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politics
Obama Okays Purchase of 17,600 American Cars
Adam KirchnerPosted: Apr 11th 2009 3:31PM
Filed under: Politics, Breaking News, The Economy, Towson UniversityThe Obama Administration pledged to buy thousands of cars from American automakers that have been practically insolvent for months, in a press release dated April 9.
"The General Services Administration will spend $285 million of Recovery Act Funds to purchase about 17,600 commercially available fuel efficient vehicles for the government fleet before June 1, 2009," the press release states. "All purchases will be made from manufacturers with an existing contract with the GSA, which are General Motors, Chrysler and Ford. This includes the purchase of 2,500 hybrid sedans that will be ordered by April 15. This is the largest one-time purchase of hybrid vehicles for the federal government fleet in history."
Chrysler and GM had already been collectively granted $17.4 billion worth of Troubled Asset Relief Program loans in December, with the obligation to present the Obama Administration with restructuring plans to avoid bankruptcy by March 31. Having missed the deadline, they were granted another 30 and 60 days, respectively.
In other automaker bailout news, "the IRS is launching a campaign to alert consumers of a new tax benefit for auto purchases made between February 16th and the end of this year: if you buy a car, you may be able to deduct the cost of any sales and excise taxes," president Obama said in his remarks on March 30 regarding the failure of Chrysler and GM to restructure before the deadline. "This provision could save families hundreds of dollars and lead to as many as 100,000 new car sales," he added.
What part of spending $17.4 billion and then another $285 million in public funds saves taxpaying families hundreds of dollars? Or is "saving" a euphemism for relatively less rampant government spending?
And is that 100,000 new car sales plus the 17,600 purchased by the government, or is that actually just 80,000 new car sales plus the 17,600 purchased by the government to total "as many as 100,000 new car sales"? Because that sounds like the administration will be responsible for about 20% of what it suggests the private sector will do.
"The General Services Administration will spend $285 million of Recovery Act Funds to purchase about 17,600 commercially available fuel efficient vehicles for the government fleet before June 1, 2009," the press release states. "All purchases will be made from manufacturers with an existing contract with the GSA, which are General Motors, Chrysler and Ford. This includes the purchase of 2,500 hybrid sedans that will be ordered by April 15. This is the largest one-time purchase of hybrid vehicles for the federal government fleet in history."Chrysler and GM had already been collectively granted $17.4 billion worth of Troubled Asset Relief Program loans in December, with the obligation to present the Obama Administration with restructuring plans to avoid bankruptcy by March 31. Having missed the deadline, they were granted another 30 and 60 days, respectively.
In other automaker bailout news, "the IRS is launching a campaign to alert consumers of a new tax benefit for auto purchases made between February 16th and the end of this year: if you buy a car, you may be able to deduct the cost of any sales and excise taxes," president Obama said in his remarks on March 30 regarding the failure of Chrysler and GM to restructure before the deadline. "This provision could save families hundreds of dollars and lead to as many as 100,000 new car sales," he added.
What part of spending $17.4 billion and then another $285 million in public funds saves taxpaying families hundreds of dollars? Or is "saving" a euphemism for relatively less rampant government spending?
And is that 100,000 new car sales plus the 17,600 purchased by the government, or is that actually just 80,000 new car sales plus the 17,600 purchased by the government to total "as many as 100,000 new car sales"? Because that sounds like the administration will be responsible for about 20% of what it suggests the private sector will do.
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terry
10:20PM 10:20PM Apr 12th 2009
this is to S or whatever your name is. Perhaps you need to read some history, William Jefferson Clinton signed NAFTA and gave our American jobs away. This was done long before Bush ever became president.
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harry
9:42AM 9:42AM Apr 13th 2009
THIS IS SO TRUE--IF YOU TELL A LIE OFTEN ENOUGH PEOPLE BELIEVE IT IS FACT. NAFTA IS CLINTONS THING....
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JANE
7:17AM 7:17AM Apr 13th 2009
Any state that does not have a state sales tax can deductsales tax. Also what is the government going to do with the not so old cars the new 17,600 will replace? It still won't help GM stay afloat or Chrysler either.
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randy
8:01AM 8:01AM Apr 13th 2009
S, you have got to be kidding?! What an idiot you are! Your moron Democrat Clinton signed the NAFTA bill. The Congress voted to go to war. Are you that stupid? It doesn't matter what war costs either, you go to war to win at any cost fool, that's why you can be such an idiot in this country and write things that embarass yourself! Obama doesn't know anything about anything other than spending and taxing the people who work the hardest in this country fool!
