Cash for Clunkers

Is anyone doing the math on this?  The last figures I read are that roughly 200,000 cars have been sold under the program.  The United States population was last estimated at just over 304 million people, licensed drivers in the U.S. are estimated at about 200 million, our workforce is estimated at 154,287,000 people.

Cash for clunkers appears to have benefited roughly .066% of the U.S. population (if you exlude the small number of auto manufacturers, dealers and salespeople who directly benefit) , it has benefited roughly 0.1% of licensed drivers in U.S., and has benefited roughly 0.13% of our labor force.

In contrast, we are at nearly 10% unemployment, and roughly 11% of all mortgages are either delinquent or in foreclosure.

Other than the nominal temporary benefit to the auto manufacturers and a negligible trickle down effect to suppliers and their laborers, and a small handful of dealers and salespeople… where exactly does the concept of  “cash for clunkers” being a phenomenal success stem from?

Leave a Comment