I saw a parking lot full of decent looking used cars today, all of them marked for destruction through the Cash for Clunkers program, and I had to get this off my chest, even if the program is over.

There are so many people in this country whose lives and prospects are limited because they don’t have a car.

Having a car is life transforming. It’s a ticket to a job.  Or a better job.  Or school. Or medical care. But this program encouraged us to landfill these perfectly serviceable, aging vehicles in exchange for new, marginally more “fuel efficient” cars (not to mention five years of new debt).

I don’t begrudge anyonewho took advantage of the program. We all need to buy cars now and again. But I take great exception to a policy that told us it was perfectly OK to just throw something out that someone else needs so desperately.

There. I feel better now. Sort of.