It wasn't that long ago that the so-called "Cash for Clunkers" program was being hailed by many as a rousing success (not, it should be noted, by this blog; see "Cash for the Clueless").  The program, under which a consumer could get up to a $4500 credit against the purchase of a new car by trading in an older, less fuel efficient one.  The initial phase of the program burned through its $1 billion appropriation in about a week, thus fueling a Congressional extension of another $2 billion.

The program had many fans; it was called "too successful" by AOL News and conservative commentator (and self-described beneficiary) Rich Galen, "phenomenally successful" by Congressman Bruce Braley (D-MI), "wildly successful" by Dashboard News and Marketwatch, and "widely successful" by ThinkProgress.   It was only considered "successful" without superlative by Reuters and CBS, but it was beyond House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's "wildest dreams".

Sound too good to be true?  Then you shouldn't be surprised that in practice, things that sound too good to be true.... are.  From the Associated Press comes an article that includes the following:

"Hundreds of auto dealers in the New York area have withdrawn from the government's Cash for Clunkers program, citing delays in getting reimbursed by the government, a dealership group said Wednesday. ...the group's dealers have been repaid for only about 2 percent of the clunkers deals they've made so far.

Many dealers have said they are worried they won't get repaid at all, while others have waited so long to get reimbursed they don't have the cash to fund any more rebates...

From Mark Schienberg of the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association:

"The program is a great program in the sense that it's creating a lot of floor traffic that a lot of dealers haven't seen in a long time...  But it's in the hands of this enormous bureaucracy and regulatory agency," he added. "If they don't get out of their own way, this program is going to be a huge failure."

Of course, the same people who can't administer a simple program like "Cash for Clunkers" can be trusted to efficiently and effectively administer our immense, complicated health care system, right?