American Politics

[HotDog666]

Yes indeed, and quite right on all accounts!

BTW, what other ways, do you see China benefiting from this massive MAGA Fuhrer / Iran war cluster-fuck, other than Taiwan, in which I think China will adopt a more prolonged and patient, sort of passive aggressive approach to winning over Taiwan.

Great question. On Taiwan I'm in two minds. Yes, China plays the long game and there is a good likelihood that it could wait until its very confident that it can overcome America in its arena. On the other hand I've read reports that Xi thinks they could be ready by 2028 and imagine them invading in say Sept or Oct 2028 just before the elections. Trump won't have anything to gain by challenging them and everything to lose; if there is a newcomer they will be impotent. China could just take Taiwan and who's going to do anything? The Europeans? They couldn't fight their way out of their duvets.

Ultimately, I think it's just accelerated China eclipsing America on the world stage. Geopolitical superpower status, like any natural power play- be it anthropological or in the animal kingdom- comprises soft power and hard power. The former is often mistakenly perceived as wishy washy and it's not. It's the kind of intangible respect and admiration which can be the difference between someone listening to you or giving you the middle finger. It can be what drives resources or funds to you- e. G. Students or tourists which have a substantial financial impact on you. If you're neither respected nor feared as much as you were it's obvious that this opens up a gap for an interloper. But it's the loss of hard power which will have a substantial impact. China has been already successfully trying to get Africa, Pakistan (5th largest population) and much of the Middle East shorn away from America and into its orbit. Pakistan is already well and truly under its influence, Iran is increasingly under its influence and so forth.

[EihTooms]

Yeah, it is "helpful" to you in that when shown you are dead wrong about a subject, you criticize the link. Here is what you wrote:

You asked for it and were given it and instead of acknowledging you were wrong, you changed the subject. That is why you have the credibility of Bagdad Bob.

And this is the classic dumb Dem: being arrogant as hell on a subject they were dead wrong about and then making personal attacks.

The arrogance really raised its head with the red-blue comment about how the blue states were carrying the red states. The Californian refugee like you is among the most despicable characters in American history. You leave California with your six figure pensions and toss the burdens onto the young but instead of acknowledging the shit shape you left your state in you, you carry your politics with you.

You even arrogantly state: why would anyone live in West Texas v. The great state of California? For certain with the eyeball test, the Amarillo, Texas area does not match the California coast. However, with so many jobs being mobile these days, the difference is astonishing.

Wow. I actually thanked him for the link after merely asking for it on the eventually proven true suspicion a link would not support any contention whatsoever that Trump produced any "huge economic gains" in America and you ultra-sensitive MAGA snowflakes just evaporated instantly.

I asked the question twice to give AI a chance to add or elaborate details on the topic.

Do Blue states pay more in Federal taxes to support America than they get back in value while Red states pay less than they get back in value?

The AI Overview

Blue states generally pay more in federal taxes than they receive in federal funding, acting as "donor states," while many red states receive more in federal spending than they contribute, acting as "recipient states". This trend is primarily driven by higher average incomes and higher tax payments in blue states.
Time Magazine
+2
Blue State Financial Flow: Blue states tend to have wealthier residents and higher economic activity, resulting in higher federal income tax payments. Between 2018 and 2022, blue states contributed roughly 60% of all federal tax receipts.
Red State Financial Flow: Many red states receive more in federal aid and programmatic support, often due to lower average incomes and higher demand for social services or federal assistance.
Regional Disparities: In a 5-year assessment, 14 of the top 20 states with the highest net positive flow of federal funds (receiving more than they pay) were red states.
Notable Exceptions: Some states, such as Virginia and Maryland, break this pattern. Although they may vote blue in federal elections, they are often major recipients of federal funds due to high federal employment and large military presences.
Time Magazine
+4
Data shows this trend is a long-standing pattern driven by economic and demographic factors rather than political affiliation alone, though it is frequently highlighted in political debates.
DC Journal
+3
..........
Yes, data generally shows that blue states pay more in federal taxes than they receive in funding, while many red states receive more in federal spending than they contribute.
Time Magazine
+2
Key Disparities
Net Donor States: In 2024, 19 states sent more to the federal government than they received. These "donor states" are predominantly high-income, urban, and Democratic-leaning.
California: Paid approximately $275.6 billion more in taxes than it received in 2024.
New York: Contributed roughly $76.5 billion more than it received.
Net Recipient States: Red states often lead in federal dependence, largely due to lower average incomes and greater needs for federal assistance.
New Mexico: Remains the most dependent state as of 2024, receiving $3.42 for every tax dollar sent to Washington.
Virginia and Maryland: Are major exceptions; though often blue-leaning, they receive massive federal inflows high federal employment and military presence.
USAFacts
+8
Why This Happens
Income Concentration: Blue states generally have higher average incomes ($14,500 per resident vs. $11,400 in red states), leading to higher tax payments.
Social Spending: Federal programs like Medicaid, Head Start, and Title I (education) disproportionately benefit red states where poverty rates are often higher.

