Cash for Clunkers: Looking Under the Hood

I'm not sure I understand The Post's problem with the "Cash for Clunkers" program ["Clunk!," editorial, Aug. 2]. Are you angry that it is working in spite of your prediction that it would fail?

Washington has tried for years to increase the fuel efficiency of the cars Americans drive by creating complex rules for automakers, only to be fought at every step by Detroit, out of fear of losing business. Expensive gas and a focus on the environment did some good in the past few years, but nothing seems to motivate the American people to give up their gas guzzlers like cold, hard cash. And, by the way, in less than two weeks this program put nearly $700 million of stimulus funds into the economy and probably generated billions in revenue for the auto sector.

More efficient vehicles on the road, revenue for automakers and car dealers, and even spinoff work for the financial sector in new car loans. Yeah, let's not expand a program that meets our environmental and economic policy goals and does it faster than we imagined.

JOSH SAWISLAK

Alexandria

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The "Cash for Clunkers" program is yet another example of the U.S. government rewarding those who made bad decisions and drove gas-guzzlers for many years. Why can't those of us who made good decisions and have old, fuel-efficient clunkers get the same deal?

EDWARD A. WASIL