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.

  • @not_that_guy05@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    1785 months ago

    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.

  • @BlameThePeacock@lemmy.ca
    link
    fedilink
    English
    1065 months ago

    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.

      • @Eldritch@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        215 months ago

        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.

        • @dirthawker0@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          235 months ago

          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.

          • @Mirshe@lemmy.world
            cake
            link
            fedilink
            105 months ago

            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.

  • @ExtremeDullard@lemmy.sdf.org
    link
    fedilink
    995 months ago

    Johnson also hinted at tying aid to debt ceiling negotiations.

    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.

  • ThePowerOfGeek
    link
    fedilink
    English
    785 months ago

    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.

  • @ZILtoid1991@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    615 months ago

    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.

  • @WeUnite@lemm.ee
    link
    fedilink
    English
    505 months ago

    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.

    • @Asafum@feddit.nl
      link
      fedilink
      335 months ago

      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. :(

    • @kipo@lemm.ee
      link
      fedilink
      English
      75 months ago

      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.

      • @WeUnite@lemm.ee
        link
        fedilink
        English
        55 months ago

        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.

    • @captainlezbian@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      25 months ago

      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.

  • @kipo@lemm.ee
    link
    fedilink
    English
    475 months ago

    California should be like: “We will not negotiate with terrorists.”

  • @CharlesDarwin@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    435 months ago

    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.

  • Bakkoda
    link
    fedilink
    English
    415 months ago

    None of these people are serving the United States. They need to be removed.

  • Eugene V. Debs' Ghost
    link
    fedilink
    English
    395 months ago

    If I was governor of California:

    Sure, go ahead. We’ll stop paying Federal taxes. Let the red states crumble as they don’t have our funds. You hold us hostage, we’ll play by your games. You go low, we go low.

    Maybe then we’ll have some sort of progress as a nation for the first time in years.

    • HellsBelle
      link
      fedilink
      English
      15
      edit-2
      5 months ago

      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.

    • @facelessbs@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      125 months ago

      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.

  • JaggedRobotPubes
    link
    fedilink
    English
    335 months ago

    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.

  • @BertramDitore@lemm.ee
    link
    fedilink
    English
    325 months ago

    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…

  • circuitfarmer
    link
    fedilink
    295 months ago

    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.