As tensions escalate between California and the Trump administration over immigration, another potential battlefront is emerging over taxes.

The spat began with reports that the Trump administration is considering cutting funding for California’s university system, the largest higher education system in the nation with about 12% of all U.S. enrolled students.

In response, Gov. Gavin Newsom wrote Friday afternoon in a social media post that California provides about $80 billion more in taxes to the federal government than it receives in return.

“Maybe it’s time to cut that off, @realDonaldTrump,” Newsom said.

    • cattywampas@lemm.ee
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      4 days ago

      I don’t think there’s really a way to do this, since federal taxes are paid directly to the fed without state involvement. This is just to poke the bear, which I am all for.

      • turtlesareneat@discuss.online
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        4 days ago

        The hypothetical way to do it is severely penalize companies within California that pay federal tax. Make it so financially burdonsome they have to relocate or stop paying federal tax of their own accord. This is just what’s been suggested before when this has come up.

      • GuyFawkes@midwest.social
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        4 days ago

        Good. Keep poking until he has a heart attack. If he recovers, rinse and repeat until we get it right.

        • dohpaz42@lemmy.world
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          4 days ago

          I’m all for it too, but keep in mind that successors to dictators are never better; only worse. It only ever gets worse.

          ~Hide your kids. Hide your couch!~

          • GuyFawkes@midwest.social
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            4 days ago

            Yeah but there seems to be something about this fucking guy. I don’t think his successor will have the same draw.

            • dohpaz42@lemmy.world
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              3 days ago

              This dictator is merely a puppet; plain and simple. The real Palpatine is someone else. Maybe it’s Putin, or maybe it’s Thiel. We haven’t gotten to that episode yet.

              • samus12345@sh.itjust.works
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                3 days ago

                But this puppet is who the cultists at the bottom support. They won’t get their support for anyone else so easily, if they even need them at that point.

                • dohpaz42@lemmy.world
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                  3 days ago

                  I would argue that now that the GOP has all three branches of government, Darth Trump is expendable.

                  • samus12345@sh.itjust.works
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                    3 days ago

                    Yet he’s the linchpin that holds the party all together. Notice that they’re all afraid to stand up to him.

      • Cocodapuf@lemmy.world
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        3 days ago

        I’ve been thinking about this, and I’m afraid I agree. I’m not sure how you could enforce this. Paying federal tax seems like a personal choice and the consequences would be felt by individuals (tax evasion charges, unless trump manages to get it treated as a terrorist act). I’d be interested to see if the state was actually offering to shield CA citizens from being arrested by federal agents or subpoenaed by federal courts.

        Also, for the most part the Fed already has our money, right? The majority of that federal tax is withheld from paychecks and goes directly to the Fed…

        • Furbag@lemmy.world
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          3 days ago

          You can withhold paying your federal taxes from your paycheck. Most people don’t because they don’t want to get stuck with a big tax bill in April with no way to pay it if they spent that money or lost it on a bad investment. if enough people all did that at once, regardless of state, it could put a big financial burden on Trump. The government heavily relies on this steady source of income, and unless you make a lot of money, you are probably getting a federal return every year, which means you gave the U.S. Government an interest free loan of sorts.

          • malank@lemm.ee
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            3 days ago

            You also get hit with an underpayment penalty if you do this and don’t pay estimated taxes too.