I can think of some clunkers I'd like to vote out...

So I know that 1 billion dollars is now chump change. That compared to the trillions of dollars The One is spending elsewhere, a billion bucks is a rounding error. But still, it's time for a good ol' rant...


So let me see if I can get this straight, based on reading articles here, here, here, and here.

- Congress first passes a law authorizing up to a $4500 rebate for trading in your old "clunker" and upgrading to a newer more efficient car. They fund this program for $1B or until November, whichever occurs first. So to start with we've got Congress taking money from some people, giving it to others, in an attempt at social engineering, based on fruity theories of impending environmental doom. Nice...

- 78 cars were disqualified from the program as "clunkers." Why? Because after an analysis of the data by the EPA, their mileage rating could not be accurately calculated... out to FOUR DECIMAL PLACES! Apparently 18 MPG isn't accurate enough for the EPA. They needed to know whether it was 18.2873 MPG or 18.2874 MPG. Seriously? Am I misunderstanding that sentence? Is there not one engineer who works at the EPA that could have laughed the regulator that came up with that out of the room?

- The program was supposed to run until November on the $1B dollars. That is 4 months from now. We are now 4 days... 4 DAYS!... into the program, and congress is already saying it is running out of money. "Few predicted the fund would run out so quickly” Really? No one in congress could figure out that when you offer someone $4500 for their $1000 heap, they might take you up on the offer? Really?

- As of Thursday, 22,782 cars had been traded in. Ummmm, 22,782 x $4500 = $102M. That is only one tenth of a billion. It would seem there is still lots of money in the fund. Can congressmen not do simple math, or am I missing something?

- So what would you guess that a program designed to encourage green thinking and get people to car about the environment would do with all these clunkers? Surely the earth hugging movement behind it all, the one that encourages us to compost and unplug our cell phone chargers, would find a way to recycle these old heaps. After all, vast amounts of energy were used to create the manufactured parts. And using the parts to repair other old vehicles would create just the kind of blue collar jobs the administration is looking for. So obviously, the most appropriate use for the cars is to shred them. As in crush them. Reduce them to rubble. Brilliant!

- So after all of that, what is the response of congress? Well, the program is "financially strapped." Its "early success threatened to sink the system." So of course... let's triple the budget. So when the program that was supposed to spend $1B to generate auto sales does so quicker than expected, it isn't declared a success, but instead generates emergency legislation to "save" it? Am I suddenly living in Willy Wonka world!?!?

If I decided my budget for a new TV was $1000, went to Best Buy and bought one that cost $900, and then declared that I had a funding emergency and forced you to give me another $2000 so that I could buy two more TVs... you would rightly think I was insane. Oh, and I actually bought the first TV with your money as well...

[Chris Rock voice on] It was supposed to spend a billion dollars you dumb... [Chris Rock voice off]

- Not to fear though... Obama's press secretary says if you were planning to get a car this weekend under this program, to go ahead and get it. The One himself.. "But I'm happy to report that it has succeeded well beyond our expectations and all expectations, and we're already seeing a dramatic increase in showroom traffic at local car dealers." "The program has proven to be a successful part of our economic recovery and will help lessen our dangerous dependence on foreign oil, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving the quality of the air we breathe."


So why don't we just pay everyone to shred their cars and buy new ones? Heck, while were at it we should bulldoze all our houses and build new energy efficient ones. Think of all the energy we would save! And all the jobs that would be created in the construction industry! It's brilliant!

And we are even contemplating putting these imbeciles in charge our our health care? Really? Are we STARK RAVING MAD!?!?!


Hope 'n change, baby. Hope. And. Change...