Heard one of the U.S. Senators from a neighboring state (Minnesota) on the radio the other day. She was asked what the criteria was for how Congress chose what cars would be eligible for C.A.R.S.. She responded by saying that, initially, they wanted only American automakers to be included, "but let's face it, foreign cars get better gas mileage."

 

 

Ignorant politicians.

 

And these uniformed stereotypers are people who make the laws we live by.

 

My biggest problem with this is that "overall gas mileage" is only a secondary goal of the C4C program. First and foremost, it's an economic stimulus package and it really helps when the full cycle of revenue stays within North American boundaries.

That should have been the tiebreaker for not considering models (notice I didn't say Makes) that don't have sufficient North American parts content. I'm sure that would have raised other hairs with trade agreements, though.

 

Link? I keep hearing this but can't find a transcript video or even the same of the politician. I've heard it is a senator and congressman but no proof of either. Is this just another internet urban legend? I keep google searching the quote and come up with nothing. I want to know the name of the politician that said it. Everyone that quotes it says they heard it from a person who heard it from a person.

 

qft.

 

Here's your link:

http://www.kfan.com/cc-common/podcas...N_Barreiro.xml

The segment is dated August 6; you have to scroll down the page a bit to find it. It's titled "Senator Amy Klobuchar "

She said it - I was sitting right next to the radio when she said it. I'm not making it up. I was so angry about it, I compared the Chevy Malibu to the Camry and Accord on fueleconomy.gov and emailed her the results. This is the kind of BS with which the Domestic Three have to contend.

 

Thanks for the info. Sounds like we need to write her some letters.

 

Everybody needs to email their Congresspersons' and ask why, if what she said is true, they made such a huge decision on completely incorrect information, IMHO. Also ask them if they always make decisions on what they "think" is true (without doing proper research).

Probably the same old story - Senator Klobuchar probably drives a Honda and doesn't know the first thing about cars or the auto industry.

 

Ha, as if writing to her will make any difference. You think our representatives care what we have to say?

- Signed,
talking-on-cell-phone-while-being-questioned-at-town-hall lady.

 

I know - you're right. As of today (over a week later), I haven't received a response. Maybe it's because I'm not a resident of her state.

 

Kill em' all...

 

Congress people are in no ways car experts. Plus, you can take a bill and every congressman who votes on it might have a different reason to... and some of them are flat out bogus.

The purpose of the Cash for Clunkers program was to jumpstart the sales of new cars (and provide a much needed jolt to the economy) and to start a migration towards newer cars which are more fuel efficient.

Foreign brands were included because most all produce cars here in the US and omitting them made no sense when you have GM and Chrysler selling cars and trucks here that were made outside the US (Camaro? Impala? LX cars? Fusions?... just to name some). Throw in the fact that many are made in the south in certain powerful senators have Kia, Honda, Hyundai, Toyota, BMW, & Nissan plants, and it shouldn't surprise anyone that imports were included.... regardless as to the comments of a clueless repersentative.

Huge irony alert.

Cash For Clunkers turned out to be not only a huge success, but seems to have been the most cost efficient stimulus to the economy (save infrastructure work) of anything tried so far.

C4C costs roughly 1 billion per week. If ran for 6 months, it would cost roughly $26 billion. Compared with the mega-bucks AIG has gotten alone, and some of the other money of that 950 billion that to date hasn't quite measured up to the immediate "bang for the buck", C4C actually seems to have almost single handedly fixed the automotive industry by clearing lots, creating demand, recalling workers, and changed the public's perception of American cars (surveys now show a notable improvement in the perception of American brand cars).

While piling insane amounts of money into financial institutions seems to have done nothing but make them sit on the money and collect intrest, seems between C4C and government arranged bailouts and bankruptcies seems to have actually marked a huge turning point for the US auto industry and actually helped bottom out the economic fall.

Just goes to show you how vitally important the US auto industry is.

 

You can write letters to the minnesota politicians until your blue in the face, and there is no more paper in the world. They flat out do not care what the average person has to say. That is if your letter even ever gets to them. they have thier aides read them first. Chances are it will be trashed without ever being read simply because you are not a business. If it is one thing the politicians in MN are certain to do is to favor businesses and special interest far above the average person.

Heck, Before Norm Coleman was finally removed from office, I had called his office up over an issue and was told "I do not deal with the normal people of the state, only the business people". So flat out stating he could care less about the people of the state unless they can contribute large sums of money.

I am sure other states are like that as well. Politicians do not represent the people. they represent their own personal interests.