Posted on 04/29/2020 2:16:51 PM PDT by Kaslin
“Never let a crisis go to waste.” Those now infamous words ring as true, maybe truer, today than ever before and the current crisis is no exception. In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, Americans are witnessing a new epidemic emerge—an epidemic of middle-class theft. Politicians in states that have been fiscally irresponsible for decades, amassing massive levels of debt and unfunded liabilities are coming hat in hand to the federal government—to you, the middle-class taxpayer—in an attempt to exploit our current health crisis to solve their financial mismanagement.
Such exploitation rightfully begs the question: why should the taxpayers of fiscally responsible states be forced by the federal government to bail out the states who failed, in many cases for decades on end, to wisely and responsibly manage their finances?
President Trump posed this very question on Twitter earlier this week and last week Senator McConnell dared to suggest that states consider filing bankruptcy instead of looking for bailouts. The response? Exactly what you would expect from the governors of multiple states who have longstanding track records of fiscally irresponsibility—anger, outrage, and name-calling.
Governor Cuomo of New York called the notion “dumb and vicious.” New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy blasted the idea of states taking responsibility for their own past financial mismanagement as “completely and utterly irresponsible.” Governors Whitmer and Pritzker, of Michigan and Illinois respectively, similarly attacked the concept as foolhardy. While these Democrat responses are less than encouraging, they are also not unexpected.
“Never let a crisis go to waste.” Those now infamous words ring as true, maybe truer, today than ever before and the current crisis is no exception. In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, Americans are witnessing a new epidemic emerge—an epidemic of middle-class theft. Politicians in states that have been fiscally irresponsible for decades, amassing massive levels of debt and unfunded liabilities are coming hat in hand to the federal government—to you, the middle-class taxpayer—in an attempt to exploit our current health crisis to solve their financial mismanagement.
Such exploitation rightfully begs the question: why should the taxpayers of fiscally responsible states be forced by the federal government to bail out the states who failed, in many cases for decades on end, to wisely and responsibly manage their finances?
President Trump posed this very question on Twitter earlier this week and last week Senator McConnell dared to suggest that states consider filing bankruptcy instead of looking for bailouts. The response? Exactly what you would expect from the governors of multiple states who have longstanding track records of fiscally irresponsibility—anger, outrage, and name-calling.
Governor Cuomo of New York called the notion “dumb and vicious.” New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy blasted the idea of states taking responsibility for their own past financial mismanagement as “completely and utterly irresponsible.” Governors Whitmer and Pritzker, of Michigan and Illinois respectively, similarly attacked the concept as foolhardy. While these Democrat responses are less than encouraging, they are also not unexpected.
For these states’ politicians to now expect that they can exploit the current pandemic to make up for their failures isn’t just wrong, it’s morally reprehensible—it’s theft. The people of Tennessee, Kansas, Florida, Arizona, or any other state for that matter, didn’t cause New York’s financial woes, nor did they elect those who did. The only ones responsible for an individual state’s fiscal shortcomings are the people who live within that state.
As Washington gets ready to look at yet another round of coronavirus relief and with the U.S. national debt rapidly approaching $30 trillion, Congress must reject any notion that the citizens of another state should be forced to bailout the irresponsibility of another. Failure to do so will result in yet another unfair financial burden being redistributed to today’s middle class and tomorrow’s children and grandchildren.
It is pretty obvious to me that the next time the democrats have power in the US, they will bail out the blue states that have failed to control spending, pension plans, and address their fiscal problems through anything other than higher taxes.
In fact, there is a decent chance they will pass a living wage and other big ticket dreams as part of the “Green New Deal” along with draconian environmental taxes, regulation, and restrictions that will kill a significant number of jobs.
Will our nation allow this?
Sadly, after observing events in the last month I have changed my answer to the unthinkable. On top of that, they will gut the military and bow down to the UN.
It’s all about getting taxpayer money to fund public employee unions. Which is used to elect dem candidates.
Better to let every state default.
After which all collective bargaining for those public employee unions should be outlawed.
Morally Reprehensible”
Not only that, it would be a stupid thing to do. The loss of state revenues is the only leverage there is to make the rats states re-open. These states are under DNC orders to stay shut down to make any recovery impossible before November.
Giving PBS 300 million dollars last week was reprehensible too.
Having NY, CA and other states give more than they get from the fed every year to offset the red states that make NINE out of the top TEN biggest fed moochers is morally reprehensible too.
But we shut up and live with it.
Do those red states think that with their 1970s era salaries that they’re contributing meaningfully to the fed coffers?
Maybe a law should be passed that no state can GET more than it gives to the fed.
You guys on board for that?
Then i’m on board for not helping the states that want help now.
Deal
Yes, the pieces are in place to demote the US. I’m thankful for any reprieve God grants, despite our begging for downfall.
The article is spot on.
States that take more than they give in federal tax dollars should not receive bailout money from the federal government.
Like I’ve been saying for years——
Cloward-Piven.
BANKRUPTCY IS THE ONLY FIX FOR THIS STATE. The idiot politicians here in HELLINOIS are too chickensh*t to fix the State Constitution which currently GUARANTEES everyone in the State's Pension System's payment, so barring jacking income taxes up 75%, they were hoping for every other state to bail us out.
HELL NO!
GO BANKRUPT!
When they go bankrupt then they revert back to a Territory and lose their delegates, senators and congress critters in the House & Senate.
After they become solvent again then they can re-apply for statehood again.
Imagine California, New Jersey, New York, Illinois gone from being a Blue State to being a Non-State.
The rest of the country is solid RED for the next 40 yrs at least.
Otherwise, Dhimmicraps wouldn’t be for it.
Define "give". By that I mean do you also feel the same about oil and gas that is primarily produced in a few states yet all states receive a portion of the offshore leasing revenue though only a very few have rigs off of their coast? Louisiana , for example, has suffered considerable offshore erosion due to the drilling activity cutting salt water intrusion canals all along it's coast. Louisiana has sacrificed it's coastline for the energy well being of all of the other states, many who have no coastline, and quite a few others who have plenty of coastline but refuse to allow offshore drilling.
Louisiana also has suffered erosion and land loss from the levees that are along the Mississippi River so it doesn't change coarse and keeps New Orleans as a shipping and receiving point for products both from two thirds of our nation as well as those from around the world. New Orleans has sacrificed when you consider that it was established where it is because it was a high spot along the lower Mississippi. Now, thanks to those levees, the river doesn't replenish the land and because dredging can't keep up with the silt being deposited in the river bed, the water level of the river has now risen to higher than the city.
My point is that there is more than money to consider when you compare what states contribute to the nation as a whole yet don't get compensated nearly enough for it. Be careful what you wish for.
These rat state scumbag governors and mayors are using the tax payer funds to redistribute the wealth, over fund social programs and support their sanctuary cities and illegal aliens
I’m a (almost) lifelong resident of Illinois, born at American hospital in Chicago. Going bankrupt is not a solution, it’s a temporary fix. Sort of like drying out an alky and then giving him enough cash to buy another bottle.
Changing the state constitution is a good start, but real reform will require a change in the people and their attitude toward life and each other. It’s not completely hopeless, but will take a massive and lengthy conversion.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.