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Federal Subsidies

Would you approve of ending Federal subsidies?

  • Yes, for all

    Votes: 10 47.6%

  • Yes, for some

    Votes: 4 19.0%

  • No

    Votes: 5 23.8%

  • Unsure

    Votes: 2 9.5%
  • Total voters
    21
  • Poll closed .
L

LesGovt

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Would you favor a tax plan that removed all subsidies? For instance, there would be no subsidies for energy, farmers, National Endowment for the Arts, etc. How would you vote?
 
Depends on the subsidy, but for the ones you listed, yes, end them. If you cannot compete in the free market, you shouldn't be in business.
 
Cephus said:
Depends on the subsidy, but for the ones you listed, yes, end them. If you cannot compete in the free market, you shouldn't be in business.
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Hmmmm. Not much response. For those who voted no, would you be willing to tell us why you want the Federal Government paying subsidies to Exxon and the coal industry?
 
Cephus said:
Depends on the subsidy, but for the ones you listed, yes, end them. If you cannot compete in the free market, you shouldn't be in business.
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Do you know of any subsidy that you would like to keep?
 
LesGovt said:
Hmmmm. Not much response. For those who voted no, would you be willing to tell us why you want the Federal Government paying subsidies to Exxon and the coal industry?
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Didn't I just say end subsidies?
 
LesGovt said:
Do you know of any subsidy that you would like to keep?
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Can't think of any off hand, don't want to rule them all out without examining them on an individual basis.
 
Cephus said:
Can't think of any off hand, don't want to rule them all out without examining them on an individual basis.
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Fair enough. I sought to find a list of Federal subsidies and so far, the only lengthy list I have found was published in 2005. I did not want to use something that old.
 
LesGovt said:
Hmmmm. Not much response. For those who voted no, would you be willing to tell us why you want the Federal Government paying subsidies to Exxon and the coal industry?
Click to expand...

Are we talking actual subsidies, or tax code write offs? Because they are not the same thing.
 
LesGovt said:
Would you favor a tax plan that removed all subsidies? For instance, there would be no subsidies for energy, farmers, National Endowment for the Arts, etc. How would you vote?
Click to expand...

There are good reasons for subsidies, and there are bad reasons for subsidies.

When I think of subsidies and farming, I think of Elon Musk. One of the best subsidy farmers around. Then there was T. Boone Pickens who wanted to build windmills in the mid west in a windy corridor.. if only the taxpayers would chip in to maintain a profit margin rather than let the project support it.

They are a market aberration and a social construct that benefits someone, but not always you.
 
LesGovt said:
Hmmmm. Not much response. For those who voted no, would you be willing to tell us why you want the Federal Government paying subsidies to Exxon and the coal industry?
Click to expand...

Are you talking about tax deductions? Don't know what subsidies Exxon or the coal industry receive.
 
countryboy said:
Are we talking actual subsidies, or tax code write offs? Because they are not the same thing.
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Good catch. The OP has mixed apples and oranges. There are rebates, refunds, credits, and allowances, but I don't recall subsidies.
 
washunut said:
Are you talking about tax deductions? Don't know what subsidies Exxon or the coal industry receive.
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I was far too imprecise on this subject. My fault! Can this thread be deleted?
 
Cephus said:
Depends on the subsidy, but for the ones you listed, yes, end them. If you cannot compete in the free market, you shouldn't be in business.
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Oh you mean like military contracts?

Sent from my Z833 using Tapatalk
 
Dirt Sands said:
Oh you mean like military contracts?
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Military contracts are not subsidies. They are buying things for use by the military. Of course, I think they dramatically overpay for these things, like everything else the government does, and they do buy things that they simply do not need, but this isn't like paying farmers not to grow crops.
 
washunut said:
Are you talking about tax deductions? Don't know what subsidies Exxon or the coal industry receive.
Click to expand...

They receive a "domestic production activities deduction" which is a fantom (non-cash) tax writeoff... so backdoor subsidy through the tax code compared to other businesses. Congress did this because it was harder to understand than directly giving the production industry lower tax rates than other businesses.
 
LesGovt said:
Would you favor a tax plan that removed all subsidies? For instance, there would be no subsidies for energy, farmers, National Endowment for the Arts, etc. How would you vote?
Click to expand...

Subsidies are a form of wealth redistribution. I am not in favour of wealth redistribution.
 
I can't think of a single subsidy or tax deduction that we couldn't eliminate. They distort the market, and are generally the result of effective lobbying. Tax breaks and subsidies in exchange for campaign contributions mostly. This is the process by which our government gets bought and paid for.
 
Winchester said:
They receive a "domestic production activities deduction" which is a fantom (non-cash) tax writeoff... so backdoor subsidy through the tax code compared to other businesses. Congress did this because it was harder to understand than directly giving the production industry lower tax rates than other businesses.
Click to expand...

Not sure this deduction applies to the oil and coal industry. But it does impact a number of industries should as Hollywood film making.
 
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