The Opposition

Introduction Taxpayer Costs Environmental Consequences International Subsidies The Opposition The Money Trail The Solution The Green Scissors Campaign Methodology

Subsidies to the oil, coal, gas, automobile and commercial nuclear industry are outdated. Many of these subsidies were instituted decades ago during wartime or economic depression to foster increased resource use and economic development. During the 1950s and 1960s, commercial nuclear power was billed as "being too cheap to meter." Many felt it was in the best interest of the government and American people to provide subsidies to encourage the commercialization of nuclear power. Forty years later, the commercial nuclear power industry is still receiving government subsidies.

The beneficiaries of these tax breaks and spending subsidies are some of the nation's largest, most prosperous and influential corporations, earning a net income of $29.8 billion in 1997.