One Thing Is Clear: Democrats can win elections without appealing to Republicans.

[modrepub]

26. In A True Democracy

both parties will exchange control at the federal and state level. Local level is a different story since voters self segregate and reenforce their opinions (right or wrong). At some point the Republicans, forgetter or worse, will control the federal levels and most states. It's a cycle and how true democracies work.

What I don't approve of is how tax revenues are distributed such that a lot of Republican areas brag about how much they can pull from the Federal system then say urban areas (controlled by Democrats) are takers. This distorts how local tax revenues have to be generated. Are urban/suburban local taxes "so high" because they waste money on public services that they want or is it because they get so little return out of their state and federal allotments? To top it off, Republicans routinely bash these areas for "tax and spend" when the probable reason is they've filtered taxes away at the state and federal level and local taxes have to make up for the deficit.

Democrats need to make this point and put infrastructure "buy ins" in place to prevent shifting too much tax revenue to places that don't want to pay for anything. You want fast speed internet in the rural area? Well put up 50% of the money and figure out a way to maintain it using their own resources. Want a brand new interstate (I-99) through your backwoods just so you can get to a Penn State football game six times a year? Same deal, put up 50% of the money and figure out how to maintain it. It would be interesting to take the military budget and divide it up evenly and send the bill out to everyone.