Comments on: Cash for Clunkers: Our Betters’ latest war on the poor http://bowilliams.com/2009/08/cash-for-clunkers-our-betters-latest-war-on-the-poor/ Rarely senselessly vulgar; frequently slightly tacky Sat, 11 Feb 2012 01:08:13 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Bo http://bowilliams.com/2009/08/cash-for-clunkers-our-betters-latest-war-on-the-poor/comment-page-1/#comment-26844 Bo Wed, 05 Aug 2009 16:52:45 +0000 http://wmwmsblog.com/?p=2595#comment-26844 wxchick: The point is not that every clunker targeted by this program is owned by a near-destitute person. The point is that many of these are fine, serviceable cars with much life remaining, and the haves are taking them off the road and destroying them without considering the effect on the used-car market for the have-nots. I found this a fascinating parallel with the (post-industrial) haves of the world attempting to dictate emissions, pollution, whatever standards to the (emerging industrial) soon-to-be haves. <a href="http://planetgore.nationalreview.com/post/?q=YTk1YTkxOGYyMDk0ZWJlYmE4YTYzMWRkZWYzYWZmZWI=" rel="nofollow">Read another good post today, this one at Planet Gore</a>. "And what if this program gives a person...": Well, great. I want the government to pay for a new kitchen. After all, I'm a person who desperately wants more reliable appliances. (We are clearly worlds apart on the wisdom of the U.S. Treasury just handing out money.) wxchick: The point is not that every clunker targeted by this program is owned by a near-destitute person. The point is that many of these are fine, serviceable cars with much life remaining, and the haves are taking them off the road and destroying them without considering the effect on the used-car market for the have-nots.

I found this a fascinating parallel with the (post-industrial) haves of the world attempting to dictate emissions, pollution, whatever standards to the (emerging industrial) soon-to-be haves. Read another good post today, this one at Planet Gore.

“And what if this program gives a person…”: Well, great. I want the government to pay for a new kitchen. After all, I’m a person who desperately wants more reliable appliances.

(We are clearly worlds apart on the wisdom of the U.S. Treasury just handing out money.)

]]> By: wxchick http://bowilliams.com/2009/08/cash-for-clunkers-our-betters-latest-war-on-the-poor/comment-page-1/#comment-26839 wxchick Wed, 05 Aug 2009 14:36:17 +0000 http://wmwmsblog.com/?p=2595#comment-26839 Why is it assumed that *every* clunker targeted by this program is owned by a near-destitute person? And what if this program gives a person who desperately wants a more reliable car the opportunity to finally get into a better vehicle that they can afford? Sure, there are going to be dealerships that pressure folks into getting more car than they can afford. Sure, there will be greedy folks who cash in just because they can and yet fully do not plan to make payments on the new car. Sure, there are poor folks who will look at this as a monetary windfall without completely understanding whether it's the best decision for their situation. But I still don't get the abject hate for this program? Why this program and not the $8000 tax credit for first-time home buyers? Why is it assumed that *every* clunker targeted by this program is owned by a near-destitute person?

And what if this program gives a person who desperately wants a more reliable car the opportunity to finally get into a better vehicle that they can afford?

Sure, there are going to be dealerships that pressure folks into getting more car than they can afford. Sure, there will be greedy folks who cash in just because they can and yet fully do not plan to make payments on the new car. Sure, there are poor folks who will look at this as a monetary windfall without completely understanding whether it’s the best decision for their situation.

But I still don’t get the abject hate for this program? Why this program and not the $8000 tax credit for first-time home buyers?

]]> By: Bo http://bowilliams.com/2009/08/cash-for-clunkers-our-betters-latest-war-on-the-poor/comment-page-1/#comment-26811 Bo Tue, 04 Aug 2009 23:27:40 +0000 http://wmwmsblog.com/?p=2595#comment-26811 wxchick: Please consider that maybe part of the reason that's a good idea to you is because you can easily afford something nicer. You and I don't have to drive pieces of crap, and it's very unlikely we ever will. <a href="http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=ZTRiZjgwM2U4ODY1YzgxYjA4MzU2MTZjOGZjZDdkMmM=" rel="nofollow">John Hood had a great comment along these lines at The Corner today</a>. It's not a stretch to say this is a wealth transfer from the poor to the rich. How's that for irony? 'seester: That's why they're Our Betters. :-D wxchick: Please consider that maybe part of the reason that’s a good idea to you is because you can easily afford something nicer. You and I don’t have to drive pieces of crap, and it’s very unlikely we ever will.

John Hood had a great comment along these lines at The Corner today. It’s not a stretch to say this is a wealth transfer from the poor to the rich. How’s that for irony?

‘seester: That’s why they’re Our Betters. :-D

]]> By: saintseester http://bowilliams.com/2009/08/cash-for-clunkers-our-betters-latest-war-on-the-poor/comment-page-1/#comment-26805 saintseester Tue, 04 Aug 2009 22:26:19 +0000 http://wmwmsblog.com/?p=2595#comment-26805 @@ <--- me, rolling my eyes at Transportation Secretary Lahood, who earlier said this program would help get lots of SUVs and gas guzzlers off the road. Then, on Hardball last night, Chris Matthews asked him what car he'd get right now and Lahood said a Ford Explorer 4WD. 1. um, his boss is gonna be mad that he didn't say a gm was the best car to buy 2. The 4WD version gets a whopping 13mpg city/ 19 mpg hwy ^^ <--- me, throwing my hands up in the air in exasperation over YET ANOTHER FUCKING hypocrite who wants to tell everyone ELSE how they should live. @@ <— me, rolling my eyes at Transportation Secretary Lahood, who earlier said this program would help get lots of SUVs and gas guzzlers off the road. Then, on Hardball last night, Chris Matthews asked him what car he'd get right now and Lahood said a Ford Explorer 4WD.

1. um, his boss is gonna be mad that he didn't say a gm was the best car to buy

2. The 4WD version gets a whopping 13mpg city/ 19 mpg hwy

^^ <— me, throwing my hands up in the air in exasperation over YET
ANOTHER FUCKING hypocrite who wants to tell everyone ELSE how they should live.

]]> By: wxchick http://bowilliams.com/2009/08/cash-for-clunkers-our-betters-latest-war-on-the-poor/comment-page-1/#comment-26795 wxchick Tue, 04 Aug 2009 18:18:11 +0000 http://wmwmsblog.com/?p=2595#comment-26795 According to a news report last night (although, who believes anything on the news these days??), the Tennessee Valley Recycling, LLC company will be handling a good amount of the clunker junking. http://www.tvrllc.com/ As for the program being an assault on the poor, *shrug* ... I dunno. I do really like the idea of getting some of the gawd-awful, smoke-spewing rattletraps off the road. But will this really happen in practice, I dunno. Personally, I wish cars came with an expiration date (with stays of execution for proof of upkeep) or something like the banks do for tattered old paper money ... just taken 'em outta circulation once they've given their all. Personally, I think the program is a step in the right direction. Imperfect, yes, but a step. According to a news report last night (although, who believes anything on the news these days??), the Tennessee Valley Recycling, LLC company will be handling a good amount of the clunker junking. http://www.tvrllc.com/

As for the program being an assault on the poor, *shrug* … I dunno. I do really like the idea of getting some of the gawd-awful, smoke-spewing rattletraps off the road. But will this really happen in practice, I dunno. Personally, I wish cars came with an expiration date (with stays of execution for proof of upkeep) or something like the banks do for tattered old paper money … just taken ‘em outta circulation once they’ve given their all.

Personally, I think the program is a step in the right direction. Imperfect, yes, but a step.

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