The WSJ editorial line is to get rid of all of the subsidies, so you can't fault them there. Unfortunately, subsidies have constituencies, and challenging farm

The WSJ editorial line is to get rid of all of the subsidies, so you can't fault them there. Unfortunately, subsidies have constituencies, and challenging farm subsidies is considered to be political suicide for both parties. Interestingly, Ted Cruz was able to win the Iowa primary this year despite being an advocate for abolishing farm subsidies. Repealing farm subsidies isn't the best way to use your precious political capital as President. The fact that these programs are so hard to repeal is the reason why Republicans are obstructionists. A government program is the closest thing to eternal life in this world, so the best chance to stop it is at genesis. An honest leftist understands this too and accounts for it in their policies. Also, it's not really true that oil is that subsidized in the US. Most of the headline numbers include general foreign tax credits and business expense and R&D write-offs, which have nothing to do with oil in particular, as well as heating assistance for poor families.