If a “clunker” travels 12,000 miles in a year at 15 MPG, it uses 800 gallons of gas. A “newer” vehicle that travels 12,000 miles in a year at 25 MPG uses just 480 gallons of gas. Therefore, an average “Cash for Clunker” transaction will reduce gasoline consumption by 320 gallons in one year.

Assume $2.50 per gallon, each trade for “clunkers” will save 320 gallons at $2.50 per gallon, or $800 per year for each clunker transaction. Government records indicate 700,000 transactions were completed under the “Cash for Clunkers” program at a cost of about $3 billion. This results in a cost per “Clunker” of $4,285.71 in order to save $800 in the cost of gas.

Therefore, this was a windfall for the 47 percent of the public that pay no income tax to support administration policies. However, for the 53 percent who pay the cost of government, every $1 saved cost each taxpayer $5.36.

Compared with the costs for postal and train service, “Cash for Clunkers” was a bargain. But I’m pretty sure that the government will do a great job with ObamaCare Health Services.

AL OLIVER 

Coeur d’Alene