Mike Johnson vows to hold aid to California hostage after deadly fires
Summary
House Speaker Mike Johnson stated that federal aid for California's devastating Los Angeles wildfires, which have killed at least 24 and displaced nearly 200,000 people, should come with conditions, citing alleged failures by state and local leaders.
Johnson also hinted at tying aid to debt ceiling negotiations.
Other Republican leaders, including Senators John Barrasso and Ron Johnson, expressed similar views, blaming liberal policies for exacerbating the fires.
Critics denounce these positions as cruel, given the scale of destruction, with over 12,000 buildings lost and massive evacuation orders in effect.
https://newrepublic.com/post/190179/mike-johnson-aid-california-fires-conditionOpen linkView original on lemmy.world433
Comments108
You know California could just not pay the federal government taxes for a year and we would be back to 100 real quick.
No reason to giving money to other red welfare states that this state earned.
I want this to happen soooo bad. Signed, a New Yorker (State, not city)
That would be a very dangerous escalation. I love the idea of the red states finally finding out but that's not how that would go unfortunately. We're in this union for life for the worse.
It's supposed to be for better or for worse. Lately it's just been better if you're a red state that refuses to invest in education and worse if you're a blue state that actually generates money from your educated and well-paid citizens. Enough is enough.
You're essentially arguing for succession. That means civil war. You can assume neither of us survive that if anyone does. This echo chamber has gotten real dumb
Sometimes you gotta fight a civil war...sometimes people need to die for their ideas...
You're a troll or an idiot if you believe that. A civil war in a country with this man nukes could be the end of humanity and would absolutely cause unbelievable devastation for California even if it somehow won so much worse than paying into federal taxes. That is a lose lose. I would think you're a Chinese troll but even China would lose one of it's biggest trade partners and it would be devastating for their economy
Oh well, maybe the Republicans should have thought of the consequences of their actions when they're legitimately evil and hurting people because it makes $0.01 more money than doing the right thing.
Sucks to suck, Republicans need to eat shit.
The thing is that it is us, who pay the federal taxes. We would have to stop paying them and then redirect it to state government. The problem would be how California could change that?
The GOP also cut funding to the IRS. Who is going to do that collecting?
State-level tax bureaus would do the state-level tax collecting.
The IRS can't manage their current workload without state help, this would be very simple:
Newsom announced that California will no longer assist the feds in unpaid tax investigations within California. Only unpaid state tax will get our state guys involved, feds actively get hindered. Californians get told to not pay their federal tax that year and that they're safe because the feds can't do shit. Imprison the rich who'll pay anyway because they're traitors, take their cash and assets for state use.
Fun fact this is actually somewhat similar to how the state burned out pro-Confederate individuals during the civil war. Basically taxes were paid with cash, raw, and refined materials to the Junta's if ya sent money to the Feds it was assumed you were sending it out east to the Confederates.
Kentucky would be sad
Is this how you Make America Great Again? Is this America First?
Yes. When you consider that means making the left suffer. This is exactly what MAGA wants.
They will eat their own shit to spite us.
Except there's more Republicans living in California than the total population of most red states.
Doesn't matter. They'd jump on a grenade if they could push a liberal down underneath them.
They care when it does effect them. But they can't ever seem to forsee it.
Well, it just so happens this tragedy happened in a blue state. The only place where governing and politician’s actions are scrutinized.
If this had happened in a red state? It’s just an act of god. (Also, their cops would be considering anyone they see as looters and killing them, all while driving around in unmarked vans, wearing plain clothes and using their personal armories [to kill innocent Americans])
Mexico is helping while "America first" government officials are deliberately withholding aid. Absolute demons.
Mexico takes the high road and helps after all they have said and done. It speaks volumes about the Mexican politicians and shows that our conservatives are the enemies they make everyone else out to be.
they're worse than enemies. we've seen enemies help each other during devastating natural disasters. countries with long history of animosity still send each other humanitarian aid in times like this.
This is "Republican America First".
This is their version of it.... Make white America great again
Homer Simpson: "White, cishet, christian-fundamentalist America".
More like Make The Confederacy Great Again.
How much longer do they think California is going to keep paying into the federal government if the federal government keeps pulling this shit?
California is the single largest net contributor to federal spending.
That's the neat part, they don't think.
It's worse than you think. Many of them don't think. But for many of them that's the dream. Without the blue States contributing to federal government you've just starved the Beast that much more and hurt that many more people. It's enough to push them over the edge and make them cum. Thinking about California doing that. It would be handing them exactly what they want.
It's much easier to destroy than it is to build. And they are gleeful little arsonists.
