Michelle Malkin » A capital idea! UPDATE–video added of the “Barney Frank SUV Buyback bill”

A capital idea! UPDATE–video added of the “Barney Frank SUV Buyback bill”

By see-dubya • July 7, 2008 04:03 AM

Mrs. See-Dub likes to watch the WSJ editorial board go at it on Fox News, and she mentioned to me that Dan Henninger had an especially good point. I don’t see a transcript of the show up on the archive, so I’m paraphrasing this and you’re getting it third hand.

Henninger wanted to know why, if we’re bailing out people who made bad decisions about a home mortgage, then there’s no reason to extend the same bailout consideration to other people who made a similarly bad investment–specifically, to SUV owners.

Why shouldn’t we bail out SUV owners? They knew their cars were gas guzzlers, but had no idea gas was going to be so expensive today back when they bought their cars. Hey, I got one back when gas was eighty-nine cents a gallon. But suddenly, I’m paying $4.45 a gallon to keep it running.

Mine’s paid off, but I’m still enduring an economic hardship because of a choice I made. Where’s my bailout? I’m a victim!!!!

Of course, Henninger’s remarks were tongue-in-cheek, as was mine. You drive your car, you takes your chances.

But in a bailout culture, how can you argue against that line of reasoning? How is an adverse decision about a car different from one about a house? Don’t both require the nanny state to intervene and insulate consumers from any consequences of their choices?

I hope Henninger turns that remark into a column, because that’s a winner.

UPDATE:

Blogger Lifetrek at Right of the Star was kind enough to Redlasso the Henninger clip. Let me see if I can embed it, ’cause it’s a hoot:

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{Post by See-Dubya}

Posted in: Subprime crisis

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#1

On July 7th, 2008 at 5:03 am, LifeTrek said:

See-dubya, I grabbed the clip from RedLasso here.
David
#2

On July 7th, 2008 at 5:40 am, Uplander said:

I bought a house before I retired. Now that I’m on a fixed income maybe I should be bailed out too. I feel victimhood approaching.
Ouch, I bit my tongue while I had it in my cheek.
#3

On July 7th, 2008 at 6:19 am, Blind_Mule said:

I saw this to and laughed all the way thru it, but he makes a great point, my sister in law and I where talking about this yesterday, they bought a small motor home in 2000 and can’t go anywhere because of gas prices so why stop at suvs, lots of people bought these second homes for the road and can’t use them, so fair is fair if your going to bail out homeowners you have to bail out vehicle owners also. Oh the hypocrisy.
#4

On July 7th, 2008 at 6:24 am, On-my-soap-box said:

I think we should also take care of the people who do not change the oil in the vehicles or do maintenance and have car troubles. This it!

And if they do not take care of their teeth, we should make sure we get them new chompers. Yup.

And, and if they can’t get TV from their antenna, we should pay to make sure they can still get TV.

Sounds a lot like socialism to me.
#5

On July 7th, 2008 at 6:36 am, Rob said:

My big German Shepherd eats more than my neighbor’s little Pomeranian, and that just isn’t fair. When I got the dog she was very tiny and cute and really didn’t eat that much. How was I supposed to know that she would grow so big? I could sure use some help with this expense… If we could get some government assistance then we could breed her and have some puppies! Puppies are soooo tiny and cute and really don’t eat that much…
#6

On July 7th, 2008 at 6:45 am, Blind_Mule said:

My natural gas bill has increased, if I would have known that was going to bappen I would have bought an electric water heater and furnace, so where is my bail out?
#7

On July 7th, 2008 at 6:46 am, Blind_Mule said:

Rob said:
My big German Shepherd eats more than my neighbor’s little Pomeranian, and that just isn’t fair. When I got the dog she was very tiny and cute and really didn’t eat that much.
#8

On July 7th, 2008 at 7:03 am, CO of Fort Housewife said:

And, and if they can’t get TV from their antenna, we should pay to make sure they can still get TV.

Actually, soap, there is a government coupon program where people can get $40 (I believe) off of the box needed to convert their TV to digital. For some reason, I keep seeing commercials for that. I don’t have TiVo…can I get a little help from the governement too?
#9

On July 7th, 2008 at 7:04 am, zorro said:

Victim-hood. Which amendment of the Constitution allows for this sort of Federal Government intervention?
#10

On July 7th, 2008 at 7:17 am, On-my-soap-box said:

I’m holding 10,000 shares of NYT stock. Where is my bail-out?
#11

On July 7th, 2008 at 8:00 am, JDinTX said:

This is all a continuation of the welfare state that the U.S. has created. Pretty soon we will all be on welfare due to the government handouts. Who is going to be giving money (taxes) to the government when nobody is taking personal responsibility and getting handouts for all their bad choices? Let’s follow the Bible - If you don’t work, you don’t eat.
#12

On July 7th, 2008 at 8:45 am, RhymesWithRight said:

How about a Congressional bailout for those with high amounts of credit card debt?
#13

On July 7th, 2008 at 9:08 am, Die Hippie, Die said:

Mine’s paid off, but I’m still enduring an economic hardship because of a choice I made. Where’s my bailout? I’m a victim!!!!

