CLUNKER MATH (from my email)

A clunker that travels 12,000 miles a year at 15 mpg uses 800 gallons of gas a year. A vehicle that travels 12,000 miles a year at 25 mpg uses 480 gallons of gas a year. So, the average “Cash for Clunkers” transaction reduced gasoline consumption by 320 gallons per year.

The government claims 700,000 clunkers have been replaced so that’s 224 million gallons saved per year. That equates to a bit over 5 million barrels of oil. Five million barrels is about 5 hours worth of US consumption but more importantly, 5 million barrels of oil at $70 per barrel cost about $350 million dollars.

So the government paid $3 billion of our tax dollars to save $350 million. Or in other words, it spent $8.57 for every $1.00 saved.

I’m pretty sure they will do a better job with our health care, though.