I spent quite a few years in a state that, although it wasn’t one during the Civil War, likes to claim the confederacy as its heritage.

When the removal of the Stars and Bars from public property gained popularity recently, this state, like most of the actual Southern States of the Confederacy, objected to this because it was an integral part of its heritage.

South Carolina was very strong in its claim that the Stars and Bars was a very important part of its heritage.

One thing about these Southern states that they share in common is the repeated threat of secession and anti-federal government bloviating every time things that come from Washington DC do not sit well with them, things like desegregation, stricter gun control, or marriage equality.

The state I was in refused to accept the Affordable Care Act and any funds it would bring to the state because, well, no one is going to tell them they have to take care of the health of their citizens.

The Tea Party and its misused Gadsden flag, as well as the Stars and Bars come out any time they feel their sovereignty is under attack.
They claim they are their own master, and the federal government needs to keep its distance.

This is all well and good until you realize that these anti-federal government states get more back in federal money than they pay into federal taxes.

A state like South Carolina gets about $7.87 back for each dollar it pays in, while a state like New Jersey gets only about $.85 cents.

Mississippi gets $3.07 in federal funding for every dollar paid in income taxes.

Then you have Louisiana at $1.37; Alabama at $2.46; and Kentucky at $2.18.

That’s because states like New Jersey, Nevada, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Minnesota, Illinois, Delaware, California, New York, and Colorado get less than a dollar back.

They condemn people on welfare while their states get welfare from the other states, and their people in Mississippi, Tennessee, Louisiana, Kentucky, Alabama, South Carolina, and Georgia lead the country in SNAP benefits.

While claiming their healthy economy is the work of their local government’s fiscal responsibility, they seem too quick to overlook the amount of federal tax money they get, and the number of military bases within their borders that are responsible for the life of many of the towns whose whole economy is dependent on that military presence.

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But they refuse to accept any federal programs they do not like, and claim to reject any federal money that is forced on them.

Then the disasters hit.

Floods, fires, earthquakes, tornadoes are followed by applications for federal money to help them rebuild before the last drop falls, ember winks out, wind gust is stilled, or tremor stops, even as they refuse to follow the suggestions that could reduce the magnitude of any future disasters.

Texas and Louisiana lead the pack in FEMA dollars.

When it came to relief from Hurricane Sandy, though,

Congressmen Andy Barr (KY), Marsha Blackburn (TN), Mo Brooks (AL), Paul Broun (GA), Doug Collins (GA), Mike Conaway (TX), Scott DesJarlais (TN), Jeff Duncan (SC), Jimmy Duncan (TN), Stephen Fincher (TN), John Fleming (LA), Bill Flores (TX), Virginia Foxx (NC), Bob Goodlatte (VA), Trey Gowdy (SC), Tom Graves (GA), George Holding (NC), Richard Hudson (NC), Kenny Marchant (TX), Thomas Massie (KY), Mark Meadows (NC), Mick Mulvaney (SC), Randy Neugebauer (TX), Steven Palazzo (MS), Tom Price (GA), Phil Roe (TN), Mac Thornberry (TX), Randy Weber (TX), Roger Williams (TX), Joe Wilson (SC), and Rob Woodall (GA)

voted against helping the states where their money comes from.

But now that South Carolina got hit with floods, of course the federal government needs to send money, including money from the states that these people turned their backs on when Sandy hit.

But, no one is going to tell them what to do.

So what are the two parts of the heritage behind their precious flag?

Racial injustice on a grand scale, poverty, poor health, and weak education, and wanting money from the very government they claim to reject.

As the United States we should be looking out for the general Welfare of all our citizens, all of them regardless of personal biases, not turning our backs on some when convenient, and then demanding what we have denied others because it hits home.

The future will show if those who demand help for South Carolina now will take the necessary steps to reduce the chance of future, preventable disasters, and then help others in their time of need, or will they come up with excuses to avoid doing this.

And, if they will cut the theatrics when it comes to the federal government while taking and then demanding its money.