Federally-dependent states

[vcczar]

My list below is based on this: https://smartasset.com/data-studies/states-most-dependent-on-the-federal-government-2022

Why do Republican voters seem to hate the federal government when the red states are most dependent on federal funding? Why do Democrats favor the federal government when their money is going to red states? Both questions worth discussing. 

• 8 of the top 10 states states that are most dependent on federal aid for revenue are deep red states. The two exceptions are Arizona (tossup) and New Hampshire (lean blue). 
• 8 of the top 10 states that get the most federal aid in comparison to what they paid in income tax are deep red states. The two exceptions are Vermont and New Mexico. 
• 6 of the top 10 states with the most workers employed by the federal government are deep red states. The exceptions are Maryland, Virginia, Hawaii, and New Mexico. 

All three of the above are sustained mostly be Democratic policies and laws. West Virginia, New Mexico, Mississippi, Alabama, Alaska, Idaho, Louisiana, Maine, Wyoming, and Montana (8 Red states) are overall considered the states most dependent on the Federal government. Meanwhile, Connecticut, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Washington, California, New York, and Iowa are the most self-sufficient states, who are also paying to keep the dependent states afloat. Of these 8 are blue, 1 is a toss up, and 1 is red. 

 

 

[Edouard]

My guess is that they get money because they have low taxs as deep republican states and so low incomes in the state.

They also probably have more agricultors who need public fundings.

On the question of why they favor the federal government is a good question, I would say it is because it is not in the political interest of republicans or democrats to play statehood discriminations because they have national ambitions.

It can works for Alberta in Canada for example because there's a local conservative party and the PM of Alberta has few interests in national elections considering that in the US state parties are much more nationalized now contrary to Canada. Or in Catalunya because independentists there don't want to be popular outside of Catalunya.

Edited August 27, 2023 by Edouard