The government doesn't subsidize those things though.

spamizbad · on Sept 23, 2017

The government absolutely subsidizes at least two the those industries: Cell phones/service and automobiles.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Motors_Chapter_11_reor...

https://www.fcc.gov/general/lifeline-program-low-income-cons...

https://www.nap.edu/read/4816/chapter/5

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C-DOT

the list goes on...

(I don't know much about those other industries but I'm sure there's billions behind them as well)

cheez · on Sept 23, 2017

Can you find programs? Sure. They are not as high a fraction of the tax dollar as the others.

stevenwoo · on Sept 23, 2017

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I recall reading the US government gives some sort of tax benefit to the employer for providing parking spaces for employees. Some people say this subsidizes suburban sprawl. https://books.google.com/books?id=ZIqIN2j2LOUC&pg=PA82#v=one...

zaroth · on Sept 24, 2017

This was on HN a few days ago. My own comment in response is here. [1] To save you the click, IMO it's an utter BS claim.

[1] - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15258878

humanrebar · on Sept 24, 2017

Regulations are subsidies for incumbents with procedures and specialists for handling all the regulation.

See also: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regulatory_capture