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The Public Policy
Clunker Killers
An engine is a beautiful thing to waste.
(Page 2 of 2)
“Yeah. The engines, anyway. Like ripping the heart outta Old Betsy. You see, I figured she would wind up someplace, maybe takin’ kids to school or some guy to work. An old used car, but still a car. Not a dead chunk of metal.”
We’re gonna have tens of thousands of clunkers that will never run? We’re payin’ for that?
“Right. An’ I got to thinkin’, do I want to do that to Old Betsy, tear her heart out? You see, she ran down to the dealer’s okay. Then, when I asked ‘em what they’d do with her, they told me. Five bucks worth of this silicon engine killer and it’s all over.”
You wouldn’t have to watch.
“No. Just like I don’t have to watch Iraq or Afghanistan.”
But that new car, the one you were going to trade for, gets better mileage. That’s the whole idea.
“They gonna give me forty-five hundred bucks for a couple miles a gallon better, an’ a new smell inside, and I’m supposed to hand over the keys to Betsy and let ‘em fool her into killin’ herself with trying to run like she is supposed to?”
Well…
“The hell with ‘em, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration too.”
With that, Uncle Pundit pulled his clunker into the garage and I went in to make him a cup of coffee.
About the Author
Reid Collins is a former CBS and CNN news correspondent.
Letter to the Editor View all comments (46) | Leave a comment
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Darin| 8.5.09 @ 6:50AM
In a nation where some don't see a problem with killing unborn babies or "encouraging" the elderly to end their lives, why is this a surprise?
Becky| 8.5.09 @ 8:24AM
The government is in the buy here pay here car business now. As someone who knows that business well, the government is not selling cars, but credit. You can almost bet low credit scores are qualifying.
To wreck a paid off car in trade for a payment book means we will probably by seeing another rise in repos in a year.
Remember GMAC went back into the finance/leasing business, something that contributed to its demise. Low residuals on turn ins.
After only one week of good sales, they think they are geniuses. Not thinking past stage one is a novice's way of doing anything, especially in business.
Robert Rosencrans| 8.5.09 @ 8:37AM
The Obama administration is haunted with ideologues, many of whom will do anything and say anything to prove their little points.
The internal combustion energy is their enemy and the Cash for Clunkers was simply a childish way of getting back at the internal combustion technology.
The Obama administration wants the public to get used to seeing these perfectly good engines destroyed because their plan is to do that to all internal combustion engines.
The Obama administration is staffed with 32 verified Czars, all ideologues and the corruption is rampant.
This was the first battle in the war on the internal combustion engine and there will be more to come.
The funny thing is it morphed into a Green Stamp giveaway concept, more capitalistic in a way. The liberalism behind the concept faltered, saving the administration from an embarrassing flop.
Tenn Slim| 8.5.09 @ 9:00AM
All
My Very First auto was a clunker, I had at least 5 more before I was able to buy a new Rambler, which also was a clunker...
I love the quote. ""The hell with 'em, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration too." ... This is just the opinion I got at my local ... dealership. They were heartsick at the process, and in fact, NOT dealing anymore with the Guvmnt on the Program..
Folks, In My Opine, the Sodium Silicate add is simply the Leftists Angst coming to the fore. By adding insult to injury, via the carrot and stick process, they are venting thier angst at not having been able to make a dent in ANY manner prior to this, on the auto industry. Frustrated for years by the Big Three in their EPA clean air attempts, they finally have the hammer. Now, to the gullitine with the d... things. End of my opine.
Sad, truly a sad day for the USA.
Recall the Chevrolet ads, "Tour the USA, in your Chevrolet" , well that goes directly against the OBNA and the Leftist objectives for your lives.
Semper Fi
end
Tenn Slim| 8.5.09 @ 9:09AM
All: Further notes.
1. Removing the engines, scrapping the auto, drives the local metal shops industry. We have had two Remove and Pick out shops close, and 1 Pure Metal scrape yard open locally.
2. The removal of the autos from the roads, negatively effects the local used auto yard. 2 closed, and 1 multi use yard closed, locally. No source for used cars.
3. The Parts that come from used autos goes into another repair stream, not known too well. Repair of autos damaged during severe collisions, requires used parts. Drying up the source will hurt this obscure industry (Over $3 billion worth, across the USA), again another unforeseen consequence.
Finally, the very act of imposing a angst driven program, will only cause the Imposer to FEEL good while the impacts cause the Recipients to become even more disallusioned with the OBNA.