Retirement Migration: Residents often pay Social Security and Medicare taxes in high-tax blue states during their working years, then migrate to lower-cost red states to collect those benefits.
Reddit
+3

Inarguable Conclusion: Blue states carry the load for deadbeat Red states.

Ask the question yourself for easy access to the hyper links included and seen in the above quotes.

Oh, and as always, we American tax-payers in California offer our usual heartfelt "You're welcome" to Aunt Bea, Jethro, Gomer, Goober, Tiny and you.

[Elvis 2008]

Even without reading that link a day ago I nailed the "middle of podunk nowhere" aspect of your claim.

See, this is why providing links is helpful.

Yeah, it is "helpful" to you in that when shown you are dead wrong about a subject, you criticize the link. Here is what you wrote:

Please tell us where "gas was $2 a gallon six weeks ago" in the USA. And please be specific with a link, a chart, anything.

You asked for it and were given it and instead of acknowledging you were wrong, you changed the subject. That is why you have the credibility of Bagdad Bob.

The next major step that I see neither Tiny nor Elvis and we all know MDS have mastered is to actually quote a sentence or two from your links, on the rare occasion you might provide one, that could conceivably support your grandly announced contention.

And this is the classic dumb Dem: being arrogant as hell on a subject they were dead wrong about and then making personal attacks.

The arrogance really raised its head with the red-blue comment about how the blue states were carrying the red states. The Californian refugee like you is among the most despicable characters in American history. You leave California with your six figure pensions and toss the burdens onto the young but instead of acknowledging the shit shape you left your state in you, you carry your politics with you.

You even arrogantly state: why would anyone live in West Texas v. The great state of California? For certain with the eyeball test, the Amarillo, Texas area does not match the California coast. However, with so many jobs being mobile these days, the difference is astonishing. If you make $200 k per year and live in West Texas, you are rich. In California, if a guy make $200 k, given all the taxes being sucked out of the working class by California pensioners like yourself, he is middle class. And if the goal of working is to accumulate wealth, you would be crazy to live in California over West Texas.

So the logic of your idiotic claim that blue states are carrying the red ones, I might ask, with what money? How can the blue states being carrying the red ones when freeloaders like yourself are sucking the blue states dry? Only the super wealthy in the blue states have any money.

You sir are the living embodiment of why the blue states cannot be carrying the red states.

[EihTooms]

Oklahoma City is podunk? Balderdash. Oklahoma City is well situated with respect to pipelines and refineries. The gasoline tax and regulation are not excessive.

California could have similar gasoline prices. At one time your home state had lots of oil production and refining capacity, and would still if not for the green energy zealots running the place.

Four (4) gas stations in the entire country and they weren't even in an actual city but in some pudunk area several tumbleweed roads away from Oklahoma City.

Was that the "huge economic gains" Trump's policies brought to America while jacking up prices for most other things with his Liberation From Your Job Day Tariffs, the worst jobs creation record since the previous time he was a so-called president, the weakest wage increases in 5 years and his more business bankruptcies since GW Bush's Great Repub Recession?

You know, nobody needed to read the Guardian to discover those things happened but, amazing as it might seem to you, yep, the news of it made it into the columns of the Guardian, too.

BTW, this might be one connectable dot further than many pretend "Bothsider-Neithersiders" are used to noticing but a simple Google Search on these Real News items also produce sources like Reuters, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, etc but those sources are often blocked behind a pay / subscription wall and therefore are not useful as links on a message board. However, other sources like The Guardian report the exact same info but are not blocked behind a pay / subscription wall. That's why someone would post a link for that source instead of another one.

