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"Donald Trump approved just 23 percent of disaster funding requests from states with Democratic governors and Democratic senators, while at the same time, over roughly the same period, states with Republican governors and Republican senators had their [requests approved] 89 percent of the time."
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"The people of Michigan are in good hands with Trump-endorsed Mike Rogers, who is running for U.S. Senate, and John James for governor." "I just spoke with Congressman Tom Tiffany, who has my complete and total endorsement for governor, and informed him that the great state of Wisconsin has been approved to be given $22.6 million in its disaster declaration request."
Trump is openly framing disaster aid as a political favor tied to his endorsed candidates. he's holding disaster aid hostage untill the state does what trump wants so he can make the senator look like the hero... Instead of creating a system where everyone gets equal protection, he's saying if you don't vote for me, you get less protection... This also creates a dangerous new quid pro quo for how states or voters act, supporting his candidates means they'll get the help they need and suffer less, opposing them means they'll have to pay the price... They also mislead voters saying that candidates (like Tiffany or Rogers) directly secured the aid, because in reality, the decision rests with the federal government, Trump himself...
- "We should be expecting an all-of-government approach in the coming weeks and months. [...] What we can expect in the coming weeks is a federal government that is focused exclusively on helping Republicans win elections. Period, full stop."
So federal agencies (FEMA, ICE, HHS, etc.) will be put to work to influence elections. So we can expect more aid approved to swing states with competitive races (Michigan, Wisconsin) while denying and withholding it to blue states. They will try potential deployment to manufacture crises (immigration "surges") to rally Republican voters, and strategically deploying health resources and programs, announcing new funding, grants and initiatives to boost the image of republican GOP candidates in swing districs (RFK Jr. campaigning in those same key districts). Even if the programs were already planned or not uniquely tied to Republican efforts, it’s about manufacturing the image of the GOP as the party that "delivers".
They literally use all government resources to punish democratic states, and reward republican states. Sounds authoritarian. I thought power was a tool to make lives better for everyone, instead of power being the endgoal and making sure none can challenge him lol
