Where are taxes paid and spent?

[faethor]

http://www.economist.com/blogs/dailychart/2011/08/americas-fiscal-union

Interesting it seems the right-wing leaning states are a drain on the nation. If we want Federal cuts I think the answer here is to cut the spending in places like Alabama and Florida. Clearly those places are not paying for their fair share.

 

[redrumloa]

Everyone is making charts these days, isn't that special! A lot of Federal spending in states is imposed, like "Everglades Restoration" in Florida. If the state tries to deny the funds (see Rick Scott with that silly high speed train), you would think it was an act of treason by the vitriolic reaction in the federal gov and liberal media.

 

[metalman]

Interesting it seems the right-wing leaning states are a drain on the nation. If we want Federal cuts I think the answer here is to cut the spending in places like Alabama and Florida. Clearly those places are not paying for their fair share.

The chart is averaging, implicitly and explicitly averaging so many variables, is little more than cute picture.

Many of the net beneficiaries states have powerful Legislators with decades of Seniority e.g the "Robert Byrd memorial state of West Virginia".

50% of publicly traded companies and 60% of the fortune 500 incorporate in Delaware.

North Dakota, New Mexico, Montana are sparsely populated, but have large numbers of Military bases, Military research facilities, and Indian reservations

[url=http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/07/28/us-microsoft-tax-idustre76r5ay20110728]Puerto Rico is the recipient of a long standing tax loopholes as a tax haven for US companies international income[/URL]

 

[faethor]

Everyone is making charts these days, isn't that special!

The positive about charts is they make relationships easier to see than a set of numbers.

A lot of Federal spending in states is imposed, like "Everglades Restoration" in Florida.

Though don't forget there is quite a bit of requested funding from our State Representatives. More then likely the Everglades are being restored due to a request at the Federal level from the elected Florida Representatives. If we are to cut spending we need to deny more requests and cut existing spending from these States that consume more than they contribute.

If the state tries to deny the funds (see Rick Scott with that silly high speed train), you would think it was an act of treason by the vitriolic reaction in the federal gov and liberal media.

Trains do quite a bit of good to society that cars can't. Though we've gone over that so I don't care to repeat.

 

[metalman]

 

[FluffyMcDeath]

Some people just have a problem with math. The guys making 6,000,000 a year and up aren't just making a couple of times the average. And the influence they can gain isn't a couple of times what the average Joe has. And a guy who is worth 40 billion is just well off, doesn't just have a few times your net worth. These numbers are so out of whack with anybodies needs and so out of whack with the general population that you end up with - well, with what you've got now. Because when a few people have that much money they don't just own nice cars, but they own you and all the people like you - they become the government you can't vote out, they become the nobility, the lords and kings - and they make the laws and then use the guys you pay for to enforce those laws against you. It's not about making a few bucks and wearing a nicer suit. It's about getting to make laws that they never have to follow but that you do.