So all this money that is being thrown to companies to go electric is a waste in my opinion because more money will have to be thrown to Utilities to upgrade the transmission system which is very expensive. Which the most of the cost will still have to come from utilities driving our electric rates higher…not to mention the tax payer has to pay for all the money the government is throwing out there. It seems like a vast spiraling effect into the next depression.

Money should be focused on improving fuel efficiency and people need to start sacrificing a little Horsepower for better economy. The big companies already make darn efficient gasoline engines, the consumer just wants all this extra power and luxery that adds weight and causes the fuel mileage to decrease. Its consumers that have driven this method of madness and lead to the dimiss of two of the big three American car companies, they kept building vehicles bigger and more powerful to try and meet the demand but gas mileage suffered. People didn’t care about gas mileage until it hit $4 a gallon. This is why vehicles 20 years ago had the same fuel mileage as cars today, but they had way less power. The engines themselves have gotten better and more efficient but people wanted more power.

With all the money that is being dealt out, soon the american dollar wont be worth a nickle and no one will be able to drive a car or afford to watch TV at night. I agree you have to spend money to make money, but too much is being spent and the people will have to pay it back at some point. We are already in massive debt and it is sky rocketing now. I fear the worse is yet to come!

These type of policies the federal government are promoting—fuel efficient cars and renewable energy—are long over due.

Furthermore, I disagree with this assessment: “These loans will be used to prop up inefficient systems.” Certainly, there are inefficiencies, but if they’re all inefficient, then we’re in big trouble. Additionally, despite the issue being portrayed otherwise, I believe a lot of taxpayer money goes to fund a lot of good projects and necessity for our country.

Personally, I believe the Iraq War was a big unnecessary cost, but a lot of taxpayers rallied around that initiative when GWB was selling it. I don’t even think we’ve started paying for the Iraq disaster yet.

In regards to this statement: “You should find the car that you want — and that meet the criteria important to you.”

A lot of people drive inefficient cars, thus wasting nonrenewable fossil fuels that will not be available to future generations, and if you believe in environmental degradation, pollution, and climate change, then at some point the federal government needs to get involved in order to remedy negative impacts that are the result of certain activity. Waiting for the markets, which can be manipulated, to remedy these issues is immoral.

The federal government has been, and needs to continue to be, a key player in promoting progress—states can’t always do it alone (although there are examples) and markets alone certainly can’t be a driver of progress.

When capitalism’s business cycle veers into discomfort (unemployment, slowing sales and borrowing, etc.) — the State (government) now suppresses recession with monetary policy (making money cheap and abundant) and fiscal policy (quantitative easing, injections of liquidity, stimulus programs, etc.) so nobody feels pain. But the problems are still there, just hidden for a time by the bailouts. They will continue to grow until another bailout is needed (e.g. Chrysler).

Capitalists and those that embrace the free market reject this narrow notion for many reasons. Chief among them is that fact that experience and progress is the byproduct as we surmount difficulty. The Marines say, pain is weakness leaving the body. These downturns are inefficiencies leaving the system. These loans will be used to prop up inefficient systems. Nobody truly learns. Nobody truly grows. Nobody progresses.

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You do not need to boycott car manufactures that accept bailouts. Capitalism thrives when you make a decision that fits you. You should find the car that you want — and that meet the criteria important to you. Car manufacturers that accept bailout money will be required to add inefficiencies to their business model and are at a disadvantage to produce the car that meets your needs the best. You should make car manufacturers and dealers compete for your business.

So if you are thinking about a car, check out this process on this blog: http://excarsalesman.typepad.com/