Posted on 05/19/2009 10:29:47 AM PDT by American Dream 246
My name is George C. Joseph. I am the sole owner of Sunshine Dodge-Isuzu, a family owned and operated business in Melbourne, Florida. My family bought and paid for this automobile franchise 35 years ago in 1974. I am the second generation to manage this business.
We currently employ 50+ people and before the economic slowdown we employed over 70 local people. We are active in the community and the local chamber of commerce. We deal with several dozen local vendors on a day to day basis and many more during a month. All depend on our business for part of their livelihood. We are financially strong with great respect in the market place and community. We have strong local presence and stability.
I work every day the store is open, nine to ten hours a day. I know most of our customers and all our employees. Sunshine Dodge is my life.
On Thursday, May 14, 2009 I was notified that my Dodge franchise, that we purchased, will be taken away from my family on June 9, 2009 without compensation and given to another dealer at no cost to them. My new vehicle inventory consists of 125 vehicles with a financed balance of 3 million dollars. This inventory becomes impossible to sell with no factory incentives beyond June 9, 2009. Without the Dodge franchise we can no longer sell a new Dodge as "new," nor will we be able to do any warranty service work. Additionally, my Dodge parts inventory, (approximately $300,000.) is virtually worthless without the ability to perform warranty service. There is no offer from Chrysler to buy back the vehicles or parts inventory.
Our facility was recently totally renovated at Chrysler's insistence, incurring a multi-million dollar debt in the form of a mortgage at Sun Trust Bank.
HOW IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA CAN THIS HAPPEN?
THIS IS A PRIVATE BUSINESS NOT A GOVERNMENT ENTITY
This is beyond imagination! My business is being stolen from me through NO FAULT OF OUR OWN. We did NOTHING wrong.
This atrocity will most likely force my family into bankruptcy. This will also cause our 50+ employees to be unemployed. How will they provide for their families? This is a total economic disaster.
HOW CAN THIS HAPPEN IN A FREE MARKET ECONOMY IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA?
I beseech your help, and look forward to your reply. Thank you.
Sincerely,
George C. Joseph President & Owner Sunshine Dodge-Isuzu
“How can this happen in America?”
The American people put a communist dictator into office on nov. 4th and he’s living up to his ideology.
Sir: He doesn’t give a shit about you, your family, business or employees. He wants to wreck our economy to make it into a third world shithole like the ones he used to live in or visit.
He’s anti-capitalism, anti-worker, anti-family, anti-God, and anti-American.
Hope this answers your question. God help us because Obama and his marxist minions won’t.
PS: I own a Chrysler Town & Country LXI Minivan - 176,000 miles and still running.
Blame the Chrysler/Dodge leadership for shitting up a once-good company. Then look at the unions. Then look at Obama.
That is your “Trilogy from Hell”.
“...I am concerned, as I’m sure many of you are, that these jobs not simply go to high skill people who are already professionals or to white male construction workers. I have nothing against white male construction workers. I’m just saying that there are a lot of other people who have needs as well, ...”, ROBERT B. REICH: a member of the President-elect’s economic transition advisory board.
Perhaps, it is a Reichian criteria that is bolstering the dealers that “have needs as well”...
Or just Obamanation criteria: “My attitude is that if the economy’s good for folks from the bottom up, it’s gonna be good for everybody. I think when you spread the wealth around, it’s good for everybody.”
Who is John Galt?
Easy, vote Socialists into power and you get Socialism, next question...
Perhaps, if one were to go to the Obama administration’s web site where bills, projects and ideas can be perused before....
It's "happened" to this Dodge dealer. And it's going to "happen" to people who pay their credit cards on time - they'll be picking up the bill for those who don't... And it's going to happen to families who want a larger car - it's going to happen to people who need medical care and discover that " liberal friends" are more important than cast - and sometime a liberal might want the home you live it - and it will "happen" to you.
It's "happened" to this Dodge dealer. And it's going to "happen" to people who pay their credit cards on time - they'll be picking up the bill for those who don't... And it's going to happen to families who want a larger car - it's going to happen to people who need medical care and discover that " liberal friends" are more important than cash or health insurance - and sometime a liberal might want the home you live it - and it will "happen" to you.
I've pondered this madness for several days now and I can think of only two reasons why they are making this move.
1. If you have less car dealers then your sales numbers will look better because a dealer will report his business as being up since he has eliminated much of his competition.
2. With this restuctring and moving these dealerships the Car company can rewrite the terms and make a better deal for themselves thus retaining more profits.
I can think of no other reasons that make any sense. (Not that the ones I've thought of make much sense either)
I'm certainly sympathetic to this man's greif as well as the hardship placed on his employees. But, the US car dealership business was hardly a "free market" to begin with. Many states, Florida included, had passed legislation that made it virtually impossible for Chrysler, or any other manufacturer to close a dealership without filing for bankruptsy.
Now, my problem with all of this really is with just two people - Bush & Obama. Bankruptcy was the right option for both GM and Chrysler last year. And, this is where these tough business decisions should have been made for a failed business and adjudicated in a court of law where all parties have access to due process.
But, with this prepackaged bankruptcy business, everyone is getting screwed except for the organized labor that is part and parcel of the DNC get-out-the-vote machine. Apparently due process isn't really all that important to our former "constitutional law scholar" turned President.
See my tagline.
We are now slaves to a black man.
bttt
Worth watching to see.
I also wonder how many minority owned dealerships were sent the “see you” letter. I would bet the ratio is becoming more reflective of the population. Ever notice how little information is available.
Shirley you didn't offer this with a straight face? Don't know much about the car or any business now do ya! Methinks the wannabe MBA should try his hand at finger painting.
"And you wonder how people can go on CNN and MSNBC and call FR a racist hate site - thanks for enabling them."
There ya go again showing your business and corporate ignorance. If you want to open a new Dodge store and you are not a minority yourself, in order to do so, you must committ to hiring a black or other privileged minority class as the General Manager. It's a fact jack!
Here, go read all about their minority program for yourself: Minority Dealer Development
Not to worry though. Chrysler policy for blacks, gays, and lesbians, is not much different than