Red states can never win because of this one thing If anyone could secede, it's New England plus New York Oct 23 Before we get into it: if you’re receiving this via email, thank you. You’re already subscribed. If you’re not, now is the time. You know how the right loves to talk about red states seceding from the United States? And every time, we have to explain — sorry, it wouldn’t work. The red states are on welfare. The red states aren’t self-sufficient. The red states — on average — have lower standards of living, worse education systems, higher poverty rates, and weaker economies. This isn’t opinion. It’s math. For decades, federal data has shown that most red states receive more money from Washington than they pay in through taxes. They’re not donors — they’re beneficiaries. Well, I have news for them. And they are not going to like it. Because there is a secession that could actually work. And it would be a real trigger for our MAGA friends. If New England and New York decided to form their own country… not only would it function — it would instantly become one of the most successful nations on Earth. The Numbers Don’t Lie Let’s start with scale. The combined population of New England plus New York is 35.25 million people — roughly the size of Canada in 1980 or modern-day Poland. The total GDP: $3.75 trillion. That’s larger than France, the U.K., or India’s entire economy thirty years ago. It’s more than the GDP of any U.S. region except California. That means a GDP per capita of roughly $106,000. On the global list, this new nation would rank 4th or 5th in the world per capita, right up there with Switzerland, Norway, and Luxembourg. So while the MAGA crowd fantasizes about a “Republic of Texas and Florida,” the Northeast already meets the definition of a top-tier developed economy — today. You might say, “Okay, but per capita isn’t everything. States rely on trade with others.” True. But here’s the kicker: the Northeast already pays in more to the federal government than it ever gets back. New York, Massachusetts, and Connecticut are net contributors — they subsidize poorer states through federal spending. In other words, if the U.S. were a household, these states are the ones paying the mortgage while others live rent-free. Built to Last Education Start with education — the region’s most powerful export. Harvard, MIT, Yale, Brown, Dartmouth, Columbia, Cornell, NYU, and dozens of elite public universities like UMass, UConn, and SUNY. If you drew a circle around Boston and New York, you’d capture one of the densest clusters of higher education and research on the planet. The new country wouldn’t just retain its talent — it would continue attracting students from around the world. Education is already an export industry here, worth billions. Manufacturing and Industry Then there’s the industrial base. The Northeast has quietly modernized. It’s no longer making shoes and textiles — it’s making jet engines, submarines, and biotech. Connecticut alone houses Pratt & Whitney (aerospace) and Electric Boat (defense). Massachusetts leads in biotech and precision manufacturing. New York dominates finance, publishing, and tech. Would there be gaps? Yes. Heavy manufacturing, cars, and bulk commodities would need to be imported. But that’s normal for advanced economies. Japan and the U.K. do the same thing — and they’re doing just fine. Services and Finance Now add in services and finance, and it becomes almost unfair. New York City remains the financial capital of the world — Wall Street, Madison Avenue, the United Nations, global media, and venture capital all concentrated within a few square miles. Boston’s economy runs on life sciences, AI, and tech innovation. Connecticut has the world’s largest insurance cluster. Rhode Island, Vermont, and Maine add tourism, green energy, and marine trades. Put all of that together and you get a finance, technology, and service superpower. Essentially, a hybrid of Switzerland, Japan, and the Netherlands — high-skill, high-income, globally connected. Infrastructure and Geography Airports: JFK, LaGuardia, Boston Logan, and Bradley are international gateways that already handle tens of millions of passengers annually. Ports: New York Harbor and Boston are among the busiest on the East Coast, with Portland, Maine, as an additional deep-water hub. Rail: The Northeast Corridor — Boston, Providence, New Haven, New York — is already the country’s only true high-density passenger line. Upgrading that system would be cheaper than building from scratch elsewhere. Geographically, it’s compact. You can cross the entire nation in a day by train. Energy grids are already integrated (ISO-New England and NYISO). It has coastline, rivers, fresh water, and a temperate climate. It would start life with the infrastructure of a developed European country — no building required. The Model: Japan, South Korea, the U.K. This hypothetical country would resemble Japan, South Korea, or the U.K. Resource-poor but rich — importing raw materials and fuel, exporting capital, design, research, and technology. That’s the modern model of prosperity. You don’t need coal mines and cornfields; you need brains, capital, and networks. And this region already has them in abundance. It would also be an incredibly safe country — high education, low poverty, strong democratic institutions, and stable governance. It already ranks near the top nationally in healthcare access, life expectancy, and voter participation. Why This Makes Sense When you look at global rankings for quality of life — Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, Denmark, Germany, Sweden, Australia — the pattern is clear: small, efficient, high-tax democracies with strong safety nets. Now look inside the U.S. On measures like HDI (human development index), education, healthcare, and income, the top spots go to Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Vermont, New York, and Rhode Island. Maine sits right in the middle. These are states already organized like the world’s most successful countries — socially liberal, economically productive, and governed with relatively high trust. It’s not a stretch to imagine them thriving as one nation. MAGA Hates This MAGA doesn’t like this idea, because it breaks their mythology. They want you to believe the “strong” states are the ones with no gun laws, no regulation, and a race to the bottom on wages and education. But in reality, the states that invest in people, infrastructure, and innovation are the ones that drive the U.S. economy — and fund everyone else. If the Northeast walked away tomorrow, it wouldn’t be a collapse — it would be a recalibration. The U.S. would lose its intellectual engine, its financial capital, and most of its research universities. If any region of the United States could actually secede and thrive — it’s the Northeast. (Also… California.) We’re reaching over 100 million people every month across YouTube, podcasts, Substack, and beyond. But algorithms can change. Platforms can fold. And when that happens, this newsletter is how we stay connected. If you’re not yet a paid subscriber, please consider joining. If you’re already paid on one platform, consider supporting us on both Substack and our website. You can subscribe on our website and right here on Substack. And if you’re really on fire, consider gifting a subscription—we’ve got thousands on our waiting list ready to read, watch, and fight back. MAGA cancel culture is real—and it’s coming for the press. But they can’t cancel what they don’t control. Let’s keep building. —David PS: Can’t contribute right now? No problem. 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