Heidi Li FeldmanGood evening, friends. I just got a phone call from a young friend of mine, currently serving as mayor of a small town in California (he’s on the town council, members rotate through the mayoral position.) He called because he’s feeling demoralized, naturally enough. So much of what he hoped he’d be working on during the next few years is now threatened As we conversed, I told him how I was thinking of my own public service, scholarship, and activism in light of a fascist elected to the WH. 1/
Then, I turned to possible parallels for him. My main thought was that if ever there were a time to be in public service, now is it. The need for service from local electeds is going to be huge. It might not take the form my friend hoped or planned. But it will damn sure be important. Then, I started asking about how my friend communicates with local officials from nearby towns and whether they have clear channels of communication with the governor. 2/
We went back and forth for a little while and by the end of the conversation we were both a bit energized. Obviously, it would be more agreeable if we could have happily discussed local policies that could be pursued were the federal government not on the verge of being a force for repression and authoritarianism. But what became clear is that now, more than ever, creative brainstorming is key. 3/
Small town mayors, municipal council members, county boards of supervisors - they have resources and some degree of power. They can, right now, set up formal channels of communication across municipal lines and to state legislators and governors as well as with their own constituents and local civic leaders. These channels will be useful when rapid responses to Trump executive action become necessary. 4/
Stargeezer Smith@heidilifeldman
I call it the blue alliance. I tend to take problems I'm contemplating to the limit, it sometimes leads to insights.
I can imagine a coordination between blue states to share resources and be able to take on much domestic policy for their citizens, including civil rights protections, education, climate change, welfare, small business support, healthcare, union support, fema like support, eetc.
The blue states have shared values, most of the nation's money, and if combined in a coalition would remain one of the biggest economies in the world. There would probably be ways to leverage that economic power against a rogue Washington.
A view to the limit I remind you.
John Breen@stargazersmith @heidilifeldman I like the idea of blue states collecting their citizens federal income tax payments into an escrow account, and using that as leverage against attempts to force blue states to go along with MAGA plans.
Legally, citizens would have paid their federal taxes, but the state controls when/if that is forwarded to Trump and his thieves.
Legally, citizens would have paid their federal taxes, but the state controls when/if that is forwarded to Trump and his thieves.
Misuse Case@jab01701mid @stargazersmith @heidilifeldman 2 problems:
1) You need a bank to hold an escrow account and while there may be banks willing to hold federal taxes in escrow they will be few and far between if any.
2) State governments don’t collect people’s federal income tax. Either the company that manages your payroll handles it or you have to pay it yourself to the IRS
@MisuseCase @jab01701mid @heidilifeldman
States have their own state and sales taxes that could be pooled to provide leverage when they need it.
States have their own state and sales taxes that could be pooled to provide leverage when they need it.
@stargazersmith @jab01701mid @heidilifeldman Not enough. And states can’t take on debt like the Federal government.
But they can raise income taxes on people who will benefit from the Trump tax cuts. As I said in a post of mine earlier today, I think they will have to in order to make up for an absent/unreliable federal government