The subsidies do have a reason to exist, but I agree that they're misdirected. They could directly fund R&D of battery/EV/aerospace technology instead of subsidizing luxury vehicles that only serve as a novelty for the rich.
Anyone who's been there and done this knows that what the IRS giveth with one hand, the IRS taketh away with the other. The house never loses, and there is no house like the United States Government.
[1] - https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-04-21/tesla-s-m...
So far, the obvious implication is that at some point in the future Musk will become even more rich, mainly off converting his paper wealth to cash wealth. I cannot get behind the idea of taxpayer wealth being used to make billions of dollars for a few wealthy individuals.
>I'd guess its likely he paid more in taxes than you, if you're an average earner.
Yeah and? I'm talking about 5 bil in subsidies.
That's been the gameplan since day 1.
Look at cars, cell phones, computers and airplanes ("[1930's] Most people still rode trains or buses for intercity travel because flying was so expensive. A coast-to-coast round trip cost around $260, about half of the price of a new automobile. Only business executives and the wealthy could afford to fly.)"
I would love to travel to Space one time and I hope some day I can take a flight into space. Right now, space flight will literally be a "luxury vehicle that only serve as a novelty for the rich." There is no way I'll ever be able to afford it unless it is first affordable by the rich.