Buy a car? Congrats, you're rich

We still so often hear about Bush's famed "tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans." I'm wondering why I'm not hearing anything so far about Obama's tax cut for the wealthiest Americans. I'm referring, of course, to the Cash for Clunkers program.

This economy is causing my family to be very careful about money. Some weeks, work seems normal enough, but other weeks I start getting that worried look wondering if this is it ... financial ruin. There is no way I would buy a new car right now. Granted, I'm not much of one for new cars anyway, thinking that those buyers only serve the function of providing the rest of us less-fashionable people with good used cars in the future.

Not only is this buying aversion motivated by a sensible caution but it's also safe to say that I can't afford it. Another $500 or more a month in bills? No, thank you.

So who are buying new cars now? People with no worries ... people with disposable money ... the rich. No, I don't want to hear your protests. No one thinks they're rich. Not even the rich think they're rich enough. If you're buying a new car - now - you're rich. Be happy. You're doing well.

But why is there no public outcry? We are handing financially secure people tons of our taxpayer dollars in this tough economy. What about tax relief for the rest of us?

Isn't it funny how with this administration, when they return tax funds to the people and those very same people run out and spend it and stimulate an industry, this is a good thing? But any time we talk about genuine tax cuts it's maligned? If we all had to pay less, wouldn't we all have more to spend?

Stefanie Wilson

Addison