Video: No Clunkers to Crash

| Thu Nov. 12, 2009 3:15 PM PST

The Daily Show has a typically insightful piece on the most often ignored rule in Washington: the law of unintended consequences. The well meaning Cash for Clunkers program has upset a very unlikely constituency, demolition derby enthusiasts. Unlike vintage auto collectors, who succeed in negotiating an exemption for gas guzzlers over 25 years old, the massive cars favored by demolition derby drivers were the primary target of the car buyers' tax rebate.

First, intrepid Daily Show corespondent Josh Gad climbs into the passenger seat of one of these increasingly rarer vehicles to get the perspective of derby car industry. Gad then travels to the capital to ask Austan Goolsbee, the normally good-humored member of President Obama's Council of Economic Advisers, if he knows "how hard it is to find a piece of s*** American car right now." Goolsbee was not amused.

While Gad hilariously overplays the grievances of derby drivers, their complaints can now be added to the buyers' remorse environmentalists and deficit hawks have had for the ill-advised Cash for Clunkers program.

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Corbin Hiar is Mother Jones’ DC intern. For more of his stories, click here. He is also on Twitter.

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Comments

Not one of the Daily Show's

Not one of the Daily Show's better clips. Goolsbee didn't come off that badly either. I think Corbin, you shot your wad a bit early on this one.

This cracked me up when it

This cracked me up when it came out... What also is funny is that hacks shows such as this are still on air. Wait... thats not funny - thats, to quote John Stewart... "BAD..." And honestly, the only reason why these "bad" shows are still on because people watch them. Stop watching both left and right leaning shows. Please - for me... The unnamed guy on the internet.

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