U.S. Considers Options for 'Cash for Clunkers' Funding (House Votes for Funding Today)

The Wall Street Journal ^ | 07-31-09 | NEAL E. BOUDETTE

[GOP_Lady]

DETROIT -- The Department of Transportation told auto makers the Obama administration is looking at "all options" to getting additional funding for the "cash for clunkers" incentive program, a person who was briefed on the matter said.

The Transportation Department also said discussions about the program are continuing today and emphasized it hasn't been suspended, urging auto makers and dealers to continue to offer clunker rebates, this person said. "Deals should continue," this person said.

A car turned in as a clunker sits in a recycle dumpster at Capitol City Buick Pontiac GMC in Vermont. Sen. Carl Levin (D., Mich.) said he got the word from Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood as members of the Ohio and Michigan congressional delegations huddled on Capitol Hill to discuss ways to keep the popular program going.

[GOP_Lady]

A car turned in as a clunker sits in a recycle
dumpster at Capitol City Buick Pontiac GMC in
Vermont.

[workerbee]

How about a check for every “clunker” we turn out of office next time around? We’d save billions!

[Hildy]

THESE PEOPLE CAN’T EVEN SELL USED CARS and we’re ready to turn our life and death decisions over to them. STOP THE MADNESS...NOW.

[fatnotlazy]

Yet another stupid, useless government program. Unfortunately, our tax dollars are paying for this mess.

Someone I know has an Oldsmobile from the 1980s. He has kept this car clean and running well. Sure, he probably doesn’t get the gas mileage of some of the newer cars, but he feels his “clunker” is overall a much better vehicle. He said, no way was he going to trade in this car.

[DontTreadOnMe2009]

Ha Ha what a joke - billions for clunkers, nothing for the world’s greatest stealth fighter, the F-22 !!!

What a great, upside down country ...

Is there no hope for America ?

[STONEWALLS]

...I drove home my new F-150 at 6pm last night...traded in my F-250 clunker....that’s right, swapped my big clunker for a smaller clunker and got $9000...thanks Dems....and here’s the beauty part: the clunker program will turn into such a snafu that I expect it to doom Obama care...I went to 6 different dealers while shopping, and every one was frustrated over the complexity of this program...the response was:”if the government makes trading a used car this hard how the hell are they going to handle a doctor visit.

[AZhardliner]

If this bunch of yahoos cannot manage such a relatively small program - how in the world do they expect to manage and control health care?? NOT!!!!

[ncfool]

Cash for clunkers is showing American’s that Obama can really run health care.

[AnAmericanMother]

That's not a "clunker". It's just a car they could easily tip into a dumpster as a publicity stunt -- looks like it might be a Kia, but I'm very unfamiliar with the small subcompacts.

You'd think the reporter would be curious enough to ask about that . . . .

[norton]

Where to start...

"Beyond Friday," Mr. Levin said, "depends on whether the administration can find some money."
...the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which is handling the clunker rebates, has processed $250 million in vouchers (and) NHTSA is doubling the number of people it has reviewing voucher applications "

Find some money? They act like money grows on trees! Every other liberal fantasy is being 'funded' with promises and new claims on taxpayer wealth - but they ran out of bucks for this (successful) bit of low end social engineering?

This report cites $250 Mil paid out.
IIRC, the local fish wrap cited $1 Billion funded for the program:
Does anyone know the ratio of dollars for clunkers versus dollars for doubling up on bureaucrats needed to spend it?

Also, the article states that the money is gone on Friday.
However, dealers should take heart and keep offering the deal anyway - what?
California is issuing IOUs, do Government Motors and Fiat get the same privilege?
And, what about Ford - they're not even part of the government.

[norton]

PS:
"NHTSA is doubling the number of people it has reviewing voucher applications "

Are those "jobs saved" or "Jobs created"?

[Ramcat]

Too funny:
On one hand the gov. wants to reduce greenhouse gases by getting cars off the road and getting people into public trans.
On another hand the gov. gives people cash for their old (probably underused clunkers) to buy new cars.
On yet another hand (the gov. has more than two hands, they need them to get into everyone's pockets)there are two bridges closed near my home in SW PA that the gov. has no money to repair so the people here with the new cars can't actually go anywhere?

[kenth]

They will probably transition this program directly into their health care. Get a rebate if you send your elderly and infirm family members to them to be disposed.

[NonValueAdded]

You know they are going to pour more money into this pit - they have to. Dealers have already destroyed the trade-in to satisfy the program parameters. The buyer has signed a paper saying they will make good on the $4500 if the gubermint reneges. Imagine the howl that will result when someone realizes they are stuck with the family truckster ’cause their trade-in is trashed and the deal can't be undone. I wonder how many will get caught that way due to the mileage recalibration by the EPA?

[NonValueAdded]

Thanks for the tagline.

[ImJustAnotherOkie]

Stupid Obama has in front of him Capitalism in action, but he will never make the connection with a similar result from reducing taxes. What a POS.