SENATE BILL: Stimulating Efficient Automotive Sales Act (Passed)

[Napoleon]

The amendment is unfriendly.

[Napoleon]

Nappy, I would recommend posting something substantive about the bill as an advocacy so that I can withdraw my motion. Someone could still utilize it in "other ways", and we wouldn't want that to happen.

This is the President' proposal, so his advocacy will suffice. I will be happy to answer any questions or respond to any contributions.

[Napoleon]

Look, I am probably the greenest Senator right now and no one has done more to expand mass transit and ween Atlasia off of oil and the automobile than I have, but this bill can help out our manufacturing sector, help out young families (or anyone, really), and help get the more polluting cars off of our highways.

Look at Mexico City's pollution levels and look at the cars most popular there. We can't afford to have old, fuel inefficient vehicles sputtering around from an environmental perspective.

There are changes I would be willing to consider, mostly concerning the price tag.

[Napoleon]

If anything, I would like to lower the $8 billion. Do the math on that one.

[Napoleon]

Is a $500 rebate really necessary for a bicycle? Maybe the bike prices have jumped since I last bought one, but I feel like my bike might have cost me $300 max. I admit it's not really a racing bike or anything, but it gets the job done if I'm just wanting to bike across town. I'm not really a fan of covering the full price of a bicyle (and, in some cases, giving the buyers a profit).

I agree. This is just subsidizing yuppies giving bikes to their kids for Christmas and corporate welfare to the bicycle industry.

How am I supposed to know if these bikes do anything more than sit in the garage all day while the owner is driving his Hummer around town?

[Napoleon]

One thing you guys might be missing is that there aren't a lot of cars out there on the roads that get less than 17mpg in the case of sedans and 14mpg in the case of SUV's and trucks. Especially the sedans. I suspect most get a higher mileage than that.

That's why the $8 billion price tag is too high. It needs to be one, two max.

[Napoleon]

I was the last President to sign a budget.

[Napoleon]

I was the last President to sign a budget.

Ah, okay. Was it Polnut's presented budget that got carried over into your term and you ended up signing it? That's the only reason I can think of for why I would've thought it was his... otherwise I'm just totally screwed up.

That's right. Half of my first term was wasted because the budget was stuck in the executive slot and I couldn't pursue my agenda quickly enough. The budget we ended up with was nothing similar to what President Polnut had proposed, though.

[Napoleon]

Um, hostile. I'd like to work with Matt and the President on fine tuning the amendment before accepting.

[Napoleon]

I will be offering my own amendment in an hour or two, in corporating a lot of what we have already discussed.

[Napoleon]

Stimulating Efficient Automotive Sales Act

Section 1: Rebates

1. An optional rebate of $2,500-$3,000 shall be given to consumers who purchase a compact automobile (car) with a rating of at least 37 miles to the gallon or more.

2. An optional rebate of $1,500-$2,000 shall be given to consumers who purchase a Sport Utility Vehicle or truck with a rating of at least 30 miles to the gallon or more.

3. An optional rebate of $50-$75 shall be given to consumers who purchase a bicycle for commute purposes.  An optional rebate of $400 shall be given to consumers who purchase a moped.
 
4. The total amount of the rebate shall be determined by the amount of gas mileage to the gallon.

5. A total of $2 billion shall be appropriated to this program.

6. This program shall come to an end eight months after being signed into law, or the depletion of the funds appropriated, whichever first occurs.

Section 2: Eligibility

1. To qualify for the rebate outlined in Section 1, Clause 1, the consumer must have a car that is a model manufactured at least ten years ago, and has been estimated by the EPA to travel 17 miles to the gallon.

2. To qualify for the rebate outlined in Section 1, Clause 2, the consumer must have a Sport Utility Vehicle or truck that is a model manufactured at least ten years ago, and has been estimated by the EPA to travel 14 miles to the gallon.

This is what I offer as the amended bill.

[Napoleon]

Onl the first amendmEnt offered is deemed friendly.

[Napoleon]

49 is friendly.

[Napoleon]

Nay

[Napoleon]

Unfriendly.

[Napoleon]

Nay

[Napoleon]

Aye