So Solyndra, a manufacturer of solar fleece, received $535 million from the taxpayers before declaring bankruptcy. Any dabbler in fiscal conservation, or any parent, could tell the media that subsidies don’t work because people are more careful with money that represents personal sacrifice than the kind they can suck in one ear and blow out the other. Besides, $535 million is chickenfeed (1, 2). Somebody at Solyndra musta spilled da beans, boss.