Cash For Clunkers, Housing Edition

Hand it to Democrats - they can find an excuse to spend money on everything in the name of "making our economy stronger" and "jumpstarting job creation." The latest is a $6 billion stimulus that has taxpayers shelling out cash for other individuals to buy "energy efficient" home upgrades.

Cash for caulkers would come on top of the stimulus, which included tax credits through 2010 equal to 30% of the cost of qualifying refrigerators, air conditioners, laundry machines and the rest of the 40,000 household and commercial products that carry the government's "Energy Star" label. Like cash for clunkers, in most states consumers are only eligible for the credit if they can prove their old appliances have been properly recycled.

In March, the Government Accountability Office concluded that the government does little to verify manufacturer claims and that most of its approvals are automatic for any company that applies. [Keep in mind that 80% of fake products were approved by the GAO.]

Ah, Obamanomics....