Submitted by Roland Chlapowski on Tue, 08/09/2005 - 8:23am.
So, not to undercut everyone's discussion about the merits of susbidies, which is a worthy debate, but what we are talking about here is really a contract.
Portland (and soon, other cities) put in a contract with OR Ironworks, Inc. for a streetcar prototype that they would have bought anyways, overseas. How can you twist that into a negative thing? The company already exists and they will be doing work similar to what they've been doing already - (they've done stuff for the air force, navy and other governments). The only difference is that they have a new contract for a new product, which demand is growing for all around the country. John Carroll, Board Chairman of Streetcar, Inc., went out of his way to find an American company that he could get the services from. We would have ended up using federal funds for this important transportation project one way or the other; this way, though, creates jobs for Oregonians.
But lest I digress, I want to challenge you and ask, "Where is the subsidy in all of this?" You can argue that just because the government is buying something that its a subsidy, but that argument doesn't hold much water. Does the city "subsidize" PGE when we buy electricity from them? No- we are paying for a service, which is what we are doing in this case, too.
Just because this was bought with tax dollars doesn't mean it is bad thing. Reflexive and reactionary anti-government sentiment is a tired philosophy. The government provides people with necessary services which they pay for with their taxes.
re: An Economic Success: Importing Jobs to America
So, not to undercut everyone's discussion about the merits of susbidies, which is a worthy debate, but what we are talking about here is really a contract.
Portland (and soon, other cities) put in a contract with OR Ironworks, Inc. for a streetcar prototype that they would have bought anyways, overseas. How can you twist that into a negative thing? The company already exists and they will be doing work similar to what they've been doing already - (they've done stuff for the air force, navy and other governments). The only difference is that they have a new contract for a new product, which demand is growing for all around the country. John Carroll, Board Chairman of Streetcar, Inc., went out of his way to find an American company that he could get the services from. We would have ended up using federal funds for this important transportation project one way or the other; this way, though, creates jobs for Oregonians.
But lest I digress, I want to challenge you and ask, "Where is the subsidy in all of this?" You can argue that just because the government is buying something that its a subsidy, but that argument doesn't hold much water. Does the city "subsidize" PGE when we buy electricity from them? No- we are paying for a service, which is what we are doing in this case, too.
Just because this was bought with tax dollars doesn't mean it is bad thing. Reflexive and reactionary anti-government sentiment is a tired philosophy. The government provides people with necessary services which they pay for with their taxes.