Wrong choices rewarded
The Spokesman’s Saturday Business section published the upturn of our Detroit auto industry, thanks to cash for clunkers – 690,114 new sales, costing the American taxpayer $2.88 billion. What are the consequences of this ill-conceived, I-want-your-vote idea?
1. Dumped are those of us sensible enough years ago to spurn the poorly designed American gas eater for a Camry. My 1986 Camry has 350,000 miles and gets 32 mpg on the highway. The federal government has shunned me for my “green” responsible behavior. I get nothing for a new car.
2. Irresponsible, anti-environment big-vehicle egotists are rewarded for polluting the atmosphere. They get money for not giving a historical hoot about the carbon character of their car. To them, as long as they feel big and safe, who cares about the little guy?
3. The monument of inefficiency – Detroit joined by disemboweling government regulations – is given $3 billion as a reward for their poor performance. Democrats are the big business party – that is, unsuccessful big business.
If only this money had been ventured into the primitive market of batteries and better electric cars, we might have solved problems and promoted standards of efficiency and responsibility.
Jerry Malone
Spokane