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INDUSTRIES THAT RECEIVE MASSIVE PUBLIC FUNDS/SUBSIDIES:

ENERGY & EXTRACTION:

  • Oil & Gas Industry – ~$20 billion annually in direct subsidies (80% of fossil fuel subsidies)
  • Coal Industry – ~$4 billion annually (20% of fossil fuel subsidies)
  • Nuclear Energy – Through DOE funding and loan guarantees
  • Renewable Energy – Wind, solar (though significantly less than fossil fuels)
  • Electric Utilities – Companies like NextEra Energy, NRG Energy, Sempra Energy

TRANSPORTATION:

  • Airlines – Bailouts, airport subsidies, air traffic control
  • Amtrak – Over $1 billion annually
  • Auto Manufacturers – GM, Ford, Tesla (factory incentives, EV subsidies)
  • Commercial Shipping/Maritime – $500 million annually
  • Aerospace/Defense – Boeing ($16 billion over 25 years)

TECHNOLOGY:

  • Semiconductors – Intel ($8 billion+), Texas Instruments, Samsung (via CHIPS Act)
  • Big Tech – Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, Oracle, Meta (R&D tax breaks, data center incentives)
  • Telecommunications – 5G infrastructure subsidies, broadband expansion

AGRICULTURE:

  • Farm Subsidies – Massive payments to agribusiness
  • Ethanol/Corn Industry – Archer Daniels Midland (ADM)
  • Sugar Industry – Import protections and price supports
  • Tobacco – Despite health concerns

FINANCE:

  • Banks – 2008 bailouts, ongoing Fed support
  • Insurance Companies – AIG bailout, flood insurance subsidies
  • Export-Import Bank – Finances foreign purchases of U.S. goods

REAL ESTATE/HOUSING:

  • Developers – Low-Income Housing Tax Credit ($13 billion/year)
  • Mortgage Industry – Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac backing

MANUFACTURING:

  • Steel Industry – Tariffs, trade protections
  • Defense Contractors – Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, Northrop Grumman
  • Pharmaceutical/Biotech – R&D funding, patent protections

RETAIL/E-COMMERCE:

  • Amazon – State/local tax breaks for warehouses and data centers
  • Walmart – Various state incentives
  • Disney – Theme park and studio subsidies

INFRASTRUCTURE:

  • Construction Companies – Bridge, pipeline, road contracts
  • Utilities – Water, electric, gas companies

FISHERIES:

  • Commercial fishing industry subsidies

SPORTS:

  • Stadium Construction – Billionaire owners get public funding for stadiums

TOTAL ESTIMATED ANNUAL CORPORATE WELFARE: $80-100+ billion in direct subsidies

The IMF estimates the U.S. spent $649 billion on fossil fuel subsidies alone in 2017 (when you include negative externalities/hidden costs).

The hypocrisy: These are often the same industries whose executives complain about “government handouts” to poor people while their companies rake in billions in taxpayer money.

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