[HotDog666]

P Iran and putting them back into the stone age, drew a red line in the sand, and worked out a cease fire .

Riiiiight. He worked out a cease fire. No what happened is he got roped into a war by Israel, had no fucking clue what he was doing or what the outcome would be, and was desperate to get out by any means possible. The Pakistanis not he worked out the ceasefire (with a little help from the Chinese) and he seized it like a starving dog. Stop presenting this fuckwit as anything other than what he is: a fucking idiot.

Well, once again, the latest Trump is out of his fucking mind tactic once again worked beautifully. He got everyone talking about his unhinged message about blowing up Iran and putting them back into the stone age, drew a red line in the sand, and worked out a cease fire. Markets are soaring. Hormuz is open and everyone is singing kumbaya. So is everything all good?

Hardly.

I have been trying to get a handle on why Trump went in. At first, I thought it was simplistic. A military invasion worked in Venezuela. Why not in Iran? Trump has been engaging in Democrat level lawfare with regards to foreign leaders, and some of actions have been beyond annoying, so I was cynical. I thought Trump was just like, "So Iran's leadership is a pain in the ass? Let's just blow them up!

[Sirioja]

61% Americans think now Trump is turning mad senile. So, must really get rid of him in November, when he is really too crazy dangerous, making messe and danger everywhere and we have to pay for his craziness, many even dying.

[Sirioja]

Did they catch Trump in the Epstein Files yet? Haven't had time to follow the news a lot lately?

Trump is protected as president, when he appears a lot in Epstein criminal sexual business. His friend, criminal Netanyahou also avoid justice, not for same reason, with his war business.

[Tiny 12]

"A grid composed solely of solar, wind, and batteries is preposterous on its face the volume of batteries required to provide baseload power for days or weeks at a time borders on the absurd. This is why no such system has ever been piloted at a reasonable scale: the moment it is, the flaws would become immediately and fatally obvious. ".

Absolutely true. Spidy has used South Australia as a role model. Well, conditions for solar and wind there are among the best in the world. But for baseload power, South Australia still must rely on natural gas from the Cooper Basin and interconnects from Victoria. And Victoria generates electricity mostly from dirty, dirty coal.

Here it is:

https://www.gasbuddy.com/go/nations-...-in-four-years

Granted, your link gasbuddy.com says stations in Oklahoma were selling gasoline for $1. 99 a gallon in November, 2025. But gasbuddy.com is not the New York Times, ProPublica or the Guardian. It is not from a LWM (left WINGER media) source and cannot be trusted. Please do more research, using approved media only.

You're just like your MAGA Fuhrer, claiming victory, when there is none!. Just take the latest bullshit bungling and incompetence in Strait of Hormuz, where according to many political pundits, has left Iran, stronger and in more control of the region. But on the other hand, has left the world looking at renewables, clean tech and EV, more favorably. So thanks MAGA Fuhrer!

I didn't like Trump, so much so that the Marquesa clearly viewed me as a greater threat than you to all that he holds dear.

I'm trying to do something about that though. I've been in a 12 step program, like Alcoholics Anonymous, to conquer my TDS. The first step was to acknowledge that, "My name is Tiny, and I have TDS. " I'm not out of the woods yet. But I do now hate Elizabeth Warren and the Squad more than Trump.

And why are you bitching about Donald's Big Iranian Adventure anyway? The problems with the strait of Hormuz will encourage improvements and development of battery storage for wind and solar energy, along with other alternatives to Middle East production.

So while the U.S. has emitted around 400 billion tonnes of accumulated CO2, the most in history, making it responsible for 25% of historical emissions, in comparison, China is the second-largest contributor with about half that amount. https://ourworldindata.org/contributed-most-global-co2

And while many in the U.S. would like to deny their CO2 emissions history, China has acknowledged they are today's largest CO2 polluter, accounting for approximately one-third of annual global emissions, China is on track and has committed to their long-term carbon-free goals, in 2030 (peak) and 2060 (net-zero).

China's transition speed, to meet their carbon free goals, is so impressive, they're on track to achieve said goals, earlier than expected. The U.S. not so much!

