A Rasmussen Reports survey conducted in mid-June showed that 17% of Americans were Very Likely to take advantage of the “Cash for Clunkers” program. Another 18% said they were Somewhat Like to do so.

Despite the willingness of people to accept the money if it was available, 54% opposed the “Cash for Clunkers” proposal and just 35% were in favor the plan. Twelve percent (12%) were undecided.

The Cash for Clunkers plan was designed to encourage people to trade in old cars for new, more fuel-efficient models. At the time of the survey, Congress had just passed the legislation and sent it to President Obama for his signature. Since it has become available, the number of people signing up has greatly exceeded government estimates and the program has already reached its initial one billion dollar spending limit. The House of Representatives quickly approved an additional $2 billion for the program and the Senate is set to vote on it next week.

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Men like the program better than women and those under 30 are far more supportive than their elders.

Sixty-two percent (62%) of investors oppose the program. Government employees like it more than those who work in the private sector.

Fifty percent (50%) of all adults say the program should be limited to those who purchase cars made in America. Twenty-nine percent (29%) oppose any such limit, and 21% are not sure.

Rasmussen Reports polled twice on Cash for Clunkers with slightly different question wording and the differing results are informative.

In May, people were asked about a proposal to offer car owners up to $4,500 if they turn in their old vehicle and put the money toward an energy-saving replacement. No mention of the cost to the government was included. With that approach, 42% favored the plan and 34% were opposed.

However, the June survey noted that the plan might cost the government up to $4 billion. When the cost was mentioned, support for the plan fell by seven percentage points and opposition increased by 20 percentage points.

Despite the fact that most Americans oppose government spending on the Cash for Clunkers program, the political implications of the legislation are not clear. Many programs are generally opposed by a large number of people but passionately supported by the smaller number of people who directly benefit from it. Often, the passionate support from beneficiaries of government programs outweighs the overall public opposition.

Rasmussen Reports will be polling again on this topic in the coming days.

Other recent polling on the auto industry shows that 46% of Americans are more likely to buy a Ford because that company did not accept a government bailout. Ford is viewed favorably by 66% of Americans. General Motors and Chrysler have much lower ratings.

The federal government now has a huge ownership stake in both General Motors and Chrysler. Eighty percent (80%) of U.S. voters want the government to sell its stake in both companies as soon as possible.

Forty-one percent (41%) of Americans expect the quality of GM cars to get worse now that the government is in charge. Because of the government’s ownership stake in the automakers, most Americans (57%) believe it’s likely the government will pass laws and regulations giving those firms an unfair advantage over other car companies.

In January, 51% of Americans favored providing tax credits to individuals who purchase alternative fuel cars. Given a choice between a car recently developed that ran on an alternative fuel source and a traditional gas powered car, 49% said they would buy the alternative fuel vehicle. Thirty-four percent (34%) said they would opt for a traditionally fuelled car.

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