Friday, January 30, 2004
Op-Ed Contributor: Givers and Takers
Op-Ed Contributor: Givers and Takers: "Juxtaposing these maps provides a new perspective on the political landscape. (Interactive moment: Color in the blue and red states — then you'll get the full picture.) Republicans seem to have become the new welfare party — their constituents live off tax dollars paid by people who vote Democratic. Of course, not all federal spending is wasteful. But Republicans are having their pork and eating it too. Voters in red states like Idaho, Montana and Wyoming are some of the country's fiercest critics of government, yet they're also among the biggest recipients of federal largess. Meanwhile, Democratic voters in the coastal blue states — the ones who are often portrayed as shiftless moochers — are left to carry the load.
For President Bush, this invisible income redistribution system is a boon. He can encourage his supporters to see themselves as Givers, yet reward them with federal spending in excess of their contribution — and send the bill to those who voted for his opponent. It's shrewd politics."
It's interesting that distribution of federal dollars is backwards from what most expect; that's probably due in a large part to farm subsidies, I surmise. Maybe this advantage the GOP has in pork partly explains why the budget is out of control. Of course, it does make sense that the coasts would be providing more tax dollars than other states, a higher population and a higher concentration of int'l businesses certainly means that states like NY pay more in taxes than Wyoming. A more in-depth exploration of the distribution of federal funds would be welcome.
For President Bush, this invisible income redistribution system is a boon. He can encourage his supporters to see themselves as Givers, yet reward them with federal spending in excess of their contribution — and send the bill to those who voted for his opponent. It's shrewd politics."
It's interesting that distribution of federal dollars is backwards from what most expect; that's probably due in a large part to farm subsidies, I surmise. Maybe this advantage the GOP has in pork partly explains why the budget is out of control. Of course, it does make sense that the coasts would be providing more tax dollars than other states, a higher population and a higher concentration of int'l businesses certainly means that states like NY pay more in taxes than Wyoming. A more in-depth exploration of the distribution of federal funds would be welcome.
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