Senate to vote on 'Cash for Clunkers' today?
A vote could come today on a bill designed to offer credits of up to $4,500 for consumers to trade-in gas-guzzling older vehicles. The so-called "cash for clunkers" legislation is designed to stimulate auto sales, but it also stands to effectively remove gross polluters from the roads and put drivers in safer and more fuel efficient vehicles.
As you would expect, the legislation is supported by automakers and dealers – both consider the program crucial to helping them weather the current sales environment. President Barack Obama has urged Congress to pass such a bill, and the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers has also petitioned in its favor. Similar "cash for clunkers" programs have already proven effective in many other countries. About the only thing standing in the way of this bill appears to be a competing measure, proposed by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), that appears to prioritize environmental goals over automotive sales.
[Source: Detroit News]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
I am Rich 1:37PM (6/03/2009)
So, after Obama's $787 bn stimulus package, does anyone feel stimulated?
If I sold guns and canned food, I'd be a millionaire by now.
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John 1:55PM (6/03/2009)
You got that right. The gun and ammo companies are running 24/7 production right now while they are still legal.
One day, the bill for all this spending insanity is going to come and everyone is going to feel stimulated. Anyone who believes the campagin fairy tale that only the "top 5%" are going to experience tax increases is a fool.
UnixSystemsEngineer 2:40PM (6/03/2009)
Haha, "while they're still legal". Bunch of paranoid gun nuts always convinced every time a democrat sneezes that they're gonna make guns illegal, despite all evidence and logic to the contrary.
At least someone's getting rich off of rabid paranoia.
I guess I'll wait to buy until the crazy-eyed folks get over their spending spree and prices fall again.
Jake B 2:44PM (6/03/2009)
I can't even find .40 S&W ammo for my handgun...
And I live in Fairbanks, Alaska.
The only ammo I can find is for my twelve gauge.
Pretty much .223 ammo can't be found either unless you have enough cheese to buy a crate of ammo or you are in the military.
Rob 2:49PM (6/03/2009)
Once again, this program REWARDS the morons. You know the idiots who've been driving SUVs for the past few years? Free hand out for them. The people driving reasonable cars that get decent mpg? No free hand out.
WTF.
Plus it's going to scrap a bunch of classics! If you like ANY older cars, you should be fighting against this program!
John 2:53PM (6/03/2009)
"Haha, "while they're still legal". Bunch of paranoid gun nuts always convinced every time a democrat sneezes that they're gonna make guns illegal, despite all evidence and logic to the contrary."
Evidence and logic to the contrary:
Which party is constantly proposing leglistlation to add more and more restrictions?
Which party has tried to have outright bans on certiain firearms?
Which party wants to add a 500% ammo tax?
Here is a clue (since you don't have one) they have a (D) next to their name.
BTW - Obama, before gaining the national spotlight, said he wants to ban all semi auto rifles and all handguns.
polo 3:34PM (6/03/2009)
The rethuglican party is nothing but a bunch of extremist, hypocritical, idiotic bigots who believe ANY conspiracy, lie, or distortion that comes out the anus of Limbaugh and the roaches on Fauxnews. This constant whining about EVERY subsidy program is getting old and tired...especially considering the giveaways to corporations during the Bush years. Of course, the rethugs in Congress fought tooth-and-nail to protect the $50Billion in subsidies to the oil companies, so it shouldn't be surprising they oppose anything that might hit the pockets of their corporate pimps.
Cougs 4:04PM (6/03/2009)
@ polo
Wow, thats not very nice. I mean, all John was pointing out was a positive correlation between Democrats and gun legislation and attempts at blockage of our Constitutional rights. Thats not to say Republicans do better when they provided TARP or did wiretapping (thought technically a "war" had been called by Congress, giving the President "wartime" powers...a stretch on the Constitution I know). At the same time, you are only make generalized claims against Republicans (even though John didn't say he was or wasn't one). If anything, you are playing into the argument that Democrats are fools by requiring an "us vs. them" argument to counter John. I know you are better than that.
And no, I am not a Republican or a Democrat...I think that the creation of the party system (2 or more) has created a decided lack of connection with the populace by forcing people to declare that they are either one or the other rather than have politicians simply be citizens. Lets just say I am a Constituitionalist and a Libertarian (in case you want to make fun of me or something).
