Talk about the thing that wouldn’t die. After recently beating down one effort to push a government “Cash for Clunkers” program, SEMA is now up against it again fighting a program that some law makers are trying to stick in the economic stimulus package that Congress is kicking around.

Obviously we see red every time we hear of such nonsense and the fact that the program is insanely misguided makes us even angrier.

The basic foundation that this program tries to stand on is the logic that if people are given tax credits for ditching their old cars than they will buy brand new cars from the manufacturers and boost their business. Our question is that if said person is driving around in an old “clunker,” where is the cash going to come from for them to afford a new car? It’s not like the banks are loaning any of the bazillions of dollars they have been given.

Like SEMA we agree that any pile of junk that is belching inordinate amounts of pollution into the atmosphere needs to be dealt with, plain and simple. The perception that all old cars are “gross polluters” is wrongheaded and speaks to the ignorance of lawmakers.

SEMA has it sleeves rolled up for this fight and we’re standing behind them with the brass knuckles on.

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again. Thank God for SEMA.