Democratic lawmakers have introduced the novel and untested approach in at least four states.

The novel and untested approach has been introduced by Democratic lawmakers in at least four states.

Democratic legislators mostly in blue states are attempting to fight back against Donald Trump’s efforts to withhold funding from their states with bills that aim to give the federal government a taste of its own medicine.

The novel and untested approach — so far introduced in Connecticut, Maryland, New York and Wisconsin — would essentially allow states to withhold federal payments if lawmakers determine the federal government is delinquent in funding owed to them. Democrats in Washington state said they are in the process of drafting a similar measure.

These bills still have a long way to go before becoming law, and legal experts said they would face obstacles. But they mark the latest efforts by Democrats at the state level to counter what they say is a massive overreach by the Trump administration to cease providing federal funding for an array of programs that have helped states pay for health care, food assistance and environmental protections.

  • queermunist she/her@lemmy.ml
    31·
    6 days ago

    The Federal government is going to draw up and execute its budget as if they had the funds anyway.

    That’s what I was getting at when I pointed out the fact that the feds print their own money. The federal government would be fine.

    I was just running the thought experiment of “would this even do anything” under the assumption that it was successful. And it’s a fantasy on its face, even in the best case scenario it accomplishes nothing.

    And the best case isn’t what would happen, because ultimately you’re right and this won’t be allowed. There are a lot of mechanisms the federal government has to compell the states to pay their dues.