No, no, no. On this site you’re an avaricious fool “who bought more car than you could afford.”

Still…no bailout for you! Next!
#14

On July 7th, 2008 at 9:35 am, BlameAmericaLast said:

Oh, but you see, the Dems want to nationalize the gas/oil industry. That’s why they haven’t bailed out SUV owners yet. They figure if they can control that industry, prices will come down.

They are looking out for us!
#15

On July 7th, 2008 at 9:51 am, mchristian said:

On-my-soap-box said:
I’m holding 10,000 shares of NYT stock. Where is my bail-out?

Sorry, no bail out. But, just in case you forget, first you breathe in, then you breathe out. Repeat as often as necessary.
#16

On July 7th, 2008 at 10:51 am, Fat Jolly Penguin said:

My dad just came up with a fantastic idea. How about a bailout for people who buy an SUV today?
#17

On July 7th, 2008 at 10:56 am, Fat Jolly Penguin said:

Or for people who want to buy more than one?
#18

On July 7th, 2008 at 11:14 am, swmbo said:

My cat has diabetes, he gets two injections a day, can he go on Public Assistance so I can afford his meds?
#19

On July 7th, 2008 at 11:39 am, Die Hippie, Die said:

On July 7th, 2008 at 11:14 am, swmbo said:
My cat has diabetes, he gets two injections a day, can he go on Public Assistance so I can afford his meds?

If your kitty is under 25, D’ohbama will cover him under SCHIP.
#20

On July 7th, 2008 at 11:58 am, swmbo said:

Would that be cat years or people years?

He is a 10 year old (cat years) sweetie.
#21

On July 7th, 2008 at 12:11 pm, GJCorby said:

How about a bail out for my V-8 Mustang GT? I’m a of victim of high gas prices too. I deserve some of those Government hand outs, gimme mine.
#22

On July 7th, 2008 at 12:29 pm, Die Hippie, Die said:

On July 7th, 2008 at 11:58 am, swmbo said:
Would that be cat years or people years?

Frankly, I’m more concerned about your insurance coverage. Anyone sticking a needle into a cat twice a day should have solid dismemberment and reconstructive surgery coverage.
#23

On July 7th, 2008 at 12:30 pm, DagneyT said:

OMG, folks! Let’s not give the DC moonbats any more bad ideas! Every time they try to fix something, it ends up worse than it was. They already hold a patent on “unintended consequences”!
#24

On July 7th, 2008 at 12:54 pm, swmbo said:

Die Hippie, Die, I felt the same way when he was diagnosed, cause he has BIG teeth. You just lift the scruff at the back of the neck and, being careful not to go all the way thru, you inject and he doesn’t even know he had a shot. Funny thing is, when I yell medicine time, he comes running. Think he knows it is what is making him feel better.
#25

On July 7th, 2008 at 12:57 pm, swmbo said:

I meant all the way thru so that it shoots out the other side of the scruff. Being a needlephobe, when he was diagnosed, I said , Oh Oh, Dead Kitty Alert.
#26

On July 7th, 2008 at 1:38 pm, AlohaGuy said:

My big German Shepherd eats more than my neighbor’s little Pomeranian, and that just isn’t fair.

Feed her the Pomeranian. She gets a good meal and Pam Anderson has a heart attack.
#27

On July 7th, 2008 at 5:03 pm, Fat Jolly Penguin said:

On July 7th, 2008 at 12:30 pm, DagneyT said:

OMG, folks! Let’s not give the DC moonbats any more bad ideas! Every time they try to fix something, it ends up worse than it was. They already hold a patent on “unintended consequences”!

‘Twas a joke. Unfortunately, you’re right. Someone would run with this.
#28

On July 7th, 2008 at 7:21 pm, starlightwoman said:

Ronald Reagan once sais something like: “The most terrifying words in the English langauge are: I’m from the government and I’m here to help”.
#29

On July 14th, 2008 at 10:51 am, Cosmo said:

Dear U.S. Government Bailout Acolytes:

It’s a backpack, not a parachute.

Regards,
The Nose on Your Face