God 
California pays more into the federal pot than it takes out—if Trump wants to withhold disaster relief, why not just cut out the middle man?
Jan 26, 2025 at 3:16pmWeb
Show threadChris Geoghooligan ✊Jan 26, 2025

@godpod because, as I understand it, it’s not California contributing to the federal pot but it’s citizens via federal taxes. The CA state government doesn’t have control over the outgoing cash flow because it is not involved in the collection of federal taxes.

I love the idea but it doesn’t seem feasible for CA to interject itself between taxpayers and the IRS. CA could litigate the equal protection clause in the Constitution, but it ultimately will be a court battle 😟

Show threadArne Dehli HalvorsenJan 26, 2025
@VTDARKSIM There was a reddit comment several years back, which I have tried to find without success, in which it was suggested that the populous blue states could get together to form a coalition to repeal federal tax, but introduce a state tax to be balanced between coalition partners.
Show threadArne Dehli HalvorsenJan 26, 2025
@VTDARKSIM If additional states wanted to join (and be part of the balancing), they would have to ratify a few consittutional amendments and other laws: Medicare for all, alterations to Citizen United, 2nd amendment, standards for redistricting, congress reallocations, and acceptance for new states, congress members for Puerto Rico and other territories, election reform, ...
Show threadChris Geoghooligan ✊Jan 26, 2025
@arne_d_h I’m all for it, but they’d need to repeal the… I forget which amendment… 14th?… that gives the federal government the ability to levy taxes, and that requires 2/3 states I believe. I don’t see that happening but I am certainly open to hearing otherwise!
Show threadGeoffJan 27, 2025
@VTDARKSIM @godpod so, since Californians are not getting value for money from their federal taxes you might expect them to simply decide how much federal taxes to withhold? (every Californian would of course need to do this - unlikely…)
Show threadLazarou Monkey Terror 🚀💙🌈Jan 26, 2025

@godpod while Mexico and Canada offered to help, California's own countryfolk were telling them to get fucked.

Break up this lie you call 'the United States", it's not fooling us outsiders anymore. 🤷‍♂️

Show threadIdaho buckeyeJan 26, 2025
@Lazarou @godpod would love to see California become an independent country taking Oregon and Washington with them. It would work nicely and revenue lost to the US would be monumental
Show threadLazarou Monkey Terror 🚀💙🌈Jan 26, 2025
@idahobucks @godpod the Cascadia dream. I have a feeling these Settler-colonial nations like the US and Russia who are tormenting the rest of us right now are going to break up this century, too big. 🤷‍♂️