http://cache.jalopnik.com/assets/base/img/thumbs140x140/jalopnik.com.png http://jalopnik.com/tag/government http://jalopnik.com/tag/government Do people always tell you that you look "just like" someone else they know? Do you live and drive in Massachusetts? If yes and yes, then you might be in danger of losing your driving privileges, just like John H. Gass did. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5822437&view=rss&microfeed=true

Confused by the new letter grades on EPA window stickers? So are 53 members of the U.S. House of Representatives who've signed this cogently-worded letter to the EPA pushing it to ditch its silly system. Somehow, wethinks it'll still happen. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5710662&view=rss&microfeed=true

...and there's no one around to hear it, does it make a sound warp space-time? Inquiring minds want to know. Here's the answer, from a man who watched it happen. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5586162&view=rss&microfeed=true

From a design standpoint, the American license plate is a mess — some states' efforts are simple and appealing, but others are visual disasters. Ken Carbone of Fast Company commissioned a few designs he thinks'll clean things up. —Ed. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5557168&view=rss&microfeed=true

Thirty-five years ago, the U.S. government built a fleet of cars that were safer than anything on the road. Twenty-five years ago, the government shredded them in secret. Two escaped the crusher. This is their story. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5549518&view=rss&microfeed=true

A new non-profit study, "Automobiles on Steroids: Product Attribute Trade-Offs and Technological Progress in the Automobile Sector," criticizes all automakers over lower fuel economy due to higher power and vehicular weight gains since 1980. It's a complete load of crap. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5404067&view=rss&microfeed=true

Glenn Beck sounded the wing-nut alarm after sharing disclaimer text from Cars.gov, the official Cash For Clunkers website, claiming the government's taking over computers. It's not true, but it does make us wonder what files are on Beck's laptop. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5330663&view=rss&microfeed=true

The U.S. House narrowly passed the scaled-back version of the "Cash For Clunkers" bill giving consumers cash vouchers of between $3,500 and $4,500 if they trade in their cars for newer vehicles. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5293752&view=rss&microfeed=true

The U.S. Department of Treasury today announced a tax deduction for the purchase of new motor vehicles is available in states that don't have a sales tax. The deduction's limited to fees or taxes paid up to $49,500. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5287140&view=rss&microfeed=true The U.S. House could vote on the "Cash For Clunkers" bill today. [WILX] More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5284457&view=rss&microfeed=true U.S. Supreme Court delays sale of Chrysler to Fiat. [Freep] More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5283492&view=rss&microfeed=true Decision from Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Supreme Court on Chrysler-Fiat deal today. [Freep] More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5282872&view=rss&microfeed=true Lawmaker wants mileage-based tax on vehicles. [Detroit News] More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5232666&view=rss&microfeed=true Chrysler Financial refuses $750 million federal loan due to limits on pay. [WashingtonPost] More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5221233&view=rss&microfeed=true

Seems the US Government is looking to get more than IOU's when it shovels money at Detroit. The General Services Administration plans to buy $285 million in vehicles from Chrysler, Ford, and GM. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5206781&view=rss&microfeed=true

A Detroit legislator is trying for the second time to put a stop to texting while driving in Michigan, pursuing legislation levying a misdemeanor and hefty fine on perpetrators. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5177428&view=rss&microfeed=true GM won't need $2 billion of your tax dollars. [CNBC] More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5168774&view=rss&microfeed=true "Please give us more money." [Marketplace] More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5161115&view=rss&microfeed=true One-fourth of Americans support aid for automakers. [USA Today] More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5161067&view=rss&microfeed=true

In tonight's mini-State of the Union, President Obama said the "nation that invented the automobile cannot walk away from it." One problem. We didn't. That would be Karl Benz, in Mannheim, Germany. Just sayin'... [NYT] More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5159895&view=rss&microfeed=true

Wouldn't you just love to be a fly on the White House auto task force wall. We know we would. What do you suppose they're saying in there? [CNBC] More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5157474&view=rss&microfeed=true

Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick said yesterday he's looking at what's being termed a "Hummer tax" — basically, higher registration fees for larger vehicles and discounts for those that do "less harm" to the environment. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5156417&view=rss&microfeed=true

In 2008, China was devastated by an 8.0-magnitude earthquake causing an estimated 87,000 casualties. One trillion yuan (about $146 billion) was given for rebuilding, but some claim the money was used for luxury goods. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5144974&view=rss&microfeed=true

Want a tax break? Buy a new hybrid, right? Wrong. A Senate amendment added to the House stimulus package offers tax breaks on purchase of practically any new vehicle under $50,000. If it passes. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5146133&view=rss&microfeed=true

