Trucks for Clunkers?

Many car owners are using the Cash for Clunkers program to buy very fuel-inefficient light trucks and SUVs.

Ostensibly, Cash for Clunkers was intended to encourage people to switch to more fuel-efficient vehicles. But the program's design is problematic. To begin, this isn't really about getting people to drive a Prius; it is possible to trade, say, a pickup truck for another pickup truck. In addition, some of the standards require only marginal improvements in fuel efficiency. For the largest vehicles, a trade-in which nets a 1 mpg fuel improvement would net a $3,500 credit.

Cash for Clunkers has certainly given the auto industry a much-needed boost. Unfortunately, it does too little to help us build a more sustainable society. It amounts to yet another expensive subsidy to maintain the status quo.