The money isn't always well spent that's for sure.  On the other hand it is one of the things that keeps the union strong.     When you try to convince 13 colonies that they are stronger in a union, you quite literally have to make the deal work for them in some way.    

In more recent times we all paid for Texas oil in the subsidies we gave the industry, in return we had the cheapest gas in the world for decades.   Eugene benefits in many ways by federal spending.

Don't get me wrong BRM, some Fed money is undoubtabley part of political favoritism.   But a lot of money is spent on things that we could not afford funded only by local tax collection.   Some of our Oregon money is going to other states.     These are some of the financial ties  that contribute to  a shared American dream, a shared future.        

Those shared responsibilities to the union and to defense of democratic institutions, are still there.