I think the program has both Progressive, and Conservative aspects to it. What most of you are doing is attacking the Conservative part of the bill (this makes the song "AMAZING" by Kanye West pop into my head.) There are 2 ways that the bill helps the country:
1) gas savings, and less pollution
2) helps get the automobile industry get going again
If people can possibly get by with the 25-30 mpg type cars, then they will buy them. You will get 20-25% off the price of those. You're not gunna get that type of % off of these vehicles with 18-19 mpg. You will get a 10% savings. That's a big difference. There is a big incentive to buy the higher mpg cars, but this fact escapes many. If you're trading something very bad on gas mileage in, then yes, you can buy a low end Hummer that gets 18-19 mpg (and get the small 10% price break.) Somehow, if this wasn't allowed, I am pretty sure you'd be complaining that families (which need larger autos) can't take part in the program (anti-family.) I doubt it's the Dems that demanded for there to be a right to replace a 14 mpg ride with an 18 mpg one. Either way, everyone who uses this program is cutting down on the country's gas usage, and helping get the automobile industry back up running. A program like this (that gives everyone 2 ways to help the country) is one that will actually work. It has some level of freedom of choice involved, but it's matched by powerful incentives to buy higher mpg cars (if you possibly can do so.) If (on a really big gas guzzler you're trading in) you want to dilute your discount by turning it from 25% to only 10%, then I hardly think it's something to brag about.
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