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Federal spending cuts will hurt blue states but some red states may experience more pain.
The Supreme Court will take up the question of the delegation of authority of Congress to spend money to agencies and private entities ( a suit, FCC v. Consumer Research). In particular, the Universal Services Fund (1996) which is administered by the FCC. Part of the fund comes from telecommunication companies through a surcharge on phone bills. Consumer Research says the surcharge is an undeclared tax.
This fund was created to help provide phone and internet services to underserved areas (rural). The suit is based on the "Nondelegation Doctrine": Congress cannot delegate its authority to agencies. Two programs "Lifeline" for telephone service to poor households and E-Rate for Internet access in public libraries in rural areas will be affected.
https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/23/poli...er-internet-fcc-consumers-research/index.html
This could disproportionately affect red states compared to blue. Red states generally have poorer educational systems further handicapping their students. Of the top 25 state school systems rated according to student success, 17 are blue and 8 are red. Of the bottom 25 only 2 are blue.
So if "consumers" are asking SCOTUS not to have Congress delegate its power, where are those concerned about DOGE canceling funding, presumably a Congressional responsibility?
The Supreme Court will take up the question of the delegation of authority of Congress to spend money to agencies and private entities ( a suit, FCC v. Consumer Research). In particular, the Universal Services Fund (1996) which is administered by the FCC. Part of the fund comes from telecommunication companies through a surcharge on phone bills. Consumer Research says the surcharge is an undeclared tax.
This fund was created to help provide phone and internet services to underserved areas (rural). The suit is based on the "Nondelegation Doctrine": Congress cannot delegate its authority to agencies. Two programs "Lifeline" for telephone service to poor households and E-Rate for Internet access in public libraries in rural areas will be affected.
https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/23/poli...er-internet-fcc-consumers-research/index.html
This could disproportionately affect red states compared to blue. Red states generally have poorer educational systems further handicapping their students. Of the top 25 state school systems rated according to student success, 17 are blue and 8 are red. Of the bottom 25 only 2 are blue.
So if "consumers" are asking SCOTUS not to have Congress delegate its power, where are those concerned about DOGE canceling funding, presumably a Congressional responsibility?