this post was submitted on 13 Jan 2025
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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.

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[–] not_that_guy05@lemmy.world 104 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

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.

[–] the_tab_key@lemmy.world 47 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

I want this to happen soooo bad. Signed, a New Yorker (State, not city)

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[–] takeda@lemm.ee 13 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

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?

[–] partial_accumen@lemmy.world 9 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

The GOP also cut funding to the IRS. Who is going to do that collecting?

[–] prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 points 2 weeks ago

State-level tax bureaus would do the state-level tax collecting.

[–] BlameThePeacock@lemmy.ca 75 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

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.

[–] toiletobserver@lemmy.world 42 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

That's the neat part, they don't think.

[–] Eldritch@lemmy.world 8 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

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 11 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

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 1 points 2 weeks 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 67 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

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.

[–] tiefling@lemmy.blahaj.zone 32 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Psychopathy is a requirement to be part of the American Nazi Party

[–] ExtremeDullard@lemmy.sdf.org 9 points 2 weeks ago

I think you'll find a whole lot of them in all parties. And in boardrooms.

Debt ceiling lmfao. Go ahead, y'all are in government, your fault. We can suffer together, no concessions to nazis.

It'd be funny when the world no longer trust the US because debts are no longer being paid.

[–] friend_of_satan@lemmy.world 60 points 2 weeks ago (4 children)

Is this how you Make America Great Again? Is this America First?

[–] MagicShel@lemmy.zip 20 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Yes. When you consider that means making the left suffer. This is exactly what MAGA wants.

[–] whostosay@lemmy.world 4 points 2 weeks ago

They will eat their own shit to spite us.

[–] Frozengyro@lemmy.world 13 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

This is their version of it.... Make white America great again

[–] ZILtoid1991@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago

Homer Simpson: "White, cishet, christian-fundamentalist America".

[–] pyre@lemmy.world 9 points 2 weeks ago

Mexico is helping while "America first" government officials are deliberately withholding aid. Absolute demons.

[–] Treczoks@lemmy.world 1 points 2 weeks ago

This is "Republican America First".

[–] ThePowerOfGeek@lemmy.world 41 points 2 weeks 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.

[–] HubertManne@moist.catsweat.com 30 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

If you are in california and have nothing to lose remember that you know where mike johnson goes to work everyday.

[–] Wogi@lemmy.world 14 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

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.

[–] TheLowestStone@lemmy.world 4 points 2 weeks ago

The big problems would be all the US military bases and the power grid but, yeah I'm in.

[–] AngryCommieKender@lemmy.world 7 points 2 weeks ago

We also know where he lives. All three addresses.

[–] WeUnite@lemm.ee 29 points 2 weeks ago (3 children)

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 21 points 2 weeks 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. :(

[–] ElcaineVolta@kbin.melroy.org 11 points 2 weeks ago

I honestly really admire your optimism.

[–] MelodiousFunk@slrpnk.net 5 points 2 weeks ago
[–] BertramDitore@lemm.ee 24 points 2 weeks 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…

[–] zbyte64@awful.systems 19 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Climate change comes for all

[–] cabron_offsets@lemmy.world 25 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)
[–] DrFistington@lemmy.world 9 points 2 weeks ago

Always remember the 4th of December. The day Saint Luigi and his followers will come to collect the dues owed to society

[–] zbyte64@awful.systems 4 points 2 weeks ago

And there's no hiding from the Children of Kali

[–] ExtremeDullard@lemmy.sdf.org 7 points 2 weeks ago

Most insightful comment of the day.

He's not holding aid hostage, he's holding people's lives hostage.

[–] PedroMaldonado@lemmy.world 13 points 2 weeks ago

What a fucking piece of shit you are, Johnson.

[–] JeeBaiChow@lemmy.world 12 points 2 weeks ago

These are the people they always want to apply the 'higher ground' and 'congressional decorum' to. Fuck em.

[–] Zerlyna@lemmy.world 9 points 2 weeks ago

I thought it was Canada’s fault for not turning on their faucet?

[–] AbidanYre@lemmy.world 9 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

So the next time Louisiana gets fucked like they did during Katrina we all just tell them to suck it?

[–] socsa@piefed.social 9 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

That's pretty much what GWB did though

[–] AbidanYre@lemmy.world 1 points 2 weeks ago

Incompetence and malice can get the same results I suppose.

[–] prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

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.

[–] ZILtoid1991@lemmy.world 7 points 2 weeks 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.

[–] jaggedrobotpubes@lemmy.world 5 points 2 weeks 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.

[–] A_A@lemmy.world 4 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

... ~~California Hostage~~ ...

~~Come on ! These are Americans ! For sure you can find a stronger superlative ! /s~~
English grammar is confusing me once again

[–] Nougat@fedia.io 4 points 2 weeks ago

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."

[–] circuitfarmer@lemmy.sdf.org 1 points 2 weeks 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.

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