They want to knock CA down because it's a wealthy, successful state with mostly Democrats, but they don't think far enough to realize if they succeed in damaging CA's economy then CA can't contribute as much to their red welfare state.
Nah, a good chunk of them know it would hurt them. They hope it would hurt the people they hate worse.
Having quite a few family members like this, trust me when I say there's plenty of them who THINK they would happily deal with an economic crash if it meant that black/brown/gay/leftist people starved to death.
Aka "Something terrible happened to you and you need help, so this is my chance to force you to do what I want."
This is just dripping with psychopathy. This is why I could never become a politician or a billionnaire CEO: I just couldn't hold my breakfast in in the morning looking in the mirror.
Psychopathy is a requirement to be part of the American Nazi Party
I think you'll find a whole lot of them in all parties. And in boardrooms.
The guy who represents one of the welfare states that takes a lot more money from the union than they give back... is doing this to one of the big blue states that gives to the union a lot more than they get back?
Fucking pathetic, greedy, immoral little shit. I hope his home gets wiped out in the next natural disaster that hits good state.
I guess California and other blue states should also tie federal taxes to things of their own. Maybe even leave the union altogether, alongside with other states.
Maybe the more than 6 million people in California who voted for a Republican candidate will learn from this.... Guessing not though.
Democrats: Please remember this moment and when it comes time to the elections constantly repeat this on loop as much as possible. We must never forget this.
Democrats: we already know they're pieces of shit
Republicans: Fox news tells me California deserves it.
We live in the post truth world, what you believe to be true is predetermined and nothing means anything that comes from outside your chosen propaganda outlet. :(
I honestly really admire your optimism.
Just like last time.
I admire your positivity.
Just a few months ago democrats were protesting outside their own rallies.
I agree, but if Trump putting kids in cages and kidnapping them from their families didn't sway enough voters the first time around, this certainly won't either.
I don't think Democrats hammered this point hard enough. There must be relentless attacks against every bad thing Republicans have done. In addition Democrats must aggressively campaign for their vision with strong simple words.
Lol you're insane if you think this changes anything for anyone anywhere
I think it's important to understand how a lot of red Americans see California. It's similar to how a lot of the world sees America. They were once enamored by it thanks to it's cultural dominance but nowadays they're disillusioned and sick of its cultural dominance. Even I as a leftist moving west in a few months am sick and tired of orange county deciding what the Republican position is resulting in my gerrymandered legislature attacking locally popular things like Marijuana (say what you will about hillbillies, they do not like being busted for their homemade intoxicants and many grow pot).
So yeah in short, the cruelty is the point and I promise, having once lived in his district, Jim Jordan would gain votes for it
Pretty sure most Californians hate Orange county as well. Problem is that its built up enough that they can largely ignore nature telling them to fuck off. Mind you I may be somewhat biased though since I am an Inland Imperial and am obligated to hate everything west of Colton, except San Diego theyre chill.
California should be like: "We will not negotiate with terrorists."
The entire qon thing of "California bad" is just so very fucking stupid. It's clear they are very jealous of California, which is arguably our most important state.
If you are in california and have nothing to lose remember that you know where mike johnson goes to work everyday.
You know if I lived in California right now I'd be wondering real hard why even be a part of the union? California contributes more than it receives, has vastly different politics than the rest of the country, has a powerhouse economy.
As a Californian I can tell you that a lot of us from all sides of the spectrum out here have revived succession talks
Usually those guys outside the capitol are considered loons, but lately the talk has basically been along these lines. That and "world's 5th biggest economy on our own"
The big problems would be all the US military bases and the power grid but, yeah I'm in.
Water might be an issue as well. We rely a lot on the Sierras but I think we also buy a lot of what we use from Colorado and have it piped here.
I grew up in California. I can tell you it's a very big place with lots of different types of folks. Most of the state geographically is conservative. Even a few of the largest cities in the state vote Red. LA is just that densely populated.
Sure but we also have an old underlying bit of nationalsim. Most conservatives ive met whos families have been here since before WW2 would happily secede if the opportunity presented itself. Its the younger families who have a problem with it in my opinion.
We also know where he lives. All three addresses.
None of these people are serving the United States. They need to be removed.
by force
If I was governor of California:
Maybe then we'll have some sort of progress as a nation for the first time in years.
California is welcome to become Canada's 4th territory or 11th province (both are equal).
I don't know if we can help you a lot, but we definitely won't treat you like shit.
Ya fuck these US annexation tweets, lets bring back Cascadia talks. The mountains divide us physically and culturally.
