Quality Weenie

You Must, But We Don't Have To

When Cash for Clunkers was being proposed both Japanese and Chinese manufacturers were up in arms because the idea that it would be american cars only was being tossed around.

They got their panties in a bunch and threatened going to the WTO and get sanctions imposed on the U.S. if we made Cash for Clunkers for american cars only.

Sen. Debbie Stabenow asked President Barack Obama on Friday to press officials from Japan and South Korea over restrictions on American cars in those countries' versions of a cash-for-clunkers stimulus.

What is good for us, isn't good for you so shut-up says Japan and China

The original version of the cash-for-clunkers program proposed earlier this year would have applied only to U.S.-made vehicles, but that proposal faced stiff opposition from foreign automakers and dealers, along with some wariness from American automakers that rely on Canada and Mexico for large portions of their production.

The final version contained no restrictions, and several imported models ranked among the most-popular vehicles sold. (emphasis mine)

Cash for Clunkers in the U.S. was nicknamed a stimulus plan for Japanese auto makers because they benefited from it far more then american auto makers did and now they are trying to exclude american vehicles from being included in their own version of cash for clunkers.

I think it's quite safe to say that Obama doesn't do anything about it.

Posted by Quality Weenie at September 19, 2009 10:06 AM