The cost for cash for clunkers program, per car.

[billcoe]

The average benefit was $4000 but it cost you, the taxpayer, $24,000 per vehicle to give the folks who did participate in the give away program the $4,000.

 

http://money.cnn.com/2009/10/28/autos/clunkers_analysis/index.htm

 

I heard an economist quote that figure and was in disbelief. So I went and looked it up. How the money just disappeared is beyond me, must be fuzzy accounting? We tossed $20,000 away for each car we bought? So I pitched it to my brother, and he said that the entire stimulus program cost us all $60,000. He said if the gov't had just given everyone the money, there would have been much more stimulus. I, for one, could use that money. WTF?

 

 

[j_b]

Not to defend the program because I had problems with it (fuel economy requirements not stringent enough) but the analysis by edmunds is seriously flawed: "in order to determine whether these sales would have happened anyway, Edmunds.com analysts looked at sales of luxury cars and other vehicles not included under the Clunkers program."

 

The spending of the wealthy who buy luxury cars has nothing to do with the spending habit of the rest of people, especially during a serious economic downturn and sky-rocketting unemployment.

 

By the way, the stimulus was already 50% tax cuts even though there is very little economic stimulus in "giving everyone the money".

 

 

 

 

[Peter_Puget]

 

http://wardsauto.com/keydata/

[Peter_Puget]

By the way, the stimulus was already 50% tax cuts even though there is very little economic stimulus in "giving everyone the money".

 

Exactly whyI advocated giving the tax breaks to employers!

 

 

linky

[j_b]

Giving payroll tax break to employers is probably a good idea only if the money is reinvested (here and not in Timbuktu), which demands having strings attached. Otherwise it is just more of the trickle down nonsense you guys spewed for the last 30+ years.

 

But, Universal healthcare would provide greater economic stimulus than payroll tax breaks.

 

 

 

 

[eldiente]

Timbuktu is a real place in Iowa with real workers and real jobs. Respect.

 

 

[j_b]

Really? It's not listed here: Iowa communities and counties