Blue States Contribute So Much, What Would Happen If They Stopped?

Blue states contribute a great deal to the U.S. government and economy. As of 2024, about 47 percent of the U.S.’ GDP is composed of contributions from blue states, with the total GDP being around 23.54 trillion and blue states contributing around 11.116 trillion of that total, California, New York, and Illinois being the top three contributing blue states.

While red states do make up more of the U.S.’ GDP, at about 50.5 percent/11.89 trillion with their top contributors being Texas, Florida, and Pennsylvania, it is important to note that there are 31 red states and only 19 blue states (red & blue states as defined by recent presidential election voting results). Even though there is a large number of red states compared to that of the blue states numbers, the blue states’ impact is almost on par with the red states' impact. This shows just how important and strong the blue states are to the U.S.’ economy.

Articles, zIssue 57, Editor's PickEva Elisa WellsJune 10, 2025Government, money, policies, politics, Politics, political, Trump, Trump administration, economy, gdpComment

It Might Be Memorial Day, But Are We Supporting Veterans?

Memorial Day is here and what better way to support our veterans is there than to advocate for them. With the Trump administration working to cut federal spending, veteran’s access to affordable healthcare is in jeopardy.

Is Leaving America Worth It?

With the recent election results putting Trump into office once again, the fear of his second term bringing even worse consequences this time around is widely shared. Many Americans have been heavily considering leaving the country to try and counteract the effect his presidency will have on them.

Though, with every big decision comes its positives and negatives. Here are a few pros and cons to leaving America that you should consider before making your decision.

A 5k 'Baby Bonus' Is Not the Answer

With the annual birth rate in the US near a record low, the Trump administration is looking for a new way to encourage women to have children. The current solution in discussion within the administration is a money incentive. They believe offering women a $5,000 ‘baby bonus’ after delivering will influence more women to give birth.

While offering women this small sum of money to have a child might seem like a generous idea, it cannot solve such a complex decision.

Our Favorite Progressive Candidates in 2022 - Aarika Nelson, Sheriff of Kent County, Delaware

Aarika Nelson (she/her) is a millennial whose progressive views have led her to believe that everyday Americans are suffering under policies enacted by the dual-party system that allows special interests to divide and conquer. A married mother of four, Aarika is the primary income earner in her family, making minimum wage working at Dollar Tree and living paycheck to paycheck, and is enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in order to feed her family. Aarika's life experience as a low-income, working-class woman have made her identify with other marginalized people like her. She is a strong advocate for Black Lives Matter, LGBTQ+ rights, the legalization of marijuana, and ending the failed War on Drugs.

SWAC: Influencer, zIssue 45Andrew FOctober 6, 2022police reform, policies, political, politics, Politics, #politics, queer, #queer, Motherhood, economy, Poverty, poverty, marijuanaComment

Our Favorite Progressive Candidates in 2022 - Heather Mizeur, Maryland's 1st Congressional District

This week we are profiling Heather Mizeur (she/her/hers). Heather is a health policy expert, nonprofit leader, and former state legislator currently running for the US House of Representatives in Maryland's First District. She and her wife Deborah live on a 34-acre organic farm in Chestertown, Maryland. During her time in the Maryland House of Delegates, and as a candidate for governor in 2014, Mizeur focused on environmental protection, government transparency, healthcare, jobs creation, marriage equality, and the legalization of marijuana as signature issues.

The Brutal Reality For Those On The Front Line

The news of the current pandemic has been plastered all over the world for the past year, shocking figures of death tolls, new variants and lockdowns that have put all our lives to a halt. As the world begins to regain some sense of normalcy, the hidden consequences of the pandemic are just beginning to show. For healthcare workers on the front line the consequences of the pandemic are far from over, and emerging research shows that the psychological impacts on those fighting the pandemic may be just beginning.