOW IT IS DONE?

In short: evidently they want me to let them continue being uneducated, but they sure ain't gonna let me not be saved! (Improper grammar intended.)

[bettyellen]

17. redstate welfare - i love it !!!

[Historic NY]

18. What would happen if 55 million people delayed paying income tax?

This is just thrown out there because it is possible. You could have you tax money put into an special account and delay payment. I'm sure there are some tax policy people out there. Imagine the look on the Treasury's face when the revenues don't come in.

[dave502d]

19. Nice,i like it n/t

[delete_bush]

20. It's only fair. And arguably a states' rights issue too,

so there should be no objection. Mississippi at $1.83, Alabama at $1.79, Alaska at $1.69, while California and Massachusetts are only $.78 for every dollar sent to DC? I don't think so.

[sandnsea]

21. End red state welfare,

I'm in too. One of the first things I thought of. We fought for national legislation on welfare mostly because of the poverty in the south and appalachia, now we pay for it, and they vote for Republicans. No more. I'm on a tax revolt, end red state welfare.

[Kire]

22. sample tax bill!

Department of Treasure Internal Revenue Reconciliation ServiceBlue State, USAFor Assistance Call: 1-800-PAY-UP

John Q. Rednecker1000 Subsidy Drive Red State, USA Amount you Owe: $100,000Why We Are Sending you This Notice

We are writing you because there is an error on your 1995-2003 tax returns. We Will explain why we made the change and what you need to do

As a resident of red state # 22, (we can’t recall the name), you have received blue state subsidies to the tune of .30 on the tax dollar. The law provides reconciliation to blue state citizens who have worked day and night to provide this charity. In seven tax years (the maximum review under law) you paid $300,000 in taxes but received $ 400,000 in benefits.

What you should Do If You Agree With the Change Pay up now, buddy.

What You Should Do If You Disagree With the changeBeg for Mercy. Blue states have millions of tough residents, and your only soldiers are away fighting in Iraq, the war you so willfully accepted. We have the Sopranos, the Latin Kings, the Crips and Bloods, and a generally angry white populace

http://www.nj.com/forums/whitehouse/index.ssf?artid=55285

[MasonJar]

27. The bad part is that much of the help does go to Dems and they

need it. i'd prefer to start boycotting the products of all off-shore and job outsourcing companies. Let's get some big wigs to speak out. Nobody wanted Bush.

[CarolynEC]

31. Count me in. It's something I've been mulling for a while. n/t