Car-pocalypse Now

Robert A. George, a moderate-conservative Republican journalis, on the Car Allowance Rebate System aka the "cash for clunkers" program, which burned through the $1 billion allocated for it within a week: "What a surprise that people would take $3,500 or $4,500 if you offer it to them. All they have to do is make the huge sacrifice of going out and buying a new car. Oh the horrors of 'new car smell'! Of course, the biggest sacrifice is the frequent visits to the mechanic and the gas station. Sarcasm aside, the American people naturally did what the program intended. But as we have seen with too many recent government attempts to plan our economy, you CANNOT plan an economy. The money quote on this subject comes from car salesman Rob Bojaryn (in an article on wcbstv.com): "If they can't administer a program like this, I'd be a little concerned about my health insurance." Good question indeed."

Christine Byington, a conservative Republican in South Carolina, notes how the U.S. House today quickly passed a bill to appropriate an addition $2 billion for the program: "Govt borrowing money from its own stimulus program to fund that cash for clunkers lemon"

Coby Dillard, a conservative Republican in Norfolk, Va., writes on Twitter: 'Wonder how much cash I could get for the clunker that's become our government. Hmmm.."

Sandra Rose, a conservative blogger in Atlanta metro, opines that the cash for clunkers program's troubles is a forewarning for U.S. President Barack Obama's health care plan: "It wasn’t just the fact that the program ran out of money to buy back junk cars in exchange for gas efficient ones in only 3 days — it’s worse than that. The truth is, the Obama administration doesn’t have a clue what they’re doing. The cash ran out because there was a woeful lack of planning, budgeting and strategizing on the part of the administration. Once again we get excuses from the White House as to why their bills or programs just don’t work..."