New data released by the Tax Foundation (a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit org) show which states “win” in the game to acquire more than their share of federal funding dollars, and which lose. 32 states receive more dollars in federal funding than they pay in federal taxes; of the top 20 “winners”, 17 are among the “red” states whose electoral votes George W. Bush won in 2000. 16 states are the “losers”–paying more in federal taxes than they receive in federal funding. 7 of the bottom 10 states are “blue” states that Bush lost in 2000, including California, New York, Massachusetts, and Illinois. (Interestingly, the two states whose funding and taxation are equivalent are Oregon and Florida, the two closest states in the 2000).

On the whole, “red” states which tend to vote Republican take more than their fair share of federal government funding, and “blue” states which tend to vote Democratic are forced to pay the difference.

What does this tell us about the upcoming election, and which states are likely to benefit from a Bush win (and which are likely to suffer*)? Do the math.