Don Manzullo should promote his $5,000 car voucher plan to Obama
13 comments March 30th, 2009
Is this Don Manzullo’s big chance? In his tough talk Monday about the government’s intervention in GM and Chrysler, President Obama said he’s willing to consider ideas that have been promoted by congressmen to encourage people to buy automobiles.
Specifically, he talked about a so-called “clunker” bill:
“Finally, several members of Congress have proposed an even more ambitious incentive program to increase car sales while modernizing our auto fleet. Such fleet modernization programs, which provide a generous credit to consumers who turn in old, less fuel efficient cars and purchase cleaner cars have been successful in boosting auto sales in a number of European countries. I want to work with Congress to identify parts of the Recovery Act that could be trimmed to fund such a program, and make it retroactive starting today. ”
That’s not quite what Congressman Manzullo has in mind, but I think it is close enough that he should go full tilt in promoting his plan to the president.
Manzullo’s plan would have the government pay for $5,000 vouchers to anyone buying a new car. The voucher would be applied by the dealer at the point of sale. Don’s plan doesn’t talk about clunker trade-ins, but it’s in the same ballpark.
