DeMint: Gov't 'Out of Control' on Clunkers
Senate Democrats are struggling to win over enough reluctant Republicans to pass a $2 billion extension of the popular rebate program that gives consumers up to $4,500 to trade in their old gas guzzlers for more fuel-efficient vehicles.
Senator Jim DeMint, R-S.C., has been an outspoken opponent of the program, calling it on Sunday indicative of the "stupidity that's coming out of Washington right now."
On CBS' "Early Show" Tuesday, DeMint said, "This was another program that was rushed through without even reading the bill language. It was actually attached to an emergency war supplemental bill."
DeMint argued that the program is an example of government at its worst. "The dealers tell me it's been so mismanaged they have no idea when and if they're going to get their money," he told "Early Show" anchor Maggie Rodriguez.
Nonetheless, automakers are crediting the program with working too well: auto sales are up, and some dealers are actually complaining that they don't have enough cars to sell as inventories — stymied by plant shut-downs — are depleted.
"If we give away free money, people will buy cars," said DeMint. "But what about appliances, and heat pumps, and TVs? The problem here is instead of across-the-board tax cuts that would have the same effect on our whole economy, the federal government is trying to run a particular business by targeting just the auto industry here with this bill. That's not what the federal government is all about.
"And for us to rush through $1 billion and then say, 'Well, we don't know exactly what happened, but it's out of money after one week, so let's have $2 billion more!' this is just an out-of-control government at the federal level now, and we need to stop and see what we've done.
"It just doesn't make any sense to keep rushing through bills, borrowing money from our children, and then saying, 'Shazam, we've sold some cars!'"