Why 'Cash for Clunkers' Will Keep on Rolling

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Biggest flaw with Cash for Clunkers is it rewards all the loosers and allows them to profit from Osama Obama. Don't like it? Call me at 1-866-832-6146. Lisa Chapman-Kelly..

Lisa Chapman-Kelly of IA 5:39PM August 05, 2009

C4C is a good stimulus because it is market based (consumers choose which car, and thereby company that will succeed). Another governemnt intervention into the car market that was a success was pollution controls shifted to NEW cars from inspectining every jolopy on the road. The rich and weel heeled who can afford a new car are footing the bill for pollution improvements and controls.

Joe Pack of MN 4:03PM August 05, 2009

Since this program has worked so well maybe in the near future they can include gas consuming items such as lawnmowers and weedeaters chainsaws etc. It would be nice if the manufacturers of such items would also be encouraged to make these tools QUIETER!!! All summer day long all you hear is lawnmowers and weedeaters running. I consider that NOISE pollution.

Marc Weese of WV 2:59PM August 05, 2009

I would love to see the stats on how these cars were purchased. My money is on "CASH". People with money keep their cars for a few years, knowing that they can go buy a car at any given day. From the people I know who took advantage of this, heard about the plan months ago and waited for the right time make their purchase. Auto dealers had cars set aside, deals made and were ready to go on Day One. The losers are the poor - their future transportation is being smashed and destroyed. They'll be needing to purchase some really good walking shoes.

Mary of IL 2:58PM August 05, 2009

I am tired of bailing out irresponsible people/businesses.
the cash for clunkers may be helping, but I hope the car that is purchased is an American made car and the car should have a minimum gas mileage requirement.
No more gas guzzlers.

diane schwind of IL 2:49PM August 05, 2009

If we ask for clunkers of 15 MPG or less and then subsidized the purchase of a new car doing 16 MPG, what have we accomplished other than to tell the U.S. automaker that we will reward their inefficient engineering?
I say, insist on 30 MPG or better or let the buyer pay his own way. Let us ALL get something out of government handouts.

PublicLobbyist of NJ 2:05PM August 05, 2009

Although correcting all the ridiculous articles written about the infamous prius vs hummer comparison, again, one more time, just google "prius hummer comparison..." and educate yourself.
Its really common sense, the life-cycle energy requirements of hybrids and smaller cars are far lower than Hummers and
other large SUVs.

tmb of VA 11:39AM August 05, 2009

Great, albeit accidental success. This sends resources rippling throughout the entire economy. The car manufacturers, dealers, auto recyclers, steel salvage companies, and the wide recognition that this is real. Real change, not the continual lame support of the last century
type of myopic top down fixes that support the "military industrial" solutions that Dwight David Eisenhower warned us about. Lets roll America!!

Roger Shurter of NM 12:19AM August 05, 2009

Found a sortable list for easy finding: http://tinyurl.com/clunkerslist

Dude of FL 9:48PM August 04, 2009

Embodied energy matters - which is precisely why the Prius is such a fraud...
There is only sufficient energy left in the world to manufacture replacement Prius's for about half of the worlds automobile fleet...
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The Prius is an environmental fraud because of the extra energy it takes to make its electrical system. Unless I miss my guess, most of this manufacturing-required energy is supplied by coal, not oil. There should be plenty of coal as many Prius as the world wants.
While the Prius may be an environment fraud, it's definitely not a petroleum-reduction fraud. I've lived through 3 'kick-in-the-groin' economic collapses driven by oil, so any program replacing klunkers with Prius is a huge win. I hope the whole driving world makes the switch.
My guess is that environmental concerns are your primary/only focus. Even so, there's good reason to be excited about the Prius. It's far easier to change the efficiency/polution characteristics of factories than cars. Perhaps Toyota can outsource the production of the electrical system to France so that French nuclear plants can supply the necessary manufacturing energy instead of coal.

Ed of IL 8:19PM August 04, 2009