However, where there is a will there is a way. Any USA Citizen worth his salt, knows or will find a way to beat this program. Watch for it.....
end
Semper Fi
Becky| 8.5.09 @ 11:33AM
This is a funny, true story concerning the cash for clunkers unintended consequences.
We own a small used car lot in Michigan. We just got a call from someone looking for a truck in the $3,000 range. The state of MI will pay up to $3,000 to help him get a truck to go into business. The only truck we have on our lot is $4,500. The dealers we get our supply from have been turning in trucks under the Cash for Clunker program, thereby making them unavailable for us.
This fellow will have to find another $1,500, for now I have a feeling all used pickups will be worth at least $3,500 if not $4,500. If we get any, I know that will be the starting price. If we have to compete with the govt, we'll pass that price on.
The Feds are paying more to destroy than the state is will to pay to help those who need it.
bobmontgomery| 8.5.09 @ 12:21PM
Has anybody yet asked the question why the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is administering this program in the first place? Just because it has "Highway" in its name and has something to do with cars? What does this program have to do with 'highway safety'? Why didn't Obama just give it to ACORN and be done with it?
JeffW| 8.5.09 @ 2:30PM
It's simple really. The goverment wants to take your money, bail out the car companies with it, give you up to $4,500 hundred back in return for your running old clunker, and in return have you obligate yourself to make payments for years on a brand new vehicle that the car manfactures couldn't unload in the first place. Basically they are using your (and your kids) money to trick you into putting yourself deeper in debt in a car no one else wanted to buy to reduce the surplus inventory on bankrupt auto companies as a payback to the union's and to make their car company bailout look good. Is it just me or does this remind anyone else of a shell game?
JeffW| 8.5.09 @ 2:33PM
Don't even get me started on how it is unfair business practice hurting the small business ower (used car lots) and taking perfectly good used vehicles out of the market, thereby driving up the price on the ones left and again making them even more unaffordable on the very class that can barely afford them to begin with.
Marc Jeric| 8.5.09 @ 2:36PM
Now that our Washington marxists have decided that the "cash-for-clunkers" program is a success, let us borrow more billions from the taxpayers born after 2009 and replace old refrigerators, old washing & drying machines, old light bulbs, old moto-cycles, old grass mowers (or whatever you call those), and...and... - well, you can add to the list. Young people and recent immigrants (legal, of course) won't be able to start their careers with "old clunkers" - they will be forced into big debts right away.
CJohnson| 8.5.09 @ 3:11PM
Cash For Clunkers:
What is wanton waste and destruction;
Like a dead, rotting elephant with it's tusks sawed off.
ucfengr| 8.5.09 @ 3:41PM
Perhaps we could "jump start" the housing market in the same way. The government could give you $50k towards the purchase of a new home, but you have to burn your old one down. If the winds are right, this could have the beneficial effect of also burning down your neighbor's house, further stimulating the housing market.
Joe B| 8.5.09 @ 3:50PM
What next? Burn down our energy inefficient houses and suffocate our medicare-dependent grandparents for a tax rebate?
aware| 8.5.09 @ 5:04PM
The air is thick with the smell of rat bastard government Greeks bearing gifts. For those who think THEY are getting a DEAL.......you'll be sorry!!!!!!! Don't forget the house they talked you into a few years ago that you couldn't afford! They made that easy as falling out of a clunker....I mean off a horse.... too, didn't they? Remember? Lucy is not only not going hold the ball THIS time, she NEVER is! EVER! Just say no to State sponsored opportunities to do something really stupid!
dsammis| 8.5.09 @ 5:13PM
My memory of my Gilbert Chemistry set at age 10 is a little hazy. Sodium Silicate used to be called "waterglass" It was a liquid you dipped fresh eggs in to seal the shells so they would last a long time without refrigeration. Point one, if it is soluable in water (it's frequently sold in a solution of water) why cant the 'dead" engines be soaked in water after dismantaling to remove the SS , the worn parts then replaced or renewed, as they normally are in a rebuild, and "VOILA" newly rebuilt engine. Probably not woth the trouble considering the small number of engines involved. But just my non-political thought on the issue.
Texas Dar| 8.5.09 @ 6:08PM
Our son got hooked into buying a $200.000 house when he could not aford a $85.000 home. He lost it 1 1/2 years later.
This is going to be a repeat of just a few years ago. They get you into 10 years of payments and pull your job out from under you.
OR, They know the dollar is going down soon. No more paper money and you still owe on your "New Car"................
A American with no job, no house, no car, is a "No Threat" to "The Shadow Goverment"..............
