Right Hand, Meet Left Part II

SUV sales bounced back in December more so than more fuel efficient smaller cars. Of course the smug media blames "short memories." Translation: we're all stupid. Well, aside from the fact that maybe we just don't like or need small cars, we ain't as stupid as we seem...ya' see, there is this little provision of the tax code, placed there under the auspices of "economic stimulus," called a section 179 deduction that lets us get yummy tax avoidance goodies by buying...drum roll...SUVs and trucks! Didn't you see all those ads in the newspapers around the holidays telling you that time was running out to buy a big ole' truck and claim all the tax goodies for 2008? I did. In fact my mother-in-law went out and bought one. She wanted a sedan, but for a small businesswoman, the tax benefits are just too good to pass up, and many comfortable, non-behemoth SUVs qualify.

So, here's a suggestion for all the geniuses in the Great Sausage Factory - if you want people to buy more fuel-efficient vehicles, a good place to start would be to stop subsidizing the least fuel-efficent vehicles.