A ‘clunker’ of a bill

A bill just passed by the U.S. House of Representatives — supposedly to move America toward more fuel-efficient vehicles — is deeply dishonest.

The bill, nicknamed “cash for clunkers,” would give vouchers of up to $4,500 to drivers who turn in their gas guzzlers. They could use those vouchers toward the purchase of vehicles that get better mileage. In theory, this would reduce U.S. gas consumption and cut down on our need for foreign oil. But the theory and reality don’t match.

Vouchers for $3,500 each would be available to owners of old SUVs, pickup trucks and minivans so long as the new vehicles they plan to buy get even a paltry 2 miles per gallon more. For passenger cars, the new cars would have to get only 4 more miles per gallon to merit a $3,500 voucher. Want to buy a large truck or van — one weighing 6,000 to 8,500 pounds? You get up to $4,500 so long as it gets at least 15 mpg.

Those figures are ridiculous! Is 15 mpg what you think of when you imagine a fuel-efficient vehicle? And remember: The vouchers aren’t “free money.” You will pay for them with your tax dollars.

What was supposed to be a way to cut down on the use of foreign oil will do next to nothing to achieve that goal. In fact, it looks like little more than a giveaway to the auto industry — which has already received tens of billions of dollars in bailouts from taxpayers.

Some members of the Senate are protesting how little the House-approved bill would reduce oil imports. They want higher mileage requirements for the vouchers. That may be a little better than the House bill, but it still unconstitutionally involves the federal government in a scheme to prop up the auto industry and distort the market.

Consumers, not Washington, ought to be able to pick economic winners and losers with the choices they make in a free, unsubsidized market.