Tax Dollars At Work - Obama Administration Withholding Release Of Cash For Clunkers Data

The Obama administration is refusing to quickly release government records on its "cash-for-clunkers" rebate program that would substantiate — or undercut — White House claims of the program's success, even as the president presses the Senate for a quick vote for $2 billion to boost car sales.

The Transportation Department said it will provide the data as soon as possible but did not specify a time frame or promise release of the data before the Senate votes whether to spend $2 billion more on the program.

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said Sunday the government would release electronic records about the program, and President Barack Obama has pledged greater transparency for his administration. But the Transportation Department, which has collected details on about 157,000 rebate requests, won't release sales data that dealers provided showing how much U.S. car manufacturers are benefiting from the $1 billion initially pumped into the program.

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diesotto - 8/5/2009 10:03:13 AM

+8 Boost

I thought this was an auto enthusiast website not a political blog. Come on guys if I want political bias I'll watch a split screen of Fox News and MSNBC. Let's get relevant.

0to60 - 8/5/2009 11:18:28 AM

-1 Boost

I agree diesotto

0to60 - 8/5/2009 11:19:27 AM

+2 Boost

We all know 001/009 are republicans with only there interest at heart

inspirion7 - 8/5/2009 1:21:51 PM

+1 Boost

We all know 001/009 are republicans with only there interest at heart

— 0to60

If that is the case, then start your own blog. Its easy and maybe Al Frankin and Air America's George Soros will help. Oh, wait they are just making it themselves, what was I thinking.

inspirion7 - 8/5/2009 1:21:51 PM

0 Boost

Agent009 - 8/5/2009 3:20:55 PM

+1 Boost

0to60- Where is the Independent party when you need them?

diesotto - 8/5/2009 10:07:33 AM

0 Boost

No. It's an article about a conspiratorial cover up.

EL34 - 8/5/2009 10:11:11 AM

-2 Boost

Obama, put down the beer and get to work on my bailout!!!

cdoke - 8/5/2009 10:20:48 AM

+2 Boost

The important datum for a simple analysis of the effectiveness of the program is the number of incremental cars sold- not the number of claims. It is that bit of information that really is needed BEFORE a decision is made about expanding the program. It is this kind of stuff that is infuriating about politicians in general- things like reason, economics and mathematics aren't even part of their ethos.

It is indeed the incremental number that needs to be determined. There is a baseline number of cars that would be traded in independent of the programs existence, so even if those people took advantage of the program, they don't represent an additional economic impact. The cars that were traded in as a function of the existence of the program and would otherwise not have been represent the value created by the program. I have been several analyses on this subject and I won't repeat them without more data, as they are a bit speculative at this point.

DinamoR - 8/5/2009 7:30:19 PM

+2 Boost

Obama is spending his time cleaning up the the huge pile of crap the GOP left behind and making investments in our future that will make us the #1 superpower for the 21st century, just like the investments that made us #1 for the 20th century 60-70 years ago.

Republicans blow everything on stupid wars and tax cuts. No investments for anything. Do they really want american to fall behind China etc?

And those cops did act stupidly. Arresting someone because they yelled at you??? Since when is that something cops in a democratic country can do?

DinamoR - 8/6/2009 6:53:16 PM

0 Boost

yeah yeah blah blah blame everything on nancy pelosi republicans are NEVER responsible for anything

LMAO

DinamoR - 8/5/2009 7:28:12 PM

+4 Boost

will autospies become another whiny sour grapes republican loser site???

you SUCK and you lost. you ideas FAILED and you nearly destroyed america. You got NOTHING to offer for our future.

Obama 2012. Suck on it.

nguyenvuminh - 8/5/2009 11:03:53 PM

-3 Boost

009 and 001, whether Obama and his policies will improve this country or not, you and your fellow Repubicans are stuck with him for the next 3+ years. What's my point? Nothing, other than to annoy 009 and 001.

nguyenvuminh - 8/5/2009 11:08:31 PM

-3 Boost

And before you attack my spelling, yes, I meant to spell it "Repubicans".