Mmmm, Tastes Like Greenwash

Congress, in their infinite wisdom, has decided to float a bill offering people money for turning in their old cars if they buy a new, more fuel-efficient one. If you turn in your 18 mpg or less car, you get $3,500 for going up by 4 mpg, and $4,500 for going up by 10 mpg.

Of course, it's wasteful to buy a whole new car and send your old car to the scrap heap when your old car works just fine, thank you. Steve Israel tried to save the green-ness of the bill by suggesting that people be credited for buying fuel-efficient used cars, but that was shot down.

I don't support this bill, but there are a few reasonable excuses for doing so. It could function as another economic stimulus. It would certainly help boost demand for cars from failing Detroit automakers. But for the love of God, please don't try to sell it as "green" legislation, because it ain't.