Comments on: Cash for Clunkers

By: martin ball

martin ball — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 00:29:19 +0000

Amen to that! and they have so many special interest groups catering to them

By: Steve Brogan

Steve Brogan — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 20:44:55 +0000

I think it is interesting that you can be a person who makes well over the mininum wage and still cant afford a new car or even a fairly expensive used car. So basically it seems a “poor” person is just the average joe or jane with the average type job. What a ripoff society does to the average person. Its a disgrace and government is obviously doing nothing, just comes up with new and inventive ways to keep “poor” people as inconvenienced as possible so the users of humanity can look down their stinking noses at their fellow citizens.

By: Get Real

Get Real — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 14:03:16 +0000

Noz,
You sir, are a socialist, communist pig. Damn those freedoms. You are the “stupid people”. You and others like you will gladly do whatever the government wants you to. You are a lazy, apathetic, and complacent idiot. You have taken the propaganda baton, and are running as fast as you can. If you don’t like the freedom that GOD gave you, then I suggest you leave this country and move to China. Oh, and when you go, don’t bother taking the Bill of Rights or the Constitution with you. They don’t have those in China because no one there is free. In China, you don’t have the right to get on a blog and “trample on stupid people’s freedoms”. Go Green, save the Polar Bears, suck up to Al Gore, give up your gun. I’ll stay here and fight for your right to be stupid.

By: Get Real

Get Real — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 14:02:09 +0000

You sir, are a socialist, communist pig. Damn those freedoms. You are the “stupid people”. You and others like you will gladly do whatever the government wants you to. You are a lazy, apathetic, and complacent idiot. You have taken the propaganda baton, and are running as fast as you can. If you don’t like the freedom that GOD gave you, then I suggest you leave this country and move to China. Oh, and when you go, don’t bother taking the Bill of Rights or the Constitution with you. They don’t have those in China because no one there is free. In China, you don’t have the right to get on a blog and “trample on stupid people’s freedoms”. Go Green, save the Polar Bears, suck up to Al Gore, give up your gun. I’ll stay here and fight for your right to be stupid.

By: Nitro

Nitro — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 01:54:04 +0000

This is just a way for the closet “Global Warming” supporter to get all the “eyesore” cars off the road to make way for his damn jap electric crap to move down the road smoother. The US produces about 10% if the worlds automotive pollution. in europe most of the cars are diesel and most third world countries still use Coal for heat. Ive own cars from the 70′s that ran cleaner then a car from the late 90′s so “Cash for Clunkers” is another government ploy to control the people and tell you what to do and drive… sounds like a dictatorship like they do in other countries/ police states. Are we FREE American or are we brain washed idiots? there is no global warming, its the earths cycle and as of latest research its GLOBAL COOLING atm. So people in ur cubicle offices driving you new Smart and wearing you GREEN clothes. Grow up and think be4 you speak…… I own 2 classic Mustangs and ill be damned if im gonna let some suit in an office tell me i cant keep them.

By: Jay

Jay — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 23:09:38 +0000

The "Cash for Clunkers" to crush out old cars is not a savvy economic or air pollution reduction solution. As those that drive the true clunkers cannot afford to buy a new car or juggle a paperwork transition period without transportation. A more effective jobs and air quality solution would be a program to repair polluting vehicles, and a emissions controls upgrade of older vehicles with fuel injection kits and catalytic converters, unless the vehicle is being kept in its original condition as a collectible antique. This can be more effectively performed without parting the vehicle and its owner, by providing a loaner while the repairs are being made. This should be accomplished through full cost coverage for pollution related repairs, and vouchers or subsidized parts for gas millage improvements & emission control retrofits or upgrades. This approach could be a much more effective economic stimulus solution, as the infrastructure to do these repairs and modification is already in place, and repair activity is an important part of the automotive industry economy during economic downturns, as replacement parts and repairs help to offset the losses otherwise felt by OEM part suppliers and automotive dealers. This approach provides A much faster infusion of cash into the economy as it provides jobs in both manufacture and repair shops of the automotive industry that presently exist throughout the United States.

By: ken_r_mer

ken_r_mer — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 17:43:42 +0000

The highest value i've seen mentioned on here is Texas offering $3500? A salvage yard can make more than that by parting out the same vehicle. This "Cash for Clunkers" plan would help one segment (with the majority being opportunists knowing how to circumvent the rules) and hurt others (the salvage industry and the aftermarket industry). Oh and don't forget, that'll force the salvage industry to raise their prices when selling parts to make up for their partial losses.

So in the long run, 1) the taxpayer pays more to support the program and 2) the buyer of parts from the salvage yard to keep their vehicles operating pays more.

So lets see, with the $3500 you can now buy a 10 yr old car instead of that 18 yr old car. We all know that a 10 yr old car will need parts from the salvage yard. But, you are going to pay more for the parts. Sounds like there are losers all around.

Oh and what about the refurbishing companies that provide those parts to the aftermarket industry? Do they lay their employees off because of the lack of need for parts for an 18 yr old car?

This "Cash for Clunkers" plan sounds like it has more holes in it than swiss cheese.

Why not let the free market take care of it? Let the recycling value decide whether a car is scrapped or recycled with no impact on the taxpayer.

A better solution is to nationally monitor the pollution controls on vehicle to see if they are within the limits for what they were originally designed. This test can be performed as a requirement for the yearly licensing process. Its done in my area for vehicles up to 25 yrs old.

By: Fred Fann

Fred Fann — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 16:06:11 +0000

You state in the article that Virginia has a cash for clunkers program. I was there when the governor signed the bill that repealed the program over 10 years ago. The state does not have a cash for clunkers program and the one 10 years ago was never implemented before it was repealed. When you don't have an easily checked fact correct it makes me wonder what else in this article was not checked.
Fred Fann
Car Club Council of Central Virginia

By: ct

ct — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 06:58:46 +0000

One thing for sure. There is no chance that any of the current throw away hybrid cars will ever become a clunker. Can you imagine anyone throwing enough money into one of those things to make it last 20 years? A throw away society. That’s what we like.

By: Bryce

Bryce — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 20:48:21 +0000

Cost of living is way to high there, I don’t think anyone stateside realizes that.