Quote:We subsidize the oil industry, don't we?  I'm curious why is it OK to subsidize farming and oil, but not new industries?  Or do you not beleive in any subsidies?

 

Burning fossil fuels is something that needs to be curtailed.  We should drive towards this, in most people's opinion.  If you see the government as a driving factor for change and you see our society as the best, why not support us becoming the leader in renewable energy?  Of course, if you feel that government is bad, then I guess we'll wait for the market to create renewable energy...  Except there is currently no incentive for the market to do it.  That's when government comes in handy.

 

Subsidies are tricky. I am generally not in favor of them, but I can see them being used to get certain industries rolling. I am NOT in favor of oil subsidies.  Farming I am, but that is because much of our produce development has to compete with, again, underdeveloped markets that have unfair advantages over our own. If we cut agricultural subsidies, our farms would go out of business and our produce would be entirely imported, costing millions of jobs. I believe we wouldn't have to subsidize agriculture if they could compete evenly with the other markets (and our own), but they cant. Without subsidies though, local produce and beef would be totally out-priced by Mexico and China.

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