Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/207411
6A Daily News – Thursday, November 7, 2013 Opinion DAILY NEWS RED BLUFF TEHAMA COUNTY T H E V O I C E O F T E H A M A C O U NTY S I N C E 1 8 8 5 Greg Stevens, Publisher gstevens@redbluffdailynews.com Chip Thompson, Editor editor@redbluffdailynews.com Editorial policy The Daily News opinion is expressed in the editorial. The opinions expressed in columns, letters and cartoons are those of the authors and artists. Letter policy The Daily News welcomes letters from its readers on timely topics of public interest. All letters must be signed and provide the writer's home street address and home phone number. Anonymous letters, open letters to others, pen names and petition-style letters will not be allowed. Letters should be typed and cannot exceed two double-spaced pages or 500 words. When several letters address the same issue, a cross section of those submitted will be considered for publication. Letters will be edited. Letters are published at the discretion of the editor. Clunker progressivism WASHINGTON -- Barack Obama's presidency has become a feast of failures whose proliferation protects their author from close scrutiny of any one of them. Now, however, we can revisit one of the first and see it as a harbinger of progressivism's downward stumble to HealthCare.gov. "Cash for Clunkers" was born with Obama's administration as a component of his stimulus. Its fate is a window into why the recovery has been extraordinarily weak, and into what happens when progressives' clever plans collide with recalcitrant reality. Consumers could trade in older vehicles and receive vouchers toward the purchase of a new, more fuel-efficient car. The vouchers were worth $3,500 or $4,500, depending on the difference in fuel economy between the trade-in and the new purchase. The program's purposes were economic stimulation and environmental improvement. Now a study by Ted Gayer and Emily Parker, published by the Brookings Institution, a mildly liberal think tank, concludes: "The $2.85 billion in vouchers provided by the program had a small and short-lived impact on gross domestic product, essentially shifting roughly a few billion dollars forward from the subsequent two quarters following the program." Most of the 677,842 sales were simply taken from the near future. That many older vehicles were traded in -- and, as required by law, destroyed. Gayer and Parker accept as reasonable an estimate that the cost per job created by the program was $1.4 million. Although the vouchers did not come close to covering the cost of the new cars, voucher recipients seem not to have reduced their other consumption. This, say Gayer and Parker, suggests that participants in the program "were not liquidity constrained," which is a delicate way of saying "there was no change in other consumption patterns," which is a polite way of saying "cash for clunkers" merely caused people to purchase vehicles "slightly earlier than otherwise would have occurred." Because the program was not means tested, it had only a slight redistributional effect of the sort progressives favor: Voucher recipients had lower incomes than others who bought new cars in 2009. Against this, however, must be weighed the fact that the mandated destruction of so many used vehicles probably caused prices for such vehicles to be higher than they otherwise would have been, meaning a redistribution of wealth adverse to low-income consumers. As for environmental benefits from Cash for Clunkers, the reduction of gasoline con- sumption was small and "the ny's 11 dealerships on the day cost per ton of carbon dioxide that the program opened because of problems reduced by [the prowith the government gram] far exceeds website. On Friday, the estimated social he spent an hour procost of carbon." But cessing just one it was -- herewith rebate application, very faint praise -he said." more cost effective The recovery from than the subsidy for the recession began electric vehicles or in June 2009; 53 the tax credit for months later, vehicle ethanol. sales still have not Cash for Clunkers yet reached the prelasted 55 days and recession peak. Cash ended with confusion that was a pre- George F. for Clunkers was prologue for the govview of things to ernment's vastly come. The New York more ambitious plan Times (Aug. 1, 2009) explained the final to manage health care's 18 surge of demand for clunker percent of the economy. The present, too, is profunds: "Around the country, deal- logue. There currently is heaters had put off the laborious ed debate about the Common task of applying for the Core, whose advocates say it rebates ... which requires merely involves national acaentering the 17-character demic targets and metrics for identification numbers of primary and secondary educaeach vehicle to be scrapped, tion. Critics say it will scanning images of proof of insurance and filling out other inevitably lead to a centrally paperwork. The computer designed and nationally system was overloaded, imposed curriculum -- pracaccording to the dealers. They tice dictated by targets and said they would finish one metrics. Common