deber b — The Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association (GNYADA) - an industry group that represents auto dealers in the New York Metro area, said that half of its members left the government program "Cash for Clunkers" before its expiration date.   They stated that dealers simply could not afford to offer rebates to their customers and then bankroll their businesses on government promises.  They found that big government is slow, inefficient and seldom keeps its promises.

The President of (GNYADA) said that the dealers have only been reimbursed for about 2 percent of the rebates they’ve given out as part of this program.  

Deburca - if that holds true for the rest of the country would that mean that American Auto Dealers have floated a $980 million loan to the Obama Administration?  And wasn’t this to pay for the original $1 billion alloted to the program?  And, then Congress extended the program to $3 billion - so that would mean and even bigger float.

Now since 700,00 vehicles were reportedly sold for over $2.8 billion dollars, at a 2 percent reimbursement rate, auto dealers, many of them small dealerships, have loaned the Obama Administration $2.74 billion.

I thought the Obama Administration was only out to soak the rich - what about the small, family run dealerships - they will pay $1.76 billion directly out of pocket to the government, with no interest.  And what if people demand that the program be reinstated?  Doesn’t anyone in the Administration see this - it’s unbelievable if they don’t.  I see it, the money will come out of the taxpayers pockets.  Eventually the government will pay back the dealers but where will the money come from.  I guess I know that answer - us - the taxpayers. 

Government handouts, no matter the cause, always cost us the taxpayers.