Newsom accidentally makes the argument for people not paying taxes
Ladies and gentlemen, grab your popcorn and your calculators, because the political theater just reached a new level of absurdity! California Governor Gavin Newsom has thrown down the gauntlet in a feud with President Donald Trump that sounds like it was ripped straight from a Hollywood blockbuster—or a particularly wild episode of Veep. In a fiery X post yesterday, Newsom fired back at reports that Trump is plotting to slash federal funding to the Golden State, threatening to withhold a whopping $80 billion in federal taxes as retaliation. Yes, you read that right—California might just say, “Keep your federal handouts, we’re taking our ball and going home!”
Taxpayers who always pay more than what they get be like
This has been the argument for taxpayers shouldering the weight of unproductive moochers receiving government handouts for decades.
The Setup: A Funding Face-Off
The drama kicked off with a CNN Politics scoop (updated 4:18 PM EDT, Friday, June 6, 2025) claiming Trump is preparing a “large-scale cancellation of federal funding” for California. Sources suggest the move targets the state’s sprawling university systems, a tactic reminiscent of Trump’s earlier war on higher education—think Harvard lawsuits and $2.2 billion grant battles. Newsom, never one to back down from a spotlight, responded with a post that’s equal parts economic flex and political taunt: “Californians pay the bills for the federal government. We pay over $80 BILLION more in taxes than we get back. Maybe it’s time to cut that off, @realDonaldTrump.”
Cue the gasps! This isn’t just a tweet; it’s a declaration of financial independence—or at least a very expensive bluff. Newsom’s figure aligns with a 2022 Rockefeller Institute analysis, which found California contributes a net $83 billion more to the federal coffers than it receives, a stat that’s been weaponized to argue the state subsidizes “impoverished red states.”
Newsom says California is a donor state. Well, most taxpayers are donor people. Same logic applies dickhead.