The Sheeple Will fall for every trick in the book. The wise will stay one step ahead of "The Wizzered Of Obama-Oz"
Anything you owe money on will be gone in less than 2 years. Now, look whos laughting with that shiny new car............................! Tex
Gary| 8.5.09 @ 6:43PM
"Cash for Clunkers" is a fabulous name for the criminals in Congress. What could be more "clunky" than those narcoleptic chair-warmers who show up to vote on stuff they don't (or can't) read? And of course, what have they ever wanted from We, the People but cash.
Yep, a new name for Congress -- Cash for Clunkers.
Anthony| 8.5.09 @ 8:17PM
re: JeffW's "...The goverment wants to take your money, bail out the car companies with it.."
Slight correction. It isn't the car companies who are getting bailed out. It's his goons in the UAW.
JeffT| 8.5.09 @ 10:53PM
Rosencrans hit the nail on the head. As I commented on another site yesterday, this is nothing more than little twerps who hate the internal combustion engine getting their jollies. How sad that people can't see through this sham.
Joe B| 8.5.09 @ 11:24PM
Okay, here's one hilarious unintended consequence of Cash for Clunkers. In Berkeley, CA it's turned into Price Support for Hoopties. While walking along my normal route home from work I saw several cars advertised for sale by owner out on the street. One was a quite nice high miles, late model Volkswagen Passat. Another was a rather beat up Saturn, with a crumpled quarter panel. A third was an extremely sad looking Buick Riviera, vintage early 80's, with a rusty bumper hanging off the back. All three had the same asking price: $4500.
Bah, ha, ha, ha. So if you're a poor student in need of a chariot or a single mother in need of a set of wheels to commute to your minimum wage job at the strip mall, good luck finding a Ford Escort with 160,000 mi on the odometer for $1200.
Peg| 8.5.09 @ 11:38PM
The whole congress & senate plus OBAMA,PELOSI,& REID are STUPID if they think they can get the "SMART" people to go along with such a ridiculous "BARGAIN"
Brian72| 8.6.09 @ 1:08AM
Meanwhile, I continue to see '60s and early'70s American cars brought back to life by the aftermarket performance industry.
I'll take a '70 Chevelle SS, new paint, new interior, new disc brakes, new 6 speed manual shifter, new GM Performance all aluminum 454cu. in. 600hp engine, dual high flow exhaust.
As Iowahawk says, it's a hybrid drive. Burns gasoline AND rubber!
sisyphus| 8.6.09 @ 2:40AM
I have to plow snow. Can any of these tinny, tiny, CAFE sewing machines carry my 900 pound plow?
I think not...
300hp and 16 mpg while pushing the plow ain't bad.
Joe B| 8.6.09 @ 7:01AM
"I have to plow snow. Can any of these tinny, tiny, CAFE sewing machines carry my 900 pound plow?"
Or Al Gore?
Appleby| 8.6.09 @ 11:55AM
Will they let me trade in my Olds Omega for an Audi?
Texas Dar| 8.6.09 @ 3:56PM
I forgot to tell ya's. The new cars thier selling already have the "Chip" in them so they can track where you are going.
Like Washington DC in Sep. to the million Man March. And the goverment took our analog Frq. from us and left us with "Crap-Digital" just to keep an eye on is.
Chips have been in all pass ports starting in May 2008.
Bad-Goverment............Bad-Goverment...................What ya gona do when We Come For You........................Bad-Goverment..................Bad-Goverm.........................!
ONTIME| 8.6.09 @ 7:26PM
There may be a side market here for some of B.O.'s friends, the art of heisting cars is not dead, so steal the old cars before they can be destroyed and sell them overseas. This clunkers plan was used in Germany and it didn't take long for the crooks to wise up. This makes the crooks plan look almost like honest work compared to the fraud the government is into.
Jeff Carlson | 8.6.09 @ 9:32PM
So far 6 of the top 10 cars being bought in the CFC program are from non US car companies. We own big stakes in 2 domestic car companies and this program is benefiting those companies competitors more than anyone. What a deal !!!
Jeff Carlson
www.harlemghost.blogspot.com
Ron Stephenson| 8.7.09 @ 11:39AM
Seems all the alarmists are having a field day with this one. Smart people don't fall for one-shot, stupid gummint programs like this one. It is just a publicity stunt, and 3 billion dollars is chump change for this group. This is supposed to take our minds off the important issues we face, nothing more. Wise up. Plan of voting this time, and let's get rid of all the rat bastards in one swoop.
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