4 ms·

Looks like I was right that this was an ideological snipe. The others appear to be wrong. Your take, as usual, is badly wrong. You fail to take into account p

Looks like I was right that this was an ideological snipe. The others appear to be wrong. Your take, as usual, is badly wrong. You fail to take into account pertinent facts and draw the wrong conclusion. Here’s one pertinent fact: California subsidizes states like Mississippi. California is also hamstrung by the fact that isn’t its own country. There are limits to what it can do given these two facts.

rayiner 3y ago
> California is also hamstrung by the fact that isn’t its own country. How? All the areas where California falls short—education, transportation, housing, healthcare, etc.—are ones left primarily to the states. For example, state and local governments provide 90% of educational funding, while the federal government provides only 10%. No federal law is stopping California from levying Sweden-like taxes to provide Sweden-like education, transportation, healthcare, and housing services. It’s true that, under our system of progressive taxes, Californians pay a disproportionate share of federal taxes—because they make more money. They pay about 13% of all federal taxes, and get back about 83% of what they pay in federal services. That nets out to about $100 billion net transfer out. But that’s out of an economy of $3.9 trillion. That’s just 2.5% of California’s GDP. That money isn’t what’s standing between California and having high quality social services.
rayiner 3y ago
Also, to be clear, it’s not an ideological snipe. I’d like to live in a blue state with good public transit, universal healthcare, good public education, etc. But blue state Americans aren’t capable of building such a society, because above all they prioritize the individual and the self. I’m simply pointing out that at least red state Americans are honest with themselves.

4 ms·

Looks like I was right that this was an ideological snipe. The others appear to be wrong. Your take, as usual, is badly wrong. You fail to take into account p

by skhunted 3y ago

rayiner 3y ago
> California is also hamstrung by the fact that isn’t its own country. How? All the areas where California falls short—education, transportation, housing, healthcare, etc.—are ones left primarily to the states. For example, state and local governments provide 90% of educational funding, while the federal government provides only 10%. No federal law is stopping California from levying Sweden-like taxes to provide Sweden-like education, transportation, healthcare, and housing services. It’s true that, under our system of progressive taxes, Californians pay a disproportionate share of federal taxes—because they make more money. They pay about 13% of all federal taxes, and get back about 83% of what they pay in federal services. That nets out to about $100 billion net transfer out. But that’s out of an economy of $3.9 trillion. That’s just 2.5% of California’s GDP. That money isn’t what’s standing between California and having high quality social services.
rayiner 3y ago
Also, to be clear, it’s not an ideological snipe. I’d like to live in a blue state with good public transit, universal healthcare, good public education, etc. But blue state Americans aren’t capable of building such a society, because above all they prioritize the individual and the self. I’m simply pointing out that at least red state Americans are honest with themselves.