A medida que leo los periódicos (se me acumula el trabajo), me doy cuenta de que los americanos están tan jodidos (perdón por la expresión) como nosotros. O más. Acaban de poner en marcha un programa de subenciones a la compra de coches, 4.500 $ si se cambia el coche viejo y contaminante por uno nuevo. Se les ha ido de las manos y en una semana se han gastado los mil millones de dólares que el Congreso había dotado en el programa "cash for clunkers" (clunker es algo así como un coche desvencijado, viejo, viene de clunk, golpeteo). Si el Senado no amplía el importe, se acabará el programa. Los políticos se frotan las manos por el "éxito" y los fabricantes de automóviles, los americanos y los extranjeros, también. Lógico.
El WSJ tenía un editorial furioso contra el programa.
What the clunker policy really proves is that Americans aren’t stupid and will let some other taxpayer buy them a free lunch if given the chance.
...
All of Washington professes to be surprised that the $1 billion allocated to the subsidy has been used up so quickly, but giving away money is one thing government knows how to do. The Clunkers who are in Congress are now patting themselves on the back for their great success, and the House quickly voted to pass out another $2 billion in clunker coupons. With a $1.8 trillion budget deficit, who’s going to notice this pocket change?
Clearly, we spoilsports need an attitude adjustment to Washington’s new economics. And since money is no object, let’s give everyone a $4,500 voucher for other consumer goods. Let’s have taxpayers subsidize the purchase of kitchen appliances, women’s clothing, the latest Big Bertha driver—our Taylor-made is certainly a clunker—and new fishing boats. These are hardly less deserving of subsidies than cars, and as long as everyone thinks we can conjure wealth out of $4,500 giveaways, let’s go all the way.
Clearly, we spoilsports need an attitude adjustment to Washington’s new economics. And since money is no object, let’s give everyone a $4,500 voucher for other consumer goods. Let’s have taxpayers subsidize the purchase of kitchen appliances, women’s clothing, the latest Big Bertha driver—our Taylor-made is certainly a clunker—and new fishing boats. These are hardly less deserving of subsidies than cars, and as long as everyone thinks we can conjure wealth out of $4,500 giveaways, let’s go all the way.
Es decir, subsidiemos cualquier cosa, que se venderá más. ¿Por qué los coches y no los electrodomésticos, las cámaras de fotos (eso) o los palos de golf? Qué genio es este Obama.
Y claro, de esto se deduce que habrá que...subir impuestos. Obama officials talk tax increase
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