Another Clunker
Tags: bribes, David Paterson, Economy, fund, opinion, stimulus, taxpayer, taxpayers, Washington, YouTube
New York State is attempting to simultaneously help the economy and environment. Yeah: they’ll do nothing for either. Enticed consumers spent the weekend racing about trying to grab government entitlements for those outfitting their kitchens and basements. They’re taking part in a transparently manipulative subsidy that will redistribute income while sending perfectly good appliances to Kitchen Heaven:
The state’s “Great Appliance Swap Out” will distribute about 170,000 rebates totaling $16.8 million to New York residents who replace their old refrigerators, washing machines or freezers with ones that meet ENERGY STAR standards. Consumers will be eligible for additional rebates if they recycle their old appliances.
The government decides on how much you get depending if you want to chill, wash, or ice your things:
The rebates will be funded on a first-come, first-served basis by federal stimulus money. Eligible refrigerators and washers qualify for a $75 rebate, while freezers qualify for $50. If the old appliance is recycled, the refrigerator rebate increases to $105, the washer to $100 and the freezer to $75.
Consumers who want the biggest taxpayer-funded check had state-backed incentive to acquire as many domestic machines as possible:
The largest rebates are reserved for those who purchase a refrigerator, washing machine and dishwasher together as a package. That rebate is good for $500, or $555 with documented recycling. The appliances in the package deal must meet Consortium for Energy Efficiency standards, which are tougher than the ENERGY STAR marks.
“Documented recycling” is a pleasant way of saying that the Green Police will hunt you down to the tune of a butchered Cheap Trick classic if you toss your old junk in a Dumpster. If you comply and therefore remain avoid detention, the state’s executive wants you to shop. Our possibly-not-doomed governor is still hustling for his agenda while he can:
“This program will provide a tremendous incentive for consumers all across New York to reduce their energy consumption while providing an important stimulus to our economy,” Gov. David Paterson said in a statement.
This is not to accuse the governor of any illicit behavior whatsoever. But that shouldn’t stop him. It doesn’t matter if it involves taking drugs, checking into hotel rooms with ladies to whom he is not married, accepting bribes, shoplifting, jaywalking, violating open container laws, or any other amusing offense: please, Governor Paterson, do something naughty that’s resignation-worthy.
Conditions were rotten in this state before he became the default governor, and his replacement would likely share the same economically odious philosophy. But Paterson is still crimping our financial outlook regardless of whether he’s quitting tomorrow or being voted out by November at the latest.
Namely, he’s pushing a state program that entices consumers to do something that would already benefit them. Shoppers are going to naturally choose more energy-efficient products: after all, picking items that use less power saves money on bills. But why trust the public? Paterson and his dwindling band of adherents don’t get that well-designed goods produced by innovative private concerns do more to reduce emissions than any cash for (blank) or capping and trading ever will.
The tawdry policy is also based in the notion that human progress and comfort is rendering the Earth uninhabitable. That’s fine, except for the fact that it’s not. Global warming theory officially contains more holes than the ozone. With that in mind, keeping working appliances on the job is the most sensible financial policy.
That’s especially so during a period of economic upheaval when many can’t afford to replace every item with a plug they own. But the state would rather people spend money they don’t have if it generates a cursory retail activity spike. It’s allegedly for our collective good.
It’s irrelevant whether Albany or Washington is on the prowl. Both monoliths believe that they can improve the economy by taking money out of the economy. Artificially unnecessary green goals are unfeasible without severe governmental intrusion. Of course, the rebates in question are being funded by taxpayers, so buyers are at best getting a little ahead at the expense of others. In New York, that’s considered a boom.
But that’s only part of the problem. More disturbingly, the state’s bribe will artificially accelerate purchases consumers had planned to make in the months ahead, setting us up for yet another sales dip soon. An Adrenaline shot is the most blatantly phony method available for initiating a momentary stimulus. Worst of all, they had to let the patient flatline first.
Anthony Bialy is a freelance writer and “Red Eye” Conservative in Western New York. He also writes columns for Smart Girl Nation. Follow Anthony on Twitter.