SENATE BILL: Stimulating Efficient Automotive Sales Act (Passed)

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

Stimulating Efficient Automotive Sales Act

Section 1: Rebates

1. An optional rebate of $4500-$5000 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 $3500-$4000 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. The total amount of the rebate shall be determined by the amount of gas mileage to the gallon.

4. A total of $8 billion shall be appropriated to this program.

5. 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.

Sponsor: Napoleon on behalf of Marokai and myself

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

The sponsor has of course 24 hours to advocate for this.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Ah Senator Napoleon, there is less than two hours remaining before I am obligated to file a motion to table this.

[Marokai Backbeat]

The car industry is probably one industry in Atlasia that is weakest in comparison to our real life counterparts, which is sort of amusing. We gave the automotive industry a bare-bones lifeline, and virtually no stimulus, and as such I think it's a pretty easy target for an overall economic booster shot.

This particular proposal is a dramatically more compromised version than any other Cash for Clunkers-esque program introduced here in the past, but it would still have a very positive effect on the automotive industry and related sectors. Purple State wrote a bit on the idea long long ago, but considering the more restrictive nature of this proposal I think it would be prudent to get the GM involved to evaluate the overall state of the auto industry and the potential benefits this rebate program would incur. I'll PM him right now, in fact!

In the meantime, though, while the Atlasian economy has been improving at a very slow and steady pace, it's been a little too slow of a recovery. Considering the state of our manufacturing, this absolutely deserves a listen. In the meantime, be patient for old Griffin.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Time doesn't wait for me, it keeps on rolling. So long on a distant highway...

yea! Boston!!!

Don't worry though, I highly doubt a second will be forthcomming provided Nappy actually responds at some point.

While Marokai's post is tempting me to consider exempting my policy, it the actually requirement for "substantive advocation" is a means to an end, rather than the end in itself. It kind is efficient to have the sponsor available, like to respond to Amendments and such, hence the policy.

Twenty minutes is a long time though. So keep your fingers crossed.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

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Sponsor Feeback: Unknown
Status: Feedback needed and/or 24 hour debate time expiration.

[Sopranos Republican]

Question, is the $8 billion from a section of our budget, or is this additional spending?

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

I really hate this, really, really, really hate this.


Motion to Table


And don't you dare hijack this Nix, or I will withdraw it as you well know.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Is Boston going to be playing on the radio, everytime I post in this thread or something?

Rock-n-Roll Band started just as I was finishing up that previous post.

[Napoleon]

The amendment is unfriendly.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

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Sponsor Feeback: Hostile
Status: 24 hour minimum debate rule triggered. We are hitting this all over today.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

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.

[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.

[Marokai Backbeat]

I'm a bit puzzled at why we're questioning the merits of federal assistance to the automotive industry after the real-world events of the last few years.

Anyway, while I sympathize to a certain extent with not wanting to encourage a wasteful car culture, we are not a modestly sized nation packed within northwestern Europe; much of this country simply needs an automobile to meet their responsibilities. So long as that's the case, I don't see the harm in a program like this, which only allows rebates on new car purchases that have a roughly 40% higher MPG rating than the current average.

Perhaps it's just because I've always lived in the middle of nowhere all of my life, but, we need to remember that much of the country doesn't live in your pretty boy big cities.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

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.

Keep in mind that the purpose for the policy is provoke the presence of the sponsor so that he is available for all my procedural crap that requires his presence. As a secondary considerign, it is really helpful to have him around to discuss the merits, as well.  It was derived because I got tired of people like Libertas, Barnes, Officepark and some others who would offer a bill and then vanish.

Motion withdrawn.

[Marokai Backbeat]

The thing is, this is designed after the cash for clunker's program, which is a trade in program. It's a net zero increase in the amount of cars being driven, it just trades in older, much less efficient cars, for newer, more efficient ones. I suppose this bill could be more explicit about that fact, but it's not a blanket rebate program to increase the amount of cars on the road, it's just means to replace older ones, and stimulate the auto industry and affiliated jobs while doing so.

[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.

[Sopranos Republican]

Owning a bicycle or moped in place of a car, is simply not an option for many people. The best most of us can do, is try to buy the most fuel efficient automobile we can afford. Until we have a real breakthrough in electric cars or alternative energy, the vast majority of Atlasians will rely on gasoline fueled automobiles, and petroleum. The best we can do is try to promote a greener country, and try to help alternative energy come along.

[HagridOfTheDeep]

This amendment will turn the bill into something it was never meant to be. Now, I'll hold off on declaring my full support for the bill as is because I'm not too sure on the costs, but I like the idea of incentiving the purchase of fuel efficient cars. I'd rather use a carrot than a stick when it comes to making Atlasia greener.

[Sopranos Republican]

Stimulating Efficient Automotive Sales Act

Section 1: Rebates

1. An optional rebate of $4500-$5000 $1,500-$2,000 shall be given to consumers who purchase a compact automobile (car) with a rating of at least 37 miles to the gallon or more. An optional rebate of $500 shall be given to consumers who purchase a bicycle or moped.

2. An optional rebate of $3500-$4000 of $1,000-$1,250 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. The total amount of the rebate shall be determined by the amount of gas mileage to the gallon.

4. A total of $8 $3 billion shall be appropriated to this program.

5. 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.
I am introducing this amendment, as I believe both those who buy a greener automobile, or bicycle and moped, should be included if we are going to do this program.

[Sbane]

I support this bill and I support including bikes and mopeds in as well. I also think we should keep the higher rebates, Matt.

Some are arguing that this will help automobile companies, but that is precisely the point. I understand that many times driving an older car is better for the environment, but this bill only gives you a rebate if you had a gas guzzling car.

[Sopranos Republican]

I support this bill and I support including bikes and mopeds in as well. I also think we should keep the higher rebates, Matt.

Some are arguing that this will help automobile companies, but that is precisely the point. I understand that many times driving an older car is better for the environment, but this bill only gives you a rebate if you had a gas guzzling car.

If we make the rebates a bit lower, we may be able to make that $8  billion last longer, and be able to reach more with this program, and also if we add the bikes and mopeds, we may need to make room somewhere.

[Napoleon]

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

[HagridOfTheDeep]

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).

[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?