Top beneficiary of the Cash for Clunkers program?
Toyota. 19.2 percent of all sales went to that company. And, in fact, the total market share for American car companies dropped from their normal average.
Eight out of ten top selling cars were foreign nameplates.
I haven’t a problem with people buying exactly what they want. I have a major problem with my tax dollars subsidizing foreign manufacturers.
I would prefer no tax subsidies to manufactures – foreign or otherwise.
And now for something completely different (and off-topic):
Former Homeland Security Chief Tom Ridge is claiming in his new book that he was pressured by Bush administration officials into elevating the terror alert status just before the 2004 elections.
But in an interview with KDKA-TV’s Ken Rice in June of 2008 Ridge was singing a different tune:
Ridge’s lie is not only sleazy, but it is stupid. Does he really think that anyone is interested in buying another trash-for-cash book put out to bash Bush?
Thought you might be interested in this Gaius. The slimy opportunism of “moderate” Republicans like Ridge never ceases to disgust me.
Those Toyotas were probably built in the US with a lot of US made components and the money went to US workers. Same with Honda, even Hyundai (Alabama manufacturing plant for the 2 most popular US models).
Basically there is no such thing as an “American” car company anymore. They are all global.