Cash for Clunkers

Okay so I know I've already written today but I forgot to mention my thoughts on the Cash for Clunkers program that was instated a couple of weeks ago. This program has been a great success story for a number of reasons. One, the money allocated for this program was used up in a matter of days and now the government has instated another 2 billion dollars to this program. Two, it has bolstered the economy some what and has allowed revenue to be pumped into the system. Three, it has gotten clunkers of the road, which of course is the most successful part of the whole program.

If some of you are not familiar with the program here is how it works. I also encourage you all to check out the most recent Time magazine because it has a superb summary of the system.

1) If you have a clunker you can be given 4,000-5,000 dollars to trade in your clunker for a new more fuel efficient car
2) You go to the car dealership and get your new car (Honda Civics are the most popular trade ins)
3) Your old car gets destroyed, to the point where it will never been used again, and gets put in the junk yard
4) The government has to raise the money to pay buyers and traders of clunkers for new cars by none other than raising taxes.

I have two main problems with this program. One, although most people who have clunkers are trading in there poor polluters for cars that have greater gas mileage, there is not a set standard for what the mpg is! The most popular trade in have been cars that get an average of a 30-35mpg but like I said there is no requirement or cut off for mpg. If we are trading clunkers for more efficient vehicles, I think there should be a standard set!! Otherwise the whole program is a misnomer and just a cop out! I think this program should have been called the cash for clunkers program to transfer American automobiles to an entire electric fleet, but I guess this will never happen. A girl can dream right?

My second problem with this program is the amount of sheer aluminum and car parts that are now just sitting in the junk yard are just collecting dust!!! Hello, WASTE NOT WANT NOT! There are thousands of old cars that are sitting in these yards and there has been no talk of recycling these materials or what the government plans to do with the amount of sheer automobile mass accumulated by this program. I have a really, really big problem with this part of the program. There should have been a set use for the car parts in place before this was even announced. Maybe the government thought this program wouldn't be such a success measured in the sheer numbers of people who participated, but please Obama or someone talk about how you are going to use these old car parts for the LOVE OF EARTH!

I am officially done with my rant. Thanks for reading