Cash for clunkers lurches toward reality. Where’s the political opposition?
News comes today that the Obama administration and the House have reached some sort of agreement or compromise on cash for clunkers, and the vague news reports make it seem like this compromise has somehow paved the way for this bill. If the compromise simply means removing the clauses that stipulate the money is to be used for domestic cars only, then I can see how that’s the case; most of the political opposition to cash for clunkers plans came from foreign automakers and associations for dealers that sold foreign makes, so removing those clauses removes that slice of opposition. And from the $4,500 figure bandied about today, it appears that of the three cash for clunkers bills in Congress, the one they’re concentrating on is Rep. Steve Israel’s H.R. 520, the House counterpart to Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s S. 247.
What’s most disconcerting about today’s news is that there seems to be no vocal opposition to cash for clunkers on Capitol Hill. Sure, we have SEMA fighting the good fight, but they’ve been rather slow on the uptake lately. And as heard in a local NPR piece, there is theoretical opposition to cash for clunkers, but what steps is that opposition taking other than writing letters and opining into microphones?
Also, we want to welcome WebRidesTV into the anti-cash for clunkers campaign. So far, they seem to be the only other outlet (snark doesn’t count) that has taken a stance against cash for clunkers on the issue of automotive heritage. We hope more adopt the same stance rather than rub their hands in gleeful anticipation.
UPDATE (5.May 2009): John Voelcker seems to think our opposition to cash for clunkers is based on overblown fears.
As for a timeline, ABCNews seems to think cash for clunkers will fold into a larger climate change bill, which could be passed by the end of the year, if not sooner.
UPDATE (5.May 2009): Finally, some details, courtesy the Washington Independent, which culled the deets from an Energy and Commerce Committee press release. The Independent’s analysis that the compromise bill benefits automakers over environmentalists is echoed in a CNNMoney article which states that the larger climate change bill could make cash for clunkers into law by Memorial Day. Also in the CNNMoney article, it appears we do finally have a political opponent to cash for clunkers in the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy.
UPDATE (5.May 2009): Unsurprisingly, GM officially supports cash for clunkers.
UPDATE (6.May 2009): From the overnight news cycle a few more updates on the story, from the Detroit Free Press, the L.A. Times and Business Week. It appears the larger climate change bill is going under the name of American Clean Energy and Security Act, and Waxman does intend to get the act passed by Memorial Day. Again, none of the three articles even hints that any opposition exists to the plan.
And also overnight, SEMA finally responded, though the watchdog showed more bark than bite. The roughest language in the statement notes that they’re “disappointed.” Hell, they oughta be raging pissed that this scrappage plan is getting pushed through under the guise of greenwashing and saving a car industry that wants to bleed every American of every last dollar they have.
Finally, we welcome Japanese Nostalgic Car to the cash for clunkers opposition. If any group of existing collector car enthusiasts are going to be hit the hardest by cash for clunkers, it’s them.
UPDATE (6.May 2009): The Detroit Bureau has a concise overview of the latest developments and how they fit in with previously proposed cash for clunkers bills. Note that this compromise legislation will fit into a bill that has yet to be formally proposed, but is riding a contentious party-line split in committee.
Also, we welcome commenter salguod to the cash for clunkers opposition, with a well-spoken plea against cash for clunkers over at his blog.
Related:
* State’s wrongs: Cash for Clunkers proceeds on the state level
* More on (definitely moronic) cash for clunkers: Opposition mounts, and the view from outside America