Bad Mathmatics on the "Cash for Clunkers"

[mscuddy]

From Keith Lynas at Ossa Planet:

A 15 mpg clunker that travels 12,000 miles a year uses 800 gallons of gas a year.

A 25 mpg vehicle that travels 12,000 miles a year uses 480 gallons a year.

So, the average Cash for Clunkers transaction will reduce US gasoline consumption by 320 gallons per year.

They claim 700,000 clunkers were turned-in, so that's 224 million gallons saved per year.

(let see 320 divided by 700,000, carry the two...egads!)


That equates to a bit over 5 million barrels of oil.

5 million barrels is about 5 hours worth of US consumption.

More importantly, 5 million barrels of oil at $70 per barrel costs
about $350 million dollars

So, the government paid $3 billion of our tax dollars to save $350 million.

We spent $8.57 for every dollar we saved.

I'm pretty sure they will do a great job with our health care, though.

[seruzawa]

That's not important. Results aren't important. It's just important that we do SOMETHING! And the intentions were good. The rich will pay for it all anyhow.

[mscuddy]

Yes you do look all rancid and clotted. I'm about to splash a bit of water on the back of my neck like General Ripper.

[A Star Ride]

Not to mention alot of decent used cars were destroyed that had "some" good service left in them, making it harder for lower income people to find a car they can afford to buy, and even the lower income people the ability to locate used pats.

[sarnali2]

Typical elitist crap. They talk about "helping the poor" but they really want is a permanant underclass, cheap labor and a steady source of "assistance" programs. They don't have a clue what lower income people need and this is just one example.

[A Star Ride]

the lower middle class & upper poor have lot of cars they cant affod to pay for. I wonder what repo rates are on the clunker sales. I may be wrong but suprised if not considerably higher then the non clunker sales/

[silentgrayfellow]

I think the programs primary aim was to spur vehicle sales, and the fuel savings was just gravy.

[schizuki]

Originally Posted by silentgrayfellow

I think the programs primary aim was to spur vehicle sales, and the fuel savings was just gravy.

I agree, and that's even dumber. Nobody bought a car who wasn't going to soon anyway. They just cannibalized future sales.

Politicians are stupid. And people who put their faith in politicians' collective action are hella stupid.

[seruzawa]

Originally Posted by schizuki

I agree, and that's even dumber. Nobody bought a car who wasn't going to soon anyway. They just cannibalized future sales.

Politicians are stupid. And people who put their faith in politicians' collective action are hella stupid.

I love the way these pols throw out jobs numbers."This jobs bill will create 1 million jobs." They pull these numbers out of their @sses.

[longride]

Originally Posted by seruzawa

I love the way these pols throw out jobs numbers."This jobs bill will create 1 million jobs." They pull these numbers out of their @sses.

Those numbers sure sound good though don't they? Look at how they duped the public with the 'Global Warm..' err, 'Climate Change' garbage. Just a minimum of thought will cut right through all that BS.