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dbroo
1:08PM 1:08PM Apr 13th 2009
spending on cars...obama is a sorry f--k...what happened to education, computers, teachers, medical for the elderly...obama is doing nothing but spending monopoly money and taking this country down from inside...clinton had his moments, bushdidn't do anything but start the economy on it's down slide and obama has contributed major to the demise of the u.s..most people like someone that gives away money..isn't he grteat, wow praise...this is not his money...third world countries praise, yeah because they contribute nothing and let the u.s carry the load for the third world....this situation is fucked and you can thank all past and present, but be assured obama is evis..the worst AND THAT JAMES BROWN LOOKING WIFE OF HIS WHO DENOIUNCED THE U.S.,she is nothing but a racist...and the media has made her...if the fucking media would keep obama out of the headlines, you would never hear anything...and who gives a rats ass abt. yhe puppy...people get a life and save the u.s
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mitch LeFever
3:17PM 3:17PM Apr 13th 2009
It is about time that American Government officials have decided to purchase American vehicles from American owned company's. All States should do the same to support American owned company's. The American vehicle is equal in quality and even better then foreign vehicles sold here. The issues are the perception of the buyers. The people of all countries feel that another country's product is better then their's. The difference is that we do not operate on a level playing field. The other countries have taxes and penalties assest to foreign products sold in their countries. We have a basicly open market for them to dump their products under cost to manufacture the items. American's should demand that we match the same taxes and tariffs that others have on us. Level the playing field.
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eazygoing
6:38PM 6:38PM Apr 13th 2009
The real question to ask is..Where is he getting the money for these cars???????????? OBAMA IS GOING TO PURCHASE CARS FROM A COMPANY THAT IS GOING OUT OF BUSINESS.. Selling 17,600 isn't going to save GM ...
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lynda thompson
8:02PM 8:02PM Apr 19th 2009
Too little too late. This purchase of Obama's government is clear that he won't let GM belly-up. I live in Canada, and I am damn sure I am not paying the GM retireeas $3,500.00 per month for their pension- I am tired of hearing that it's ok - it's just a loan - well I am self employed - can I have a loan for my pension when I retire? That will be never, because I CAN'T AFFORD IT
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eazygoing
6:38PM 6:38PM Apr 13th 2009
Obama is going to purchase Gas hogs for the government workers to drive..Some energy saving clown he is..lol
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carol
8:50PM 8:50PM Apr 13th 2009
This is a pet peeve with me. Why do government workers need government supplied cars? Let them use their own cars and deduct expenses in April like the rest of us. They are misused all the time on our dime.
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ThanxFrank
9:14PM 9:14PM Apr 13th 2009
First off, GM & Chrysler should be giving free of charge all the vehicles that the Government wants. Why should it cost the tax-payer more money when we, already own the company. where's our free automobiles, basically this is the bottom line. It's time to tell your legistrator enough is enough. I want my share of dividends paid back to me now and if that means a free Automobile with out the interest great. I am a share holder just like the rest of America is in this now faultering company. Wake up America this has become a debascal of unwarrented spend and waste Government. Get your foot in the door and dont let it close e-mail your legistrator now.
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Nicolle
11:11PM 11:11PM Apr 13th 2009
I do not want to blame anyone I want solutions. I believe we are sucked into a vicious "political" war when we go around blaming parties or political individuals. I want a HUMAN in office. Just for my information "Are all the goverment cars going to break down right now?" I am concerned this would be a priority at this time.
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jm
6:24PM 6:24PM Apr 16th 2009
Dear Curt Flowers,
Thanks for straightening out the NAFTA issue. Let us reember the Reaganomics "trickle down" theory of economics; between 1980 and 1990 99% of American wealth went from being owned by 3%,YUP!, to 1% of the American population(keep breathing)!!! Now, as we analyze these figures, we see that this is regressive taxation, and reverse socialism, with all the cuts, cuts, cuts in taxes to the rich and wealth, and to this day, the GOP honor this man and his economics, well that's because they're either rich/wealthy or in business and are rich/wealthy wannabe's and wouldn't want to consider associating themselves with poor Democrats, even if it really would serve their personal economic situation better; it's an image thing. And just imagine if we had Bush for another 4 years...we could barely afford 1 year of him and then we'd be the biggest borrower of the Western and Eastern world. And if McCain had won, we would have lost the respect of the countries of all the Modern World, with a president with a 4 letter word vocabulary who verbally abuses his wife with vulgarity in public, and an Alaskan moose-hunter who cheats on her state spending account, cannot manage her own family, and she wants to run for President??? And worse, even though she doesn't even know Africa is a continent, the GOP still back her.
Now everyone knows that Obama inherited this economy. He knows that if GM goes down, thousand upon thousands of people will lose their jobs. What would be better would be for the labor workers to get a grip that their no education backgrounds do not warrant a Master's or Ph.D. hourly wage, sorry, but I just had to say it, and my own Dad was a union organizer, but he wasn't a nut. Get real and keep your job; if that means living down from your current life style, admit it, you didn't go to college, you didn't spend 12 years getting a Ph.D. at a cost of approximately $300,000 you now have to pay back, and be happy to have a job at a realistic pay. And tell your unions you want work not nuts to represent them.
