Cash for Clunkers

The government's "cash for clunkers" program is about 30 years late for me and most of my friends. If the government wants clunkers off the road my high school  was prime pickings. We had a parking lot full of Pintos, Gremlins, Pacers and other space wasting automobiles.

However Sparks High in Sparks, Nevada was a clunker heaven, nothing compared to the orange Vega with a green gas cap that my business partner drove in the early eighties. It's charming colors was preceded only by the roar of it's rusted tail pipe. But was it a clunker?

If you follow the government guidelines, the Vega was not but surprisingly enough Dave's very nice current vehicle a, Ford pickup, is a clunker.

So after 30 years of hard work and playing by the rules Dave has moved from "economy car" to "clunker" all for an extra $30,000.

I haven't asked him but I would guess he is not going to trade his F150 in for $4500. I would guess however that he would of sold the Vega any time for $4500 and that is where the shame is of the whole program.

Today Dave is not financially rich but he does okay. $4500 would come in handy but not mean what it would of thirty years ago. Thirty years ago, $4500 would of meant riches. It would of meant a dependable car, a little less worry about bills, maybe a little less overtime.

So I propose if the government wants to spur the economy, quit trying to help the guys in Ford trucks and start helping the guys in orange Vegas. Buy the real clunkers. I guarantee if you start buying the real clunkers from the guys like we were thirty years ago they will take their check and spend it quickly.

It might be on groceries, utility bills and a dependable used car but  it will be put into the economy as fast as possible.

I can't think of a better use of government funds than helping guys like my friend was thirty years ago. He deserved his load to be lightened and so do the young people today.