Cash for Clunkers: Did it Help, or Make Things Worse for Auto Companies?

I'm sure many of you have heard of, if not benefited from, the Cash for Clunkers deal that was in progress a short time ago. It seemed like a great idea to help the environment and auto companies at the same time, as well as get the economy going again. However, many car dealerships have suffered tremendous loss from a "cash for clunkers hangover". Car sales have declined as a result of cash for clunkers. Economists say that it was to be expected for car sales to return to "normal" post-cash for clunkers, while others struggle to find out why this is so. Even Japanese firms saw their sales decline.