No hard feelings of course.
Cash 4:29PM (6/03/2009)
@Jake B
It isn't any better here in Anchorage Jake. I'm on a waiting list right now for everything but shotgun shells, hoping I'll get at least one box of each before the hunting season. At this rate though, who knows. As I understand it, this is Obama's doing... something about regulating the amount of brass ammo makers have access to. I haven't verified it myself, but I've heard the same thing over and over again from other hunters, as well as gun shop owners. Everyone is pretty pissed off about it.
Back on topic: Feinstein is one clunker that needs to be cashed in herself.
Rich 6:18PM (6/03/2009)
@UnixSystemsEngineer: Looks like we're the only two unix sysadmins who aren't right-wing gun-and-food nuts.
The kind of gun control Obama's talking about is regulation, not banning. So you won't be able to walk into a Gun Show tent and buy enough hardware to attack a small town -- or, for that matter, arm a drug gang 20 minutes over the border. Did you miss his NRA speech? Dimwits.
Geisterfahrer 6:20PM (6/03/2009)
The rethuglican party is nothing but a bunch of extremist, hypocritical, idiotic bigots who believe ANY conspiracy, lie, or distortion that comes out the anus of Limbaugh and the roaches on Fauxnews. This constant whining about EVERY subsidy program is getting old and tired...especially considering the giveaways to corporations during the Bush years. Of course, the rethugs in Congress fought tooth-and-nail to protect the $50Billion in subsidies to the oil companies, so it shouldn't be surprising they oppose anything that might hit the pockets of their corporate pimps.
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Calm down, Qweef Odorman. Just think about how great your Dumbocrap party is, and you'll be just fine.
Hike15 1:37PM (6/03/2009)
safer, more fuel effiecient vehicles? i hope they aren't talking about a prius or insight or any smaller car...many aren't exactly as safe as some of the bigger gas guzzlers
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John 2:02PM (6/03/2009)
And here is the IIHS data.
http://www.iihs.org/news/rss/pr041409.html
The environment has been more important than protecting people.
akboss302 2:26PM (6/03/2009)
Exactly! So lets all outfit M1 Abrams tanks with a comfortable passenger compartment, and commute in those. Then when they collide, the forces will be equal and nobody will get hurt, right?
In all seriousness, it is absurd to think that a 15-year-old fullsize could outperform a current compact. No airbags, rusty frame, and your body as the crumple zone. The implied element here is that the big thing is hitting a small thing - not always the case.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3ygYUYia9I
polo 3:21PM (6/03/2009)
Yeah, thats why SUVs are infamous for roll-overs. Large cars are really no safer than smaller cars. Its not like they're mandating every car be half the size of a ForTwo. This argument died with Reagan.
TomdeTomTom 1:39PM (6/03/2009)
If only it was signed into law before the tax rebate for buying a Ford hybrid went away... $3400 hybrid tax rebate + $4500 on a really old guzzler = $7,900 off a Fusion or Escape Hybrid. The MSRP would be at just about 20 grand exactly!
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Kumar 1:55PM (6/03/2009)
Don't forget the sales tax holiday for this year too. Also, you could get an extra $1000 off as well from a big-3 dealership if you financed through a credit union. I'm not sure if that one is in effect for all of them still....
Pat 1:48PM (6/03/2009)
Doesn't this hurt lower income Americans? For example, if I can only afford $3500 for a car, why would someone sell me theirs when they can get a grand more in incentives. And if I have a $4500 car, I probably wouldn't be able to take advantage of the program because I couldn't afford a $20k car even with the incentives.
I guess it would help that percentage of American's that are sitting on old, paid for cars but could afford a new car. I don't know if that percentage is that big though.
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Cougs 2:21PM (6/03/2009)
Actually, it hurts all of us.
The taxpayer is paying to purchase a new car, which is has a sales tax. Then, in turn, we are "given" a tax credit of our own money back to pay for a portion of it. And, of course, if you are buying from GM, your money is being used to pay back the loan that was taken out of your tax money. So really, it is all circular logic that results in all of us paying more for the same.
polo 3:46PM (6/03/2009)
You're assume the vast majority of cars on the road would qualify. Remember the car has to have 18mpg or less to qualify, and very cars on the road would hit that target. They won't have any problem finding a used car above that mileage.