Cash For Clunkers Passes House By A Big Margin

Each is too old for a trade in voucher

Betty Sutton's bill, H.R. 2751, colloquially dubbed "Cash For Clunkers," passed yesterday evening 298-119. 59 Republicans of all stripes abandoned their party's leadership to vote with the Democrats-- from right-wing extremists like Steve King (IA), David Dreier (CA), Phil Gingrey (GA) and Gary Miller (CA) to mainstream conservatives like Frank LoBiondo (NJ), Mike Castle (DE) and Chris Smith (NJ). 110 knee-jerk obstructionist Republicans-- kooks and extremists like Michele Bachmann (MN), Mean Jean Schmidt (OH), Patrick McHenry (NC), Virginia Foxx (NC) and John Shadegg (AZ) stuck with the lockstep anti-progress leadership of John Boehner (OH), Eric Cantor (VA), Mike Pence (IN) and Paul Ryan (WI).

Unless the 100 mini-presidents in the House of Lords kills it, the one-year trade-in program would start upon enactment of the legislation, rather than being retroactive to March 30, which is what Sutton first proposed. Oddly, vehicles made before 1984 are ineligible for the rebate.

Under the bill, consumers could receive a voucher worth as much as $4,500 for the purchase or lease of a new, fuel efficient vehicle upon trading in the less efficient passenger car, SUV or truck.

To receive a voucher of $3,500, the consumer must purchase a new car that gets at least four more miles per gallon. To receive a voucher for $4,500, the new car must have a rating at least 10 mpg higher.

For a light-duty truck or SUV, the old truck must have a rating of 18 mpg or less. To receive a voucher of $3,500, a consumer must purchase a new vehicle rated at least two miles per gallon higher. To receive a voucher for $4,500, the new vehicle must get at least five miles per gallon more.

The bill had 51 co-sponsors including Michigan Republicans Fred Upton, Thaddeus McCotter, Mike Rogers, Candice Miller, and Dave Camp as well as committed progressives like Carol Shea-Porter (NH), Tammy Baldwin (WI), Dave Loebsack (IA) and Marcy Kaptur (OH). Eric Massa (D-NY) was effective in explaining why the bill is a positive to his economically hard-pressed district in New York's Southern Tier. "I'm proud to have voted for the cash for clunkers program because it's a good deal for our environment and our economy. This program will help keep our auto manufacturers and auto dealers in business and help consumers purchase 21st century clean automobiles. It's a win-win solution and I'm glad we've been able to pass this overwhelmingly bipartisan program to help get America back to work."
 
Even two of the most reactionary lobbying groups in America, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Manufacturers joined with the Democrats and the unions in supporting the bill. Many Republican congressmen running for higher office gave Boehner and Canter the finger and voted for it too, even usual rubber stamps like Matt Blunt (R-MO), Jim Gerlach (R-PA), and Pete Hoekstra (R-MI), respectively running for the Senate, a Lt Governorship and a Governorship. (Adam "Howdy Doody" Putnam, who's giving up his House seat to run for Florida Agricultural Commissioner, ducked the vote entirely.