What can I say that I haven't already said.

https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/a...ns-per-country

Climate is your religion. I'm not going to change your mind, any more than I could change the minds of those members of the Iranian National Guard who are itching to die as martyrs. And who have no problem if they take down the rest of the Iranian people with them.

Alberta sounds like a one trick pony?

And BTW, as China and Asia become more and more clean energy and renewable led dominant economies and less reliant on oil and gas, I wonder if Alberta (this one trick pony), which remains one of the highest cost oil and gas producers in the world, will compete be able to with cheap U.S., Russia, UAE and/or Saudi oil and gas?.

Alberta conventional oil and gas production is probably lower cost overall than the USA's. With additional infrastructure, Alberta's unconventional resources (shales and tight sands) would be competitive with the USA. Some already are. I'm sure that there are Canadian Montney shale wells that outperform most new shale gas wells in the USA. New oil sands projects are indeed higher cost, but existing projects and brownfield expansions are competitive.

Yes, Saudi Arabia and the UAE are much lower cost, and Russia is lower cost.

But thank goodness red state America and Alberta have exploited their hydrocarbon resources! They keep us out of a world of hurt, versus relying on places like the Middle East, Venezuela and North Africa. Like California does.

Nothing like blaming years of incompetence, on the Feds, right! Correct me if I'm wrong, but at one time, didn't Alberta have some sort of sovereign fund equal to that of Norway?

Why do you even attempt to argue Alberta politics with an Albertan? He's going to kick your ass, if he chooses to waste the time to do so.

Even without reading that link a day ago I nailed the "middle of podunk nowhere" aspect of your claim.

Oklahoma City is podunk? Balderdash. Oklahoma City is well situated with respect to pipelines and refineries. The gasoline tax and regulation are not excessive.

California could have similar gasoline prices. At one time your home state had lots of oil production and refining capacity, and would still if not for the green energy zealots running the place.

[Spidy]

Even without reading that link a day ago I nailed the "middle of podunk nowhere" aspect of your claim.

See, this is why providing links is helpful. The next major step that I see neither Tiny nor Elvis and we all know MDS have mastered is to actually quote a sentence or two from your links, on the rare occasion you might provide one, that could conceivably support your grandly announced contention.

Well, in the case of MDS he not only doesn't provide such a sentence or two from the various bizarre "news" source links he provides but a painful scan of whatever link he has provided usually reveals it has little or nothing to do with his grand claim, nothing to do with the quote he is supposedly responding to and quite often utterly refutes the grand claim he made..

So very, very, very true!

But when the suckers who voted for the MAGA Fuhrer president, see reports of his senile and incapacity to read and understand intelligence reports and would rather watch videos of Iranian stuff being blown up (like a video game), as some sign of "winning", while Iranian depleted forces fight a masterful asymmetric war (like Ukraine) is it any wonder, why the war is a shit-show of incompetence.

[Spidy]

This will be remembered in the annals of history as a watershed moment: when America began its downfall from its unimpeached dominance. Humbled and humiliated by a basketcase of a nation like Iran.

What hope does America have against China? None. The Chinese cannot believe their luck. The Americans have wasted vast amounts of money, ammunition (which will take years to build up) and most of all political and global goodwill. The writing is on the wall for Taiwan.

Not only has America lost a great deal from this farce, but so has most of the world. The only ones who've gained are Israel and Russia and possibly China.

The MAGA fuckwits who still endorse Trump are beneath contempt and beyond comprehension.

Yes indeed, and quite right on all accounts!

BTW, what other ways, do you see China benefiting from this massive MAGA Fuhrer / Iran war cluster-fuck, other than Taiwan, in which I think China will adopt a more prolonged and patient, sort of passive aggressive approach to winning over Taiwan.

[Spidy]

Alberta is voting October to 9 to separate from Canada. It will never pass but it shows the frustration by a conservative province getting screwed by a socialist government.

Nothing like blaming years of incompetence, on the Feds, right! Correct me if I'm wrong, but at one time, didn't Alberta have some sort of sovereign fund equal to that of Norway?

Alberta ran surpluses in four of its last five fiscal years. If you don't believe that, look it up instead of asking me to jump through hoops like a trained seal.

