Car dealers and the reimbursements [View All]

[MichaelHarris]

There's been a couple of stories lately about some dealers complaining about not receiving the government funds from the Cash for Clunkers program. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_CASH_FOR_CLUNKERS_DEALERS?SITE=TXDAM&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

We can all argue back and forth about this but remember, stories like this only fuel the right-wing talking point about the government's inability to run certain programs. This story WILL be used as proof that the government shouldn't run health care. Free-thinking people know different, we can look beyond the story, even when the "journalists" don't.

The truth is, the program got overwhelmed very quick, it is hugely popular. It's been 51 days and some dealers have been paid, the program has added more employees. For the critics and the doom-sayers, would you just hand over 4500 dollars to a car dealer without checking the legitimacy of the sale? Are there any car lots in America that would cheat the program? Have you bought a car recently? If there is a way to scam some dealers will find it. Basically what I'm saying is this, the government is being careful with your money, they are not going to hand it over willy-nilly to every dealer who claims a sale.

They are going to get there money, they know it, the naysayers know it. They want to use the program as an example of government inefficacy. I say it's an example of government care to make sure it's spending the money safely and by the book, eliminating scams and waste.

I've bought 4 cars in the last 3 years from the same dealer here in eastern Washington, he owns two lots. The program saved his business and kept him from laying off any employees. I know him well enough to know he suffered before the program just so he could keep people working. His lot is empty now except for the clunkers he's taken off the road under this program, well not totally empty, he has a lot of happy employees.

Before you jump on the "Bash the Program" bandwagon remember, it's not the Republican talking point about a failed program, it's the government being careful with your money.