4 ms·
Yes, I understand what government subsidies are and how they work. But if I'm not the one subsidising the product then I don't understand how me benefiting from
by plugger 8y ago
Yes, I understand what government subsidies are and how they work. But if I'm not the one subsidising the product then I don't understand how me benefiting from that is a bad thing for me personally.
The US subsidises gasoline quite aggressively when compared to other countries around the world. You can see this in fuel costs; routinely US gasoline used to be cheaper by the gallon than Australian gasoline was by the litre. I've never once heard an American complain that their fuel is too cheap despite the fact that their taxes and government are directly responsible for said low cost.
- cggarvey 8y agoOur gas is too cheap due to subsidies and/or due to inadequately accounting for the costs of externalities like pollution or wear/tear on roads. Or, more precisely, the lack of political will to acknowledge that discrepancy.
- yostrovs 8y agoWhat subsidies for gasoline? Here we constantly fight over taxes on gasoline.
- cascom 8y agoI think he just means that in relative terms gas taxes are lower in the US - but you’re right, there is no subsidy.
- amanaplanacanal 8y agoPerhaps not today, but an argument could be made that a whole lot of tax money has been spent over the last several decades to make sure that middle east oil came to the US.
- dragonwriter 8y agoVery little of it came to the US; the money was spent to assure low world oil prices, not to assure that Middle East oil came to the US.