Cash for Clunkers Clunker!

That’s the way to get a piece of legislation passed, tell lawmakers they’ll miss their vacation takeoff plans if they don’t quickly pass a measure. At least that’s the tactic used by the senate majority leader in order to get the “cash for clunkers” program more money. As a parent I understand the senate majority leader’s move, who hasn’t threatened to cancel plans if their children didn’t stop fighting and behave. But is this really how we want our lawmakers to decide what measure passes and what doesn’t?  The “cash for clunkers” has been more popular than even expected, but far from being the “golden child” it was thought to be it has more than its fair share of problems. It’s a paperwork nightmare, and submitting all the correct information doesn’t guarantee acceptance. Numerous car shoppers found they were expected to sign a waiver stating if the government didn’t approve the rebate they would be held responsible for the difference. The list of problems goes on. Perhaps more thought should have been put into this brainchild before it was put into effect. It appears we’ve gone and shut the barn door after the horse has been stolen.