cycle-powered
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Munich Germany (formerly Portland OR, Texas)
Posts: 1,848
Bikes: '02 Specialized FSR, '03 RM Slayer, '99 Raleigh R700, '97 Norco hartail, '89 Stumpjumper
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Kevin S,
other oil subsidies... hmmm, OK, on this i'm not an expert... and i don't have off hand any definite stats...
but i'm pretty sure the US govt provides various oil-exploration tax breaks and research incentives (under the guise that helping the US obtain cheap oil in the future will help the economy and allow our oil-excess-based lifestyle to continue to grow)... and then helps out with things like oil pipelines and oil-transportation infrastructure... and then softening of environmental rules so companies save money by doing fewer tests, less impact research and less paperwork... the oil companies have tons of lobby groups in Washington and i'm sure they get something for all the money they pump into their lobby groups...
if nothing else, the US and state governments basically smoothing the way and making it easier for oil companies to do what they want to do - OK, it's maybe a little overdramatic, but Stephen Segall's move from about 6 years ago about an oil company terrorizing Alaskan Inuits... it's not really an example of direct subsidy, but all local services (sherrif, etc) were on the side of the non-local oil companies instead of the local comunity - b/c of $$$ - i don't think that's too unrealistic.
and glad that you like the subsidize/investment thing - i am always amazed at the difference in attitude:: *investment* in roads and *subsidy* for public transportation --- the only way that this makes any sense is IF you subscribe to the philosophy that any normal person drives a car and only lower class people who need state assistance use public transit - i.e. subsidy... but i totally disagree with this --- being stuck in a car in traffic is not my idea of luxury and the 'good life'