Most interest in the 2011 Chevy Volt has until now been directed at the battery and drivetrain. Now GM is looking to work with communities to make sure they're ready with plug-in power. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5145277&view=rss&microfeed=true REPORT: Ford may need government help by Fall 2009. [CNBC] More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5144306&view=rss&microfeed=true

Buyers of the 2010 Fusion Hybrid or Mercury Milan Hybrid will qualify for a $3,400 tax credit, the highest credit ever offered for hybrids purchased or placed in service after December 31, 2005. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5141291&view=rss&microfeed=true

Senate Finance Committee markup of President Obama's stimulus package added a proposal modifying the plug-in electric car credit by doubling automaker vehicle limitations, upping the max credit to $15,000 and cutting low-speed vehicle credits. [GreenCarCongress] More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5140904&view=rss&microfeed=true

As President Obama today addressed his desire for the fuel-efficient cars of the future to be built here, the following news flash shot across the bottom of the screen. Ironic? A bit, yes. [CNBC] More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5139286&view=rss&microfeed=true

President Obama plans to remove federal opposition to statewide automobile emissions standards today, allowing California and other states to regulate emissions above-and-beyond federal guidelines and possibly putting political expediency above good public policy. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5139003&view=rss&microfeed=true

Washington politicians, drunk with power from the inauguration of The One, want to offer you cash to take your clunker off the road to buy a new greener car. Worst idea ever. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5135626&view=rss&microfeed=true Clueless hack tapped to be Obama's Transportation Czar. [BoingBoing] More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5133687&view=rss&microfeed=true Report: Ford, U.S. Treasury in talks on TARP financing. [Reuters] More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5133234&view=rss&microfeed=true

The Carpocalypse draws nigh after Senate Republicans lanced last night's bailout. In response, the White House now says "all options are on the table" and Toyota's scared after its stock drops 10%. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5108267&view=rss&microfeed=true

More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5101797&view=rss&microfeed=true

We spent the night reading the the not-so-Big Three's business plans presented yesterday to Congress and after we graded them below, we've one huge question. Given the Carpocalypse, what's with the overwhelmingly optimistic sales projections for the next three years? More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5101330&view=rss&microfeed=true

Well, Hoon by name if not by nature. Geoff Hoon, former Secretary of State for Defense, was appointed the United Kingdom’s Secretary Of State For Transport back in October. Could this be a good thing? Surely anyone named Hoon can’t be all evil, right? More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5098624&view=rss&microfeed=true

One of the biggest problems we've had with the request U.S. automakers have made for financial assistance from the Feds to avoid bankruptcy has been a lack of centralized message. The General's apparently trying to change that, this by heading to YouTube by way of their GMFactsandFiction website. The video, titled "The U.S. Auto Industry and the Ripple Effect," aims to make the case for the Feds to "Save GM." For starters, they're claiming one out of every 10 people in America is employed in a service related to the auto industry. If that number's correct, (which we think may be a little bit exaggerated — but not by much) nearly three million jobs would be lost in the first year after the collapse of the U.S. auto industry, with another 2.5 million to follow over the next two years. In addition, they're claiming personal income in the United States would drop by more than $150.7 billion in the first year with the cost to local, state and federal governments hitting a staggering $156.4 billion over three years in lost taxes plus unemployment and health care assistance. Hit the jump to see the video and to read the rest of the talking points. We're still waiting for the talking heads to advocate buying Save GM t-shirts. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5090436&view=rss&microfeed=true

It's no surprise people are driving less because of the financiapocalypse, leaving the US Department of Transportation rightly worried the Federal Highway Trust Fund could continue to dry up. The solution? A study, of course. We've found a federally-funded study at the University of Iowa looking to fit GPS tracking units onto participant's cars to determine if a pay-per-mile system would be more feasible than the current gas tax. Here's the fun part — if you live in one of the six test cities and you're chosen to participate in the eight-month study, you'll receive $895. Sounds like reasonable compensation for letting Big Brother know your every move. And hey, we can all use the dough at the moment, can't we? Hit the jump to see if you qualify. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5084234&view=rss&microfeed=true

Senator Larry Craig (R-Bathroom Fondling) was the member with the balls to grandstand in front of the open Senate in pursuit of relaxing the congressional ban on offshore drilling ban on some coastal areas. From every other distinguished member of the Senate, this wouldn't be funny. But then again, not every other member of the Senate have been busted trying to allegedly fool around in the men's room. [CrooksandLiars] More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=398798&view=rss&microfeed=true