Yeah, when oil prices are low, the province will run deficits. The 9.4 billion CAD deficit estimate for the 2026/2027 fiscal year was made before the Iran war. If current strip prices for oil are indicative of what comes to pass, Alberta will have a surplus in 2026/2027, not a deficit. So you actually came up with an example of "right-wing conservative" competence?

Alberta sounds like a one trick pony?

And BTW, as China and Asia become more and more clean energy and renewable led dominant economies and less reliant on oil and gas, I wonder if Alberta (this one trick pony), which remains one of the highest cost oil and gas producers in the world, will compete be able to with cheap U.S., Russia, UAE and/or Saudi oil and gas?.

[Spidy]

I haven't cut and pasted anything from ChatGPT Spidy. I just write and know fossil fuels a lot better than you do. And I'm more accurate on this subject than many of the sources you quote.

OK, if it will make you happy, China is an electrostate that emits 33% of the world's CO2 and relies on fossil fuels for over 80% of its primary energy.

LOL! That's funny "you know fossil fuels", since you didn't seem to know the U.S. was still, the world's largest/biggest cumulative CO2 emitter in history, with China as a distant second, just overtaking Europe. For example see: https://www.carbonbrief.org/analysis...rming-than-eu/ OR https://ourworldindata.org/data-insi...l-co-emissions.

You're just like your MAGA Fuhrer, claiming victory, when there is none!. Just take the latest bullshit bungling and incompetence in Strait of Hormuz, where according to many political pundits, has left Iran, stronger and in more control of the region. But on the other hand, has left the world looking at renewables, clean tech and EV, more favorably. So thanks MAGA Fuhrer!

That said, I look forward to your so called "reverence" on fossil fuels, have at it.

Naturally, I'll continue to focus and discuss my topics choice: Low Carbon to Clean Energy & Tech, Renewables and Decarbonization of the residential, commercial and industrial world, by any and all countries, companies and entities, helping move toward a cleaner, greener energy transition and non-fossil fuel choice, where possible.

So while the U.S. has emitted around 400 billion tonnes of accumulated CO2, the most in history, making it responsible for 25% of historical emissions, in comparison, China is the second-largest contributor with about half that amount. https://ourworldindata.org/contributed-most-global-co2

And while many in the U.S. would like to deny their CO2 emissions history, China has acknowledged they are today's largest CO2 polluter, accounting for approximately one-third of annual global emissions, China is on track and has committed to their long-term carbon-free goals, in 2030 (peak) and 2060 (net-zero).

China's transition speed, to meet their carbon free goals, is so impressive, they're on track to achieve said goals, earlier than expected. The U.S. not so much!

[EihTooms]

Here it is:

https://www.gasbuddy.com/go/nations-...-in-four-years

Four stations, located in Midwest City, Oklahoma (Oklahoma City metropolitan area), stood at $1.99 per gallon for regular unleaded gasoline early Monday morning, November 24.

Even without reading that link a day ago I nailed the "middle of podunk nowhere" aspect of your claim.

See, this is why providing links is helpful. The next major step that I see neither Tiny nor Elvis and we all know MDS have mastered is to actually quote a sentence or two from your links, on the rare occasion you might provide one, that could conceivably support your grandly announced contention.

Well, in the case of MDS he not only doesn't provide such a sentence or two from the various bizarre "news" source links he provides but a painful scan of whatever link he has provided usually reveals it has little or nothing to do with his grand claim, nothing to do with the quote he is supposedly responding to and quite often utterly refutes the grand claim he made.

So in their case it is understandable why they rarely quote the supposedly pertinent sentence or two from their links.

[RamDavidson84]

Did they catch Trump in the Epstein Files yet? Haven't had time to follow the news a lot lately?

[KeviKev68]

This will be remembered in the annals of history as a watershed moment: when America began its downfall from its unimpeached dominance. Humbled and humiliated by a basketcase of a nation like Iran. What hope does America have against China? None. The Chinese cannot believe their luck. The Americans have wasted vast amounts of money, ammunition (which will take years to build up) and most of all political and global goodwill. The writing is on the wall for Taiwan.

Not only has America lost a great deal from this farce, but so has most of the world. The only ones who've gained are Israel and Russia and possibly China.

The MAGA fuckwits who still endorse Trump are beneath contempt and beyond comprehension.

You left out North Korea a country that has nuclear weapons and has threatened the US.