BC is tired of having our old growth forests raped, pipelines we don't want or benefit from rammed through our mountains against our will scarring the landscape, and our coastlines littered with trash from Alberta both literal and figurative.
The economy of the State of California is the largest in the United States, with a $4.080 trillion gross state product (GSP) as of 2024.[1] It is the largest sub-national economy in the world. If California were a nation it would rank in terms of nominal GDP as the world's sixth largest economy, behind India (4.27 trillion) and ahead of the United Kingdom (3.588 trillion).
And we are also a donor state. Even with all the RnD that we have.
Doing something so cartoonishly evil to so many people who so recently lost everything?
I don't know, sounds like a safety issue for him. Hopefully his preservation instincts kick in.
California might as well be in the G7. So go right ahead Johnson, be petty and watch what happens when we stop paying federal taxes. You better believe we’ll be able to fund this kind of shit ourselves if we don’t have to share…
I hate this century so goddamn much.
If y'all want to see what happens to the federal budget when California stops paying, keep it up.
Should probably stop giving the free money to moochy red states though.
He's not holding aid hostage, he's holding people's lives hostage.
The Government of Fucking Putin and their America Last agenda.
Climate change comes for all
Always remember the 4th of December. The day Saint Luigi and his followers will come to collect the dues owed to society
And there's no hiding from the Children of Kali
Most insightful comment of the day.
Here's hoping Mike meets his Luigi soon.
Tell me republicans, what California policies have the evil democrats done to cause the fires or made it worse?
I was told there would be no fact checking.
When can I stop paying federal taxes? I don’t get anything in return for them.
I honestly think this is going to be the start of hopefully cold civil unrest. GOP will block federal aid, California and maybe other blue states will stop paying federal taxes. Red states start imploding.
Yeah except Democrats are generally too cowardly to actually go that far. The most we'll probably see is lots of lawsuits against the federal government from blue states like during the last Trump admin.
One can only hope
States don't pay taxes -- people do. *
*And corporations.
Jesus, wasn't it like a month ago and all Republicans could talk about was how biden was withholding aid from Florida. What's the point of all these arguments if one side decidedly won't argue in good faith?
Being hypocritical is something they embrace. It shows weakness to argue with them and they know it. They are essentially terroristic in nature and no one should ever have an actual good faith discussion with them since they have proven time and time again that they are incapable.
There's no point, just distraction. They both want the dollar out of your pocket, all the pointing fingers is just so people don't notice it's ultimately the same hand.
What a fucking piece of shit you are, Johnson.
These fucking ghouls are cartoonish in their villainy.
So the next time Louisiana gets fucked like they did during Katrina we all just tell them to suck it?
That's pretty much what GWB did though
Incompetence and malice can get the same results I suppose.
The fucked up thing is that the blatant double standard ensures that Republicans will blame the left no matter what. You cannot teach them through cause and effect, because their propaganda is too fucking powerful and their brains are too rotted.
If the Democrats did something even slightly similar to this, like 10% the severity, they would be demonized and it would be taken by conservatives as an act of unprovoked aggression. It does not matter what the context is, or if it was a direct response to Republicans doing the same fucking thing. It just does not matter.
"Everyone I don't like is
Hitlerwoke."EDIT: /s
These are the people they always want to apply the 'higher ground' and 'congressional decorum' to. Fuck em.
I thought it was Canada’s fault for not turning on their faucet?
Some of us here will be directly affected by Johnson’s debt ceiling concessions. How does it feel to be commoditised like this, to the point of your household becoming a bargaining chip?
You, personally, are worth no more to Johnson & co than the number of services Newsom is willing to cut (and thus how many citizens will be pressed) in order to meet Johnson’s demands.
That’s infuriating, and it flies in the face of humanitarianism. Slaps it right in the face.
e: I can’t spell
Come on ! These are Americans ! For sure you can find a stronger superlative ! /sEnglish grammar is confusing me once again
It's not the most clearly worded headline. "Aid to California" is going to be held hostage. Mike Johnson is not going to "hold aid" to a "California hostage."
This is how I read it as well. It's not like Mike Johnson wouldn't do that is the thing. He's proving to be an absolute pathetic little turd.
Crassus got Carrhae'd.
How about you hold your own Johnson
After the east coast relief was swift and without condition, as it should be.
Remember the red states take more than they contribute, now on top, they will restrict access to the federal tax funds that California disproportionately contributes to keep this rotting corpse of a country afloat.
The Republicans are the bad guy from the 80s movie. They are hanging from the cliff about to die, the hero reaches out to save them, they climb up the hero's outstretched arm to safety and then immediately turn and kick the hero off the cliff with a boot to the back of the head.
That's what a fucking cock sucker is.