There is a more intuitive way to come to this conclusion even if you don't want to read the actual data, which I understand is challenging for some.

Simply look at how states rank in: lifespan, average income, average education level, K-12 educational outcomes, obesity, infant mortality rates.

You don't even need to look at federal receipts to understand that one of these groups is obviously 'outperforming' the other.

I'm not suggesting there is anything wrong with these coastal states paying more into the federal coffers than they get back on a relative basis vs. the southeast. It is actually the only way the math maths in a progressive tax system.