Things you want the government to subsidize or stop subsidizing

[Funkworks]

Looks good. Can we stop subsidizing them now?

Due to the above interest, this thread is for posting things you want the government to subsidize or stop subsidizing.

Call me when you have solved the problem.

 

[James Duffy]

I'm sure this will end well.

 

[Hobie1dog]

 

[cerving]

More funds for school rocketry programs.

P.S. Should we be taking bets on how many posts before this one gets locked?

 

[NateB]

P.S. Should we be taking bets on how many posts before this one gets locked?

Only if the government subsidizes the loosing bets.

 

[Cape Byron]

I'm sure this will end well.

I still watch silent movies for the steam train wrecks…

 

[cls]

Stop all ag subsidies, especially ethanol, beef, dairy.

Stop all tax writeoffs and credits for fossil fuels.

Stop all giveaways to telecom and make them fulfill their promises. After $700 Billion we ought to have fiber everywhere for free.

Shut down all health insurance companies, the jerks are just no value middlemen. Why do we pay 2 times what the rest of the world pays!?!? And have worse health outcomes.

Tell you more tomorrow.

 

[cls]

Ok, it's already tomorrow, somewhere.

Yes to subsidize Ukraine with materiel and other resources.

Cancel CHIPS Act, big tech doesn't need public money to bootstrap the industry, they (Intel) need to stop continuously screwing up. They are all public companies, how about if the public and wall street vote with $$$ and buy shares, if they have a good story?

Yes to support onshoring of manufacture, away from yoo no hoo, and training a new workforce for 21st century.

Ok, enough.

 

[teepot]

I looked at the US budget once not long ago. There are thousands of offices and groups that get millions to do things that would make you laugh. There is far far to much pork in Government. We are in debt up to our collective eyeballs. We are in debt to China worth trillions. So I would like to see some of the pork removed, some of the subsidizes reduced or done away with that are just boondoggles. I want to see more going to Ukraine. A lot more. They are fighting for the whole free world. A rule based world. If it takes giant subsidizes to re-shore our manufacturing I'm for that. We could be a net exporter rather than the other way around.

 

[Steven]

I subsidize the coffee shop. Life is good.

 

[Sandy H.]

My gut feeling is nothing, but that can't be right. My second gut feeling is that the randomness of the rules of the game seem to make it a requirement for subsidy, as people who play by the rules at the time and do what is logical at the time often end up quite disenfranchised when the rules change.

I wish the whole planet could understand the lyrics to 'Imagine' by the Beetles and listen, understand and just chill out. And I don't like the Beetles. Same could be said for other forms of communication, but I figured the Beetles example would minimize thread-lock.

 

[alexzogh]

My gut feeling is nothing, but that can't be right. My second gut feeling is that the randomness of the rules of the game seem to make it a requirement for subsidy, as people who play by the rules at the time and do what is logical at the time often end up quite disenfranchised when the rules change.

I wish the whole planet could understand the lyrics to 'Imagine' by the Beetles and listen, understand and just chill out. And I don't like the Beetles. Same could be said for other forms of communication, but I figured the Beetles example would minimize thread-lock.

Not sure anyone understands the lyrics, and that’s not a bad thing. According to Lennon, it’s the communist manifesto

‘Despite the concept of unity that Lennon touched on with David Sheff, the song was inspired by the communist movement. Lennon later confirmed that the similarities between his ideals set out in the song and Communism were indeed deliberate: “‘Imagine’, which says: ‘Imagine that there was no more religion, no more country, no more politics,’ is virtually the Communist Manifesto, even though I’m not particularly a Communist and I do not belong to any movement.”

https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/john-lennon-imagine-real-meaning-communism/

 

[shockie]

I want the FEDGOV to stop subsidizing the Military-Industrial Complex.

Read here what President Dwight D. Eisenhower (and former 5 star General) said about it in 1961:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mil...plex,interest which influences public policy.

 

[Sandy H.]

Not sure anyone understands the lyrics, and that’s not a bad thing. According to Lennon, it’s the communist manifesto

‘Despite the concept of unity that Lennon touched on with David Sheff, the song was inspired by the communist movement. Lennon later confirmed that the similarities between his ideals set out in the song and Communism were indeed deliberate: “‘Imagine’, which says: ‘Imagine that there was no more religion, no more country, no more politics,’ is virtually the Communist Manifesto, even though I’m not particularly a Communist and I do not belong to any movement.”

https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/john-lennon-imagine-real-meaning-communism/

Well, my attempt at de-politicising and de-religious-ing a post apparently led me to make a statement that implies communism. Not my intent, feel free to substitute any other way of saying "why can't we just all get along"?

