Dough for Dumps?

[Kevin_Kennedy]

After having given away billions faster than even the optimists had anticipated, it was announced today that the federal government's "Cash for Clunkers" program is coming to an early end. But, based on the standards of economic analysis which prevail in Washington, Wall Street and academia, the program must be considered a master stroke of public policy. These experts will tell you that by mandating that citizens destroy older (but still working) vehicles to receive $4,500 toward the purchase of a new car, the program not only revved up the economy by encouraging Americans to borrow more, but it may have, perhaps, made some great strides in saving the planet by reducing carbon emissions.

With this solid win-win now on the books, the time has come to put the strategy to work in other areas. For instance, the government could use these lessons learned to help the moribund housing sector. I propose the "Dough for Dumps" stimulus program. Here's how it would work:

Homeowners struggling to make payments on environmentally inefficient homes can apply for government aid to destroy their old homes and receive guaranteed loans to buy newly constructed houses, provided they are furnished with the latest "green" advancements in energy systems and building materials. As with the "Cash for Clunkers" program, this plan would solve many problems at once.

Dough for Dumps? by Peter Schiff

 

[editec]

I have 3 kids right now living in my Shed, even as I write this.

They cannot afford an apartment and this guy wants to tear down existing homes?

Lord knows what happens to these kids if they cannot find the cash to keep that shed heated this winter. I can give them the space, but I afford to heat it.

Here's a thought, fuck the market...let's help some PEOPLE for a change.

Does anyone have any reliable numbers on how many Americans are ALREADY couch-surfing?

I'm guessing they're really the unacounted homeless, and my guess is there must be millions of them.

Young kids and the newly poor, they're people who just don't make enough to keep a roof over their heads, but they are still part of some community of friends and families who are carrying them.

It's preposerterous that we can find the resources to help out these people, but our government cannot.

Well...that's one word I can think of to describe this sorry state of affairs.

I have others, but I'll spare you readers.

 

[KittenKoder]

I have kids right now living in my Shed because they cannot afford an apartment and this guy wants to tear down homes?

Here's a thought, fuck the market...help some PEOPLE for a change.

Sadly, that's not the way the government thinks ... our politicians want money and power, it's why they got into the business in the first place.

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

I have 3 kids right now living in my Shed, even as I write this.

They cannot afford an apartment and this guy wants to tear down existing homes?

Lord knows what happens to these kids if they cannot find the cash to keep that shed heated this winter. I can give them the space, but I afford to heat it.

Here's a thought, fuck the market...let's help some PEOPLE for a change.

Does anyone have any reliable numbers on how many Americans are ALREADY couch-surfing?

I'm guessing they're really the unacounted homeless, and my guess is there must be millions of them.

Young kids and the newly poor, they're people who just don't make enough to keep a roof over their heads, but they are still part of some community of friends and families who are carrying them.

It's preposerterous that we can find the resources to help out these people, but our government cannot.

Well...that's one word I can think of to describe this sorry state of affairs.

I have others, but I'll spare you readers.

He doesn't actually want to tear down any homes. He points out the bad economics of such a program in the article.