Good Jobs First's Subsidy Tracker 3.0 is an amazing resource that sheds light on the benefits corporations derive from government — and a reminder that who benefits from Washington largesse isn't always obvious.
Continue readingOpenGov Voices: Transparency needed on corporate subsidy spending in the U.S.
Ultimately, subsidy politics, spending and efficacy need to see the light of day because subsidies fundamentally affect the way the economy works.
Continue readingWho’s the money behind the farm bill?
As the Senate debates the farm bill this week, a once-every-five-years lobbying extravaganza that sets policy on farm subsidies, food assistance, nutrition, and myriad other agricultural programs, here's a quick look at some of the big money interests that are involved, as well as pressure points for transparency, or the lack of it.
The money. Agribusiness has already sunk $39.2 million in direct contributions to federal candidate and party coffers this election cycle, nearly three-fourths of that to Republican interests, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. In 2008, the last presidential election cycle, which also happened to ...
Continue readingBoehner Open to Eliminating Oil Subsidies — But What Are We Actually Spending?
Yesterday, Speaker Boehner said [that he was open to reevaluating subsidies to oil companies](http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/boehner-gas-prices-cost-obama-election-cutting-oil/story?id=13451597). That’s a bold step for a... View Article
Continue readingScoping Out Transportation Subsidies
Every morning, when you step into a plane, train, car or bus, your trip is probably subsidized – directly or... View Article
Continue readingInvestment Ratings Tank for Home Loan Banks
They hold $1.3 trillion in assets and, chances are, you've never heard of them.
The Federal Home Loan Banks, or FHLBs, were created during the Depression, and are meant to ensure that if the economy were to tank, commercial banks would still have the money to issue home loans. A cooperative of 12 regional banks, the system works like this: banks, thrifts, credit unions and insurers (more than 8,100 across the country) become members and put up collateral; the FHLBs borrow money and lend it to th
em at a discount.
So where does the subsidy come ...
Continue readingTrack the Bailout on Subsidyscope
Starting today, the Subsidyscope Web site tries to bring a little order to the government’s bewildering economic rescue effort. A... View Article
Continue readingSubsidies
On his campaign Web site, John McCain laments that “wasteful special interest subsidies are not moving us toward an energy... View Article
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