I think this issue is more pertinent to the conflict between ideology and practically than it is to Mr. Kelly's ethics or qualification to hold office.

I'll grant Mr. Kelly, and others posting here, the right to oppose the Cash for Clunkers program on ideological grounds; that is, it extended the reach of government into a market where they have little right to interfere. In this regard, I don't have any problem with Mr. Kelly's position.

However, it's another thing entirely to say the program didn't work. If Mr. Kelly saw fit to operate his business under the assumption that the Cash for Clunkers program would benefit him and his employees (and consequently the local economy), then it would be dishonest for Kelly, as a political candidate, to criticize Cash for Clunkers as ineffective.

It's a fine line, and probably irrelevant in a world where most politicians (and voters) prefer painting issues with absurdly broad brushes. But I think it would do our community, and our country, a lot of good to recognize the fact that economically successful programs can be ideological failures, and vice versa.