On the heels of  the unsuccessful Cash for Clunkers program, the federal government announced plans about a month ago for a Dollars for Dishwashers program – redistributing (still more) tax dollars to consumers to upgrade their home appliances to energy-efficient products.


Only… those products aren’t necessarily so efficient.


From The New York Times:



The Energy Department has concluded in an internal audit that it does not properly track whether manufacturers that give their appliances an Energy Star label have met the required specifications for energy efficiency.


Some manufacturers could therefore be putting the stickers on unqualified products, according to the audit, by the Energy Department’s inspector general, Gregory H. Friedman.


Despite this “minor” flaw, the program is still expected to proceed as scheduled.


Weird – the government took from Peter to pay Paul… but didn’t verify Paul was telling the truth. Yet Paul still gets a handout.