Dems Get "Cash For Clunkers" Deal Proposal

[TMN]

From Autoweek

Democratic lawmakers have proposed a cash-for-guzzlers bill that would provide vouchers of up to $4,500 to people who trade in cars and trucks for new, more fuel-efficient vehicles, Rep. John Dingell said.

The program, if approved by Congress and signed by President Barack Obama, would lead to about 1 million new-vehicle purchases, the Michigan Democrat said in a statement.

Customers would get a $3,500 voucher if they trade in a car that gets less than 18 mpg for a new car with mileage of at least 22 mpg. Vouchers of $4,500 would be awarded if the new car gets at least 10 mpg more than the old, the statement said.

It was not immediately clear whether the car would need to be a certain age to qualify for the program.

The statement also did not say how the agreement resolved a key difference between previous proposals: whether eligibility would be limited to vehicles made in North America or would include those made overseas.

The U.S. auto industry hopes such a program here can mirror its success in several countries, particularly Germany. So far this year, U.S. vehicle sales have plunged 37.4 percent. But Germany, which passed a similar measure in February, posted gains of 19 percent in April and 40 percent in March.

"This program will spur consumer demand for new vehicles, thereby injecting much-needed cash into our ailing domestic automakers," Dingell said.

It also would result "in meaningful reductions in energy use by American drivers," he said.

Vouchers would also be offered for swaps of small trucks and SUVs, large light-duty trucks and work trucks, the statement said. The program would be authorized for up to a year.

The agreement was brokered by Dingell and five other Democrats, including Rep. Ed Markey of Massachusetts and Rep. Henry Waxman of California, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

A Dingell spokesman did not immediately respond to a question of when and in what form the legislation would be introduced.

[chiefstang]

I should be excited about this as I sell new cars, but it just feels dirty. Where are these old cars going? I dunno, I just see potential classics getting crushed to keep the greenies happy.

I'm off it.

[TMN]

That is the big problem with these types of programs, and the main reasons that car clubs and hobbyists have been fighting this stuff for decades.

California and other states have been trying to do this since the late 1980's and early 1990's. The concern is and always has been the destruction of our classic cars and other automotive history. Furthermore, the loss of used replacement parts for some cars is a huge issue.

This means that lots of 1990's and even newer Mustangs for instance could be sent off to the crusher if the legislation requires the destruction of the cars. The Dems are not going to let these cars go into the secondary market. That would spoil their whole fool notion of "cleaning up mother earth" and stopping "global harming" or whatever the hell they call it.

This legislation is not done and there is time to fight it. Call or write your representatives ASAP.

The other big issue is the cost to the taxpayers. This money is coming from the Fed, which means from our taxes. We are subsidizing the purchase of new cars for people. While subsidies are nothing new, this is a huge new one that I would rather us not have.