While We’re At It, Your Fridge Is Also a Piece of Junk
• ProPublicaNot content to put you in a new car, the government wants you to think about a new washing machine and fridge, too. BusinessWeek reports that the Department of Energy will use stimulus cash to offer rebates of up to $200 for the purchase of high-efficiency household appliances. (You don’t need to turn in your old one.) The department has up to $300 million to spend on the program, which only covers appliances with an Energy Star seal. According to BusinessWeek, the industry could use the help: Shipments of washers, dryers, refrigerators and ovens fell by 10 percent in 2008. Stock analysts warn that two stimulus programs are distorting market signals for cars and homes, creating artificial boosts in demand that aren’t sustainable, reports CNN Money. Only when the “cash for clunkers” program ends later today will the true state of the auto industry be apparent again, said one analyst. Similarly, the government’s program providing tax credits for home purchases obscures the fact that “