Posted on 08/11/2009 5:29:25 AM PDT by kellynla
The only part of the stimulus program that is working, the cash-for-clunkers program is, in reality, a subsidy to foreign car companies, proving that Barack Obama is the best president Japan ever had.
The Department of Transportation reports that the ten leading trade-ins are all American branded cars while six of the top ten new cars purchased - and four of the top five - are foreign. So the United States Senate is about to pass additional funds to subsidize the trade-in of American cars and the purchase of foreign cars.
DOT reports that the following are the ten top trade-ins, all American:
1. Ford Explorer 2. Ford F150 Pickup 2WD 3. Jeep Grand Cherokee 4 WD 4. Jeep Cherokee 4 WD 5. Dodge Caravan/Grand Caravan 6. Chevrolet Blazer 4 WD 7. Ford Explorer 2 WD 8. Ford F150 Pickup 4 WD 9. Chevrolet C1500 Pickup 2 WD 10. Ford Windstar FWD Van
And the top ten new car purchases, subsidized by the American taxpayer, are mainly foreign vehicles:
Top Ten New Car Purchases: Cash for Clunkers
1. Toyota Corolla 2. Ford Focus FWD 3. Honda Civic 4. Toyota Prius 5. Toyota Camry 6. Ford Escape FWD 7. Hyndai Elantra 8. Dodge Caliber 9. Honda Fit 10. Chevrolet Cobalt
It is a violation of the World Trade Organization rules to enact a public subsidy program and skew it toward only domestically produced products, so the Congress has no choice but to extend the program to all comers. No choice, that is, but to not spend the money in the first place.
Cash for Clunkers will do wonders for the Japanese economy, but its impact on the US job situation is problematic. This unintended consequence is a great illustration of what happens when the blunt tool of government subsidy is applied to the fine tuning of a free market economy. Government planners keep getting it wrong. That's why socialism is such a bad idea.
So Obama can boast of a great success in taking American cars off the road and replacing them with foreign cars. Great going!
It returns, by definition. We might dislike with the way it returns (Treasury security purchases, etc.), but it returns. The idea that Toyota takes its US dollars and stuffs them in a giant mattress in Tokyo is silly.
You are correct.
Citizens being given no choice but to wait in line to buy inferior “domestic” products, when more economical and higher quality items were available for import, was one of the things that made the old Soviet Union so “charming”.
This is really another wealth transfer program that takes money from some Americans to subsidize the purchase of cars for others.
If you’re going to go foreign, get a Korean car. Toyota’s quality has been slipping, while Hyundai’s has been improving a lot. Have you tried a Hyundai Genesis or Azera? I have test driven them. They are nice.
Another interesting thing if you read car blogs and sites, is that Toyota is having trouble making a profit in North America. If they can’t make a profit for too long, they might leave.
I have bought 5 new Hyundais in our family in the last 6 years. 2 of them now clock 200,000 miles.
Real autos, none ever needed to go bnack to the dealer, built by skilled American labor that wants to work, not some a$$hole Union Thug that wants to sit on his arse. American Built. Built right. Built here.
Screw GM, Chrysler .. the commie auto companies. I’ll NEVER buy on of their products. If Ford goes down the same path .. screw them as well.
The DOT list is wrong and manipulated to make it look like Americans want smaller fuel efficient cars. Edmunds has a different list that shows that Americans still want their SUVs and trucks.
The DOT split a vehicle, such as Silverado, up into different vehicles based on engine and transmission options. Thus it looks like Corolla is selling more, since about everything Toyota sells is some sort of Corolla.
Here’s the truth you can’t get from the goernment:
http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/edmunds-dots-cash-for-clunkers-top-ten-list-gets-it-wrong/
You can’t use the program. You car gets over 19mpg combined. My ten year old ghetto sled Oldsmobile gets better than 19 mpg easily.
My 2006 Hyundai Sonata was built in Alabama. 75,000 miles on it now and I’d recommend it. Looked at a Chevy Impala at the same time which was built in Ontario Canada. Before that I had a 1998 Olds Intrigue that was also a good car. So was my 1988 Ford Ranger actually.
Every once in a while, despite his best efforts, Dick morris tends to get something right!!
American cars STINK! That is why GM and Chrysler went tits-up (true, the unions did not help). Long term they fall apart faster than most other makes (Consumer Digest 8-year reliability studies prove this point).
People vote with their dollars - you vote your way, we who purchase Japanese autos made here in America will vote our way.
If you don't like foreign cars - fine -— just don't shut us out of your Town Hall meeting so we cannot have OUR voice heard.
Was it a Toyota or was it a Nissan Altima?
“I support my fellow Americans, genius.”
I sure would like to, genius. The problem is that half of Americans don’t support America.
Actually, I should have stated that my next vehicle will be a truck to replace my Chevy truck. Does Hyundai make a truck?
That is the only thing government does. That's also what is the most disgusting part of this whole program for me.
The vehicles have to be destroyed before the government will even consider issuing a check for the rebate, thus they are ensuring maximum destruction of functional vehicles.
The IRS is also deducting back taxes from the checks and telling the dealers its up to them to go back to the buyer to get that tax money.
This program stinks all over.
No, but they make some SUVs they like to compare to Lexus. For full size trucks, you have Chevy/GMC, Ford, Dodge, Toyota, or Nissan. The 2009 Ford F-150 looks very nice and it should continue the tradition of the F-150 being the best selling vehicle in the world.
Sorry, it was a Nissan Altima.
MichiganConservative in #36 has good info.
Honda makes 100% of it's Ridgeline trucks in Alabama - a very good truck if you do not need to tow more than 5,000 pounds. And it's trunk is excellent.
Be wary of the Nissan Titan - they have some bad reliability issues. I don't think you can go wrong with a Ford or Toyota if you need a larger towing capacity.
Wait until the fueling system charcoal cannister becomes saturated ............. it shuts off your fuel filler pipe so you cannot gas up your car until you replace the cannister. ie; a deliberate shut down of your car.
since most of those Asian models are actually being manufactured here in right-to-work states, what he is actually doing is taking UAW produced cars off the road to be replaced by non-union models. As my Brit friends would say, Brilliant!
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