6 GOP lawmakers who say blue states shouldn't get federal help for virus

The chorus of Republican lawmakers who say they will refuse to support giving aid to Democratic-controlled states struggling with the economic fallout from the coronavirus is growing.

“Why should the people and taxpayers of America be bailing out poorly run states (like Illinois, as example) and cities, in all cases Democrat run and managed, when most of the other states are not looking for bailout help?” Trump tweeted on Monday. “I am open to discussing anything, but just asking?”

However, the blue states facing the worst coronavirus outbreaks and the biggest budget shortfalls — like New York and New Jersey — pay more in federal tax dollars than they get out, according to data from a Rockefeller Institute of Government study.

New York has the biggest deficit in the amount of federal tax dollars it pays compared to federal tax dollars it receives, the Rockefeller study found. New York pays $256 billion in federal taxes and receives $220.6 billion back — a deficit of more than $35 billion.

New Jersey comes in just behind New York, paying $119 billion in federal tax while receiving $97.6 billion back — a $21.4 billion deficit.

Meanwhile, the GOP lawmakers who say Democratic-run states don’t deserve the money all come from states that take in more federal tax dollars than they pay in, according to the same study.

Here are the Republicans from taker states who are refusing to help blue states.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY)

Kentucky pays $30 billion in federal taxes but receives $70.8 billion back.

McConnell was the first Republican to draw a line in the sand, saying that Democratic-run states like New York do not deserve to be bailed out.

“My guess is their first choice would be for the federal government to borrow money from future generations to send it down to them now so they don’t have to do that. That’s not something I’m going to be in favor of,” McConnell said last week.

However, McConnell’s home state of Kentucky ranks third in the Rockefeller Institute of Government’s study of states that take more than they pay in federal tax.

Kentucky gets $40 billion more in federal tax dollars than it pays in.

Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL)

Florida pays $191.7 billion in federal tax but receives $237.6 billion back.

Scott also came out against helping blue states — despite the fact that his state of Florida ranks second on the list of states getting more federal tax dollars than it contributes.

“It’s not fair to the taxpayers of Florida. We sit here, we live within our means, and then New York, Illinois, California and other states don’t. And we’re supposed to go bail them out? That’s not right,” Scott said, according to Politico’s Burgess Everett. 

Florida, however, gets $45.9 billion more in federal taxes than it pays in.

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL)

Florida pays $191.7 billion in federal tax but receives $237.6 billion back.

Like Scott, Gaetz is from Florida, which gets many billions more in federal taxes than it pays in.

But Gaetz doesn’t think New York deserves any help making up for its coronavirus budget deficits.

“Americans deserve to know who’s fighting for what. Democrats are fighting for illegal aliens, for upgrades to the Kennedy Center, and for bailouts for blue states. I mean, I don’t understand why New York can’t collect bail money from their own criminals but they expect to be able to collect for non-coronavirus expenses from the people of Florida,” Gaetz told Fox News’ Sean Hannity.

Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR)

Arkansas pays $19.8 billion in federal taxes but receives $35.1 billion back.

Cotton quickly sided with McConnell in his desire to refuse aid to blue states

“There are a lot of Democratic senators who want a no strings attached bailout for their states because of imprudent fiscal decisions in the past. And obviously we’re not going to agree to that,” Cotton told Politico last week.

But Cotton’s state gets $15.2 billion more in federal tax dollars than it pays in.

Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA)

Louisiana pays in $34.3 billion in federal tax but receives $52 billion back.

Scalise, the House minority whip, is also against helping blue states like New York.

“Only a liberal state that had already had their own problems prior to COVID-19 would be talking about more money as Congress is on the verge of passing another bill that had over $400 billion in aid to our small businesses who are struggling, to hospitals who are struggling,” Scalise said Monday on conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt’s show. 

Louisiana, however, gets $17.7 billion more back in federal taxes than it pays in.

Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS)

Kansas pays $25.5 billion in federal tax but gets $31.3 billion back.

Moran also accused blue states of fiscal irresponsibility, and thus said he will refuse to vote for a bill allowing those states to get federal aid to help with coronavirus fallout.

“I don’t want Kansas taxpayers bailing out states that have made poor fiscal decisions, living beyond their means,” Moran told the Kansas City Star.

And Kansas itself may need federal bailout funds, as it faces a $650 million budget shortfall, the Kansas City Star reported.

Kansas gets $5.7 billion more in federal tax than it pays in.

Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.