Cash for Clunkers a Winner

Congress is half-way towards passing the cash for clunkers bill, an amazing piece of legislation that would rid our highways of old, gas-hungry vehicles.

Let’s hope the Senate doesn’t mess this bill up too much. As it stands, it is as close to perfect as any government legislation can be. Let’s explore why:

1. It will get rid of old, dog-eared vehicles that get bad mileage. As long as your clunker gets 18 miles per gallon or less it will qualify for this program.

2. The clunkers must be destroyed. This will prevent them from clogging our streets and wasting gas. Crushing them makes the most sense, because they are vehicles that are hurting us now.

3. You can use the vouchers to buy vehicles that get four more miles to the gallon than your clunker. This is not much, but it is at least in the right direction. Bravo for not making the conditions too stringent in this program. Even one mile per gallon is an improvement and will help us, which is all you need for certain light truck purchases to be able to use your voucher.

4. These vouchers are for everyone, regardless of income, which makes sense. Why we only help the poor and downtrodden is beyond me. We need to help the wealthy, too, as they have been hurt in this economy as much if not more than the poor.

5. The vouchers can be used for vehicles made anywhere. There is simply no reason to restrict buyer’s choices to vehicles made in our own country.

6. You must have owned the clunker car for a year. This prevents people from purchasing clunkers for a couple hundred bucks and then getting their vouchers for up to $4500. Smart. Very smart.

7. The vouchers must be used before the end of this year. This kind of incentive is just what is needed to help car makers everywhere. Buy and buy now.

8. The bill is tacked on to legislation that continues funding the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. We need those war funds, so why not kill two birds with one stone?

9. The program is expected to only cost taxpayers 1 billion dollars. This is a very inexpensive way to get clunkers off our highways.

10. It has been called Handouts for Hummers by some, but they are just jealous because they don’t have a clunker to turn in. They bought their high-mileage cars a long time ago.