 

[alexzogh]

Well, my attempt at de-politicising and de-religious-ing a post apparently led me to make a statement that implies communism. Not my intent, feel free to substitute any other way of saying "why can't we just all get along"?

Didn’t mean to get political. As I said, I hope most people don’t understand the lyrics - it’s a great song, and as the article states, has been used for a lot good

 

[jqavins]

It's a song that endorses the ideals of communism, not the realty. I think if more people understood that difference, more people would agree with Lennon (and me).

Anyway, back to the subject:

• Stop subsidizing the oil companies by excusing them from paying taxes.
• Stop subsidizing huge agribusinesses to produce grain that mostly goes to feed cattle and make junk food, all under a law that was meant to subsidize small farmers.
• Do subsidize small farmers, especially those who grow vegetables. That helps the small farmers and simultaneously help make fresh veggies more affordable compared to potato chips and Pop Tarts.
  • Re-evaluate the need for any sort of farm subsidies after ten years.
• Stop indirectly subsidizing organized crime by foregoing potential tax revenue on activities that are needlessly illegal. (I'm thinking of prostitution*, but I'm sure there are others.)

That'll do for now.

* Yes, I can hear you already: human trafficking, minors, coercion, etc. The best way to eliminate those things is to take the industry that relies on them out of the shadows and regulate it like any other business.

 

[cbrarick]

stop subsidizing EV's and anything associated with them. Let's see the real cost of them.

 

[cls]

stop subsidizing EV's and anything associated with them. Let's see the real cost of them.

Yes, and at the same time pull all support like subsidies, tax deductions and credits, and especially military support, for the fossil fuel industry. The real cost of all that is $trillions per year.

 

[grillsjosephbus]

Yes, and at the same time pull all support like subsidies, tax deductions and credits, and especially military support, for the fossil fuel industry. The real cost of all that is $trillions per year.

Care to support that statement with factual quotable data?

 

[kuririn]

Care to support that statement with factual quotable data?

---

"Globally, fossil fuel subsidies were $5.9 trillion which amounts to 6.8% of GDP in 2020 and are expected to rise to 7.4% in 2025."
https://www.imf.org/en/Publications...ountry-Update-of-Fossil-Fuel-Subsidies-466004

 

[kuririn]

Contrast that $5.9 trillion in fossil fuel subsidies with the amount of subsidies worldwide for EVs:
"Governments across the world spent USD 14 billion on direct purchase incentives and tax deductions for electric cars in 2020".
https://www.iea.org/reports/global-...-and-developments-in-electric-vehicle-marketsSo, doing the math the amount of subsidies for EVs is less than a quarter of 1% of fossil fuel subsidies.

stop subsidizing EV's and anything associated with them. Let's see the real cost of them.

OK.
Then let's also end all oil subsidies and see what the TRUE cost of a barrel of oil is.
Fair is fair.

 

[mitchboese]

It's a song that endorses the ideals of communism, not the realty. I think if more people understood that difference, more people would agree with Lennon (and me).

Anyway, back to the subject:

• Stop subsidizing the oil companies by excusing them from paying taxes.
• Stop subsidizing huge agribusinesses to produce grain that mostly goes to feed cattle and make junk food, all under a law that was meant to subsidize small farmers.
• Do subsidize small farmers, especially those who grow vegetables. That helps the small farmers and simultaneously help make fresh veggies more affordable compared to potato chips and Pop Tarts.
  • Re-evaluate the need for any sort of farm subsidies after ten years.
• Stop indirectly subsidizing organized crime by foregoing potential tax revenue on activities that are needlessly illegal. (I'm thinking of prostitution*, but I'm sure there are others.)

That'll do for now.

* Yes, I can hear you already: human trafficking, minors, coercion, etc. The best way to eliminate those things is to take the industry that relies on them out of the shadows and regulate it like any other business.

You would "regulate" evil?! Hence the nd or freedom of religion, not abolishing it.

 

[cerving]

...
Then let's also end all oil subsidies and see what the TRUE cost of a barrel of oil is.
Fair is fair.

Not gonna happen. People get REALLY upset when the price of gas goes up... even if their taxes are surreptitiously paying for some of it.

 

[kuririn]

Not gonna happen. People get REALLY upset when the price of gas goes up... even if their taxes are surreptitiously paying for some of it.

Of course. That was my point.

 

[Bravo52]

the randomness of the rules of the game

That would go a long way to install transparency in spending. Also, the government must have a mandatory "sunset" clause on all subsidies in the system. What time should that be? Using a 5yr cycle would work well.

