Josh Marshall: Blue states are essentially funding a war against themselves

[BeyondGeography]

Donald Trump announced Tuesday that he will begin “winding down” FEMA after this year’s Hurricane season and, perhaps the more significant statement, that he will begin distributing disaster aid directly from the President’s office. In other words, disaster assistance will be the President’s personal gift, an assist for friends and those who display loyalty. It’s part of the broader pattern we can see across the horizon: Trump takes the policing and military powers of the United States and the national tax revenues (drawn disproportionately from the blue states) and uses it to make war on states he considers enemies.

This has always been the centerpiece of Trumpism even more than authoritarianism, a kind of fiscal warlordism. Disaster relief dollars are a relatively minor expenditure. But we see it aimed at universities, the cut off of funds generally to California and the forced deployment of National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles. The blue states essentially fund the war against themselves.

It’s important to note that the fact that blue states disproportionately fund the federal government only aggravates the more general pattern, which is targeting states viewed as domestic enemies.

It’s not too much to say that this puts the whole national civil compact under immense and perhaps unsupportable stress. Blue states disproportionately fund the federal government. But what they get back or whether they get anything back is up to Donald Trump.

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/funding-the-war-on-yourselves

[Wingus Dingus]

1. Civil war.

[paleotn]

5. No need. It's just time to leave.

And I know. I know. Lots of good people behind the red curtain. I would suggest moving if at all possible.

[chowder66]

2. Correction: Are being forced to fund....

[JustAnotherGen]

3. Yeah Josh

We know.

[Nimble_Idea]

4. I'll just K&R let John do the talking

But interesting, isn't Marshall a liberal? I was led to believe any talk of such things is rw talking points?

IM CONCERNED!
or is it confuzed???

[paleotn]

6. Only in Texas and Alabama.

And I wouldn't give two shits if they decided to go their own way and leave.

[OMGWTF]

7. I seriously would give consideration to the west coast and the NE becoming part of Canada.

I keep saying that in my next life I will be Canadian; maybe I won't have to die first.

[Karasu]

11. Yes. It's high time we stop treating the idea like an impossibility or a joke. After all, this "administration"

Last edited Thu Jun 12, 2025, 04:30 PM - Edit history (2)

doesn't see anything they fucking do as either, and that's what we're up against.

[Lancero]

14. Problem is that this was already decided back in the Civil war, states can't secede. It would be rebellion...

And at that point, might as well just overthrow the wannabe king instead.

[Mr. Mustard 2023]

8. We can't let this continue.

[Johonny]

9. If California and New York gor equal representation

It would be harder to do this shit. But no, America is a fucked up government

[ancianita]

10. Blue states are also funding the oligarchy that's taxing them without representation. Which is tyranny.

[magicarpet]

12. Here is how the FEMA funds will be handed out if djt is in charge.Same thing happen during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The nurses, doctors , emergency medical technicians were wearing black plastic garbage bags for personal protective equipment. The disposable respiratory masks were impossible to come by. The emergency preparedness stockpiled in federal warehouses were so dated the elastic straps to hold them in place were rotten and would snap if any one tried to put them on.

Emergency orders were placed by blue state governors to get PPE supplies from China Pronto. trDUMP and Jared hijacked the PPE at the airports and the docks and they sold the PPE to the highest bidder to make a profit off the Covid crisis.

Red stares had all the PPE they needed because trDUMP took care of his buddies. Ron DeSantos down in Florida had more PPE than he needed because trDUMP diverted stocks of PPE to his comrades. Blue ⁴states had to fend for themselves.

FEMA funds under the direct control of djt will be a cluster fuck for Blue states. But Red states will be given the royal treatment too help them get back on their feet after the hurricane and tornado season.

[Martin Eden]

13. Secession is a bad idea

We need to fix the problem, not fragment our country for failure to fix the problem.