Core advopage in the application, hit cates say, in effect: "If you enter and nothing would hap- like your local curriculum, pen. Eventually a message you can keep it. Period." If you believe this, your would appear notifying the dealer that the page had credulity is impervious to evi'timed out.' Tom Frew, the dence. And you probably are business manager at Galpin a progressive. Motors in Los Angeles, said George Will's email address that he needed 35 tries to regis georgewill@washpost.com. ister just one of the compa- Will Your officials STATE ASSEMBLYMAN — Dan Logue, 150 Amber Grove Drive, Ste. 154, Chico, CA 95928, 530-895-4217 STATE SENATOR — Jim Nielsen, 2635 Forest Ave., Ste. 110, Chico, CA 95928, (530) 879-7424, senator.nielsen@senate.ca.gov GOVERNOR — Jerry Brown, State Capitol Bldg., Sacramento, CA 95814; (916) 445-2841; Fax (916) 5583160; E-mail: governor@governor.ca.gov. U.S. REPRESENTATIVE — Doug LaMalfa 506 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515, 202-2253076. U.S. SENATORS — Dianne Feinstein (D), One Post Street, Suite 2450, San Francisco, CA 94104; (415) 393-0707. Fax (415) 3930710. Barbara Boxer (D), 1700 Montgomery St., Suite 240, San Francisco, CA 94111; (510) 286-8537. Fax (202) 224-0454. Mission Statement We believe that a strong community newspaper is essential to a strong community, creating citizens who are better informed and more involved. The Daily News will be the indispensible guide to life and living in Tehama County. We will be the premier provider of local news, information and advertising through our daily newspaper, online edition and other print and Internet vehicles. The Daily News will reflect and support the unique identities of Tehama County and its cities; record the history of its communities and their people and make a positive difference in the quality of life for the residents and businesses of Tehama County. How to reach us Main office: 527-2151 Classified: 527-2151 Circulation: 527-2151 News tips: 527-2153 Sports: 527-2153 Obituaries: 527-2151 Photo: 527-2153 On the Web www.redbluffdailynews.com Fax Newsroom: 527-9251 Classified: 527-5774 Retail Adv.: 527-5774 Legal Adv.: 527-5774 Business Office: 527-3719 Address 545 Diamond Ave. Red Bluff, CA 96080, or P.O. Box 220 Red Bluff, CA 96080 Commentary Tales from the steering column Hi, Red Bluff. I'm a turn signal. I thought a formal introduction might be in order, as driving around town I've noticed it seems so many of you don't know I exist. I've actually been around for a long time. Someone tried to patent me as early as 1907. I kicked around in various forms for a few more decades until I became a standard feature in most vehicles by the 1950s. Since then I've picked up a few nicknames. Some know me as Blinkers others as Flashers. But in Red Bluff, a city that ranks in the Bottom 10 when it comes to traffic ratings of California cities, it seems not many people know me at all. I would hate to think people know I exist, but don't bother to use me. I'm not that needy, it doesn't take much effort to get me to work — on most vehicles just a simple flick of the left wrist. Now, I know Red Bluff prides itself on that Cowboy attitude of not wanting anything to do with The Man and his rules and regulations. I get that. It's just I thought Red Bluff was also a friendly place. If you need to, think of me as your vehicle's way of shaking hands with other vehicles. Hey there buddy, nice seeing you, I need to go left now, buddy, see you next time. When you're walking through town you make eye contact with others, don't you? Above all else I thought Red Bluff was community oriented — one of those nice places to live where people look out for each other. As rather simple-minded as I am, I have this power of preventing what could be avoidable tragedies. I hate reading in the newspaper about someone dying from an avoidable nal, do not automaticollision, yet I seem cally assume that the to see an article in space you want to there at least once a occupy is clear. year. • Before every lane OK, I'm just going change. Check your to assume Red Bluff's mirrors, look over had a lot on its mind your shoulder, and lately and you simply check your blind spot forgot about me. I'll before changing lanes. give you a free pass • At least five secfor the past few years, onds before you but I'm at least going change lanes on a to take the opportunifreeway. ty to read to you from Rich • Before pulling my favorite book in next to the curb or the entire world — away from the curb. "The California Dri• When you ver Handbook." "Always signal when turn- change directions. • Even when you do not see ing left or right, changing lanes, slowing down, or stop- other vehicles. A vehicle you ping; it lets other drivers, do not see may suddenly motorcyclists, bicyclists and appear and hit you." See. Not that hard. I hope to pedestrians know your intensee a lot more of myself tions. around town. "You should signal: • During the last 100 feet Blinker can be reached at 527before reaching the turning point (left or right turn). Cau- 2151, Ext. 109 or by emial at tion! — Even though you sig- rgreene@redbluffdailynews.com. Greene