As for you GOP's, the truth is going to come out, now, that you really only represent about 1% of the population and their interests. I know the truth is going to go down hard with the yuppies and the DINKs and the new generation of greedy spoiled college bound business majors, who just laugh at Education and Nusing major and all those other feel good majors who want to help the world. They all know they are Democrats because they care about other people and want them cared for. Nay, say the young new GOP's, let them fend for themselves, after their nightly frat parties, and you know that their major couldn't be that tight, like philosophy or English, or they would be studying every night, and not drinking until they pass out or vomit. And then, when they start making it in business, this translates to the two martini lunch. And these people are the ones who are carrying on business, supposed to be making a moral profit, oh, forget the moral profit, that was not even an issue I would guess for the last 150 years, oh, no, slaves? since the beginning of the country. And today you have huge international corporations where the least paid worker make a minimum that there has been no real effort to keep up with inflation (let's give it up on that one) and executives that make $67 million a year (not counting perks), which is so utterly incredible that there could be any such a difference in consideration of human worth, it is totally immoral. But it's Republican, "trickle down" economics, at the mercy of the corporate executives, ya, right.
Listen, Obama has a lot more than an economy to adjust, he has an American vision of morality in business and government to realign, and a renewed vision in the value and worth in every American, not just the top 1% that own 99% of America's wealth. Give him a break and give him a hand
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curt flowers
11:32PM 11:32PM Apr 13th 2009
Terry and Harry the fact is that NAFTA was Regan's brain child and yes Clinton did sign nafta into effect!The reason Clinton signed it was he feared repercussion from the Hispanic community! bottom line! no if's and or butts! He was a coward! NAFTA was born from the the Rich and poor! No middle class Ronnie baby! and remember win one for the Gipper! Long live the middle class!
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Holli
12:24AM 12:24AM Apr 14th 2009
IF OUR GOVERNMENT IS GOING TO BUY THAT MANY NEW AUTOS WITH OUR TAX DOLLARS CAN ANYONE PLEASE TELL ME WHERE TO SIGN UP? ALL THAT MONEY THEY ARE USING TO TAKE CARE OF ILLEGAL ALIENS, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHERE I CAN SIGN UP FOR THAT TOO. I COULD USE SOME FEDERAL AID, WHERE ARE ALL THOSE JOBS OBAMA WAS GOING TO CREATE, WHERE DO I SIGN UP FOR THAT? I GUESS TO GET A HAND OUT FROM OUR GOVERNMENT YOU HAVE TO BE HERE ILLEGALLY, TAKING AMERICAN JOBS OVER SEAS, GIVING OUT BIG BAILOUTS TO CROOKS OR WORK FOR OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
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tom
6:09PM 6:09PM Apr 16th 2009
While average American Citizens are losing their homes to forclosure, . . Their autos to repossession and their FREEDOM and RIGHTS to SOCIALISM . . . Our Most Esteemed "LEADER" is spending money that don't exist except on paper and in his SHALLOW MIND. . . He's setting EXAMPLES alright. . . BAD EXAMPLES !!! . . .
I've never known of a more SELFISH PERSON as BARACK OBAMA !!! . . .
OBAMA HAS " N O . C O N S C I E N C E " !!! . . He couldn't care less about you nor me . . . It's all about HIM for HIM ! . . That's why he has written those BOOKS - ABOUT " H I M S E L F " . . . What else would you expect ? . . . Narcissism run amuck !!! . . So much so that he doesn't have the ABILITY to CARE ABOUT ANYONE BUT HIMSELF !!! . .
If you get the feeling that he don't care, . .
It's because HE DON'T !!!
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thinksoutsidebox
10:57PM 10:57PM Apr 18th 2009
Obama is going to buy 17.600 cars from a bankrupt company..The question is How is he going to pay for these cars???
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thinksoutsidebox
6:12PM 6:12PM Apr 19th 2009
Government workers should be forced to use public transportation since Obama thinks it's such a great deal..
Why isn't Obama taking a bus to travel in instead of a jet"
Why does Obama have to travel in a helicopter to just go down the block?
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BELLCORD
9:43PM 9:43PM Apr 19th 2009
GUESS YOU'D PREFER HE BUY VOLKSWAGENS ?....SUCK IT UP REPUBS YOU'RE GOIN' BE IN THE WILDERNESS FOR 'BOUT 40 YEARS...
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falling
10:54AM 10:54AM Apr 24th 2009
We are supposed to believe that 100,000 people are going to take out a loan, which they can't afford from banks which aren't lending and buy a car, from companies that are living on our own tax dollars in the form of bailout money, just because they can deduct the sales and excise taxes from their own taxes NEXT APRIL? Are we really that stupid in this country? And why on earth are taxpayers buying the federal government 17,600 brand new cars at a time when out government should be cutting their spending to the bone? AND SOME PEOPLE THINK THIS IS A GOOD IDEA? Have we all lost our minds in this country?
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