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Comment by haunter | Hacker News Reader

This is basically what happened in Orbán's 16 years in Hungary. He gave indirect tax cuts for the rich, or just generally everyone who is not living pay check to pay check (by hungarian standards it means you are rich). So for example installing solar panels came with a tax writeoff but the whole thing was setup that it only benefit who already have had enough money to install a full brand new solar panel system. So it didn't help at all those who are really in need. Same happened with EV cars. If you already have money for a brand new EV car you got it cheaper. For the rest? Good luck. Mind you this is eastern Europe where everyone is driving +15 year old diesels from Germany. The rich got richer.

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Same in Finland. The ruling party (represents the rich and the business owners) gave tax cuts for rich (high income earners and and those who have capital gains). Next they're planning to cut the business tax 4.5 percentage point. Eroding tbe states tax income while the state is already in the hole with a ton of debt. Of course the story is that these will kick off investments and make business boom. Best part is that to compensate for the tax cuts they're gutting the benefits including social security, unemployment benefits (highest unemployment in Europe btw) and calling those people lazy who just need "encouragement" to start working. A real hero pasty.

Similarly incentives to buy EVs naturally only apply to the folks who are better off. Most working class buy cars that are +10 years old. (The average car age is among the oldest in Europe btw)

Ehh, I don't know if those examples really apply, even if they effectively have a similar outcome. Incentives for environmentally friendly tech are more about helping those industries get off the ground against entrenched incumbents that are harmful to everyone. The benefit of less exhaust in the air is immediately good for everyone.

Although I'm sure government and corporate greed was able to exploit those policies as much as it could.

Subsidies for electric car and solar panels on private house are a very specific loyalty rewards. No random person receives it, the requirements and bureaucracy are impenetrable.

but everyone else has cleaner air to breathe

Yes exactly! The clean air trickles down. The poor and disloyal should be more thankful, and be less jealous.

The same in Poland. Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary are oligarchic corrupted disfunctional hellholes. No, electing this new politician and party will not change anything. Without "license to steal and defraud" your life there will be miserable. Hopefully Russia will not take the easy opportunity and attack, but hey at least they'd erase the local "elites".

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