 

[COSTransplant]

I want the government to stop all investment overseas. Our veterans have already and continue to invest enough every single day. I want the government to be more isolationist, especially if it means that we are going to invest in our homeless and our veterans and our elderly. And if that means closing our borders and limiting immigration for a period of time, so be it. When we can't take care of our current homeless and veteran population, there is something really, really wrong. We need the government to invest in our teachers, or we are going to be lost as a country. The farter we drift from the ideals of America's founding fathers -- yes, I said fathers -- the worse off we get. Did they have it all right -- absolutely not. Was it still better than anything else out there -- damn straight. We should get back to what worked -- no career politicians, no bi-elections, no campaign war chests, no special healthcare programs for Congress. People came to Washington to serve for a short period of time and then they went home to their regular jobs and government was small. We need report cards for our politicians -- we get graded every day at work, so why shouldn't our politicians. If they get nothing done after their 90 day trial period, they are out. How the fudge is it that Rep Santos was not expelled? When personal ambition outweighs the will of the constituents, nothing goes right. The government needs to get back to bipartisanship and cooperation for the good of everyone, not just for the good of the politicians. And no one in government should be able to kick the can down the road until after they are out of office.

 

[Bravo52]

Then let's also end all oil subsidies and see what the TRUE cost of a barrel of oil is.
Fair is fair.

That would be fine except I don't think it would have the same impact. The infrastructure is already in place and the "system" is managed to internally regulate price. The cost would go up for sure but not debilitating in that too many countries rely on the income.

EVs have a toe in the door but the relationship hasn't gotten "hostile" yet. Most of the electrification that is occuring at this point is for virtue signalling. Governments, even down to the local level, are trying to force the issue with some very good theatrics that are kind of humorous to watch. Do a "deep dive" on New Mexico. It's pretty hilarious.

 

[jderimig]

Continue to subsidize things that have net + return on investment, $1 subsidy returns >$1 to the economy. Stop subsidizing things that do not have any ROI.

 

[cbrarick]

---

"Globally, fossil fuel subsidies were $5.9 trillion which amounts to 6.8% of GDP in 2020 and are expected to rise to 7.4% in 2025."
https://www.imf.org/en/Publications...ountry-Update-of-Fossil-Fuel-Subsidies-466004

Interesting read. if you read it all, it encompasses all forms of fossil fuels, not just ICE fuels. Furthermore, it only reports on North America as a aggregate and not the United States alone. Furthermore, figure 7 appears to state that North America has no direct subsidies but calculates costs based on air pollution, global warming, "other local factors" and "foregone consumption tax revenue." So what you really quote is a interesting missive on fossil fuels, not direct subsidy by the United States.

We know the the direct US subsidies of EV purchase are $22 billion. https://www.heritage.org/government...idizing-rich-electric-vehicle-owners-the-tune
IIJA of 2021 provided $7.5 billion for the installation of EV charging stations https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...usg=AOvVaw3It0vdmOyIxMSJ9ot5lNqe&opi=89978449
A further $100 million was made available for the repair of EV charging stations (could you imagine the uproar if the government started paying for fixing your local gas station pumps?) https://highways.dot.gov/newsroom/b...lion-available-improve-ev-charger-reliability
the US NEVI program provides for another 4.155 billion to upgrade infrastructure https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/bipartisan-infrastructure-law/evs_5year_nevi_funding_by_state.cfm
And I'm sure there's more - no mention of required transmission lines and other larger infrastructure upgrades. It is a well known fact that California can't support it's electrical transmission needs now, let alone with the extra demand EV's place on the system.

Fossil fuel is reported to have a $20 billion subsidy in total, and this is not broken down into type of fuel (typically coal, oil and natural gas)https://www.eesi.org/papers/view/fa...-closer-look-at-tax-breaks-and-societal-costs

so, ALL of fossil fuel subsidies (not a apples to oranges comparison) of $20 billion is outweighed by 33.255 billion of subsides given to ONLY electric vehicles....hmmm.....

a report gives a true cost of ev filling at $17.33 per equivalent gallon of which the consumer pays 7% of that. quite a deal. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...usg=AOvVaw1B-Rv7VC8GGGBSCaaUIncv&opi=89978449


there's also a large cost in mining the resources needed for lithium batteries, which have a large cost to the world in pollution and the adverse effects of child labor.. We haven't even started to discuss what will happen with the spent batteries and who's going to pay for that mess. ICE vehicles provide a pretty straightforward recycling program that exists without subsidy.....

 

[jderimig]

^ The petroleum industry subsidizes the US Government. Without it there would be no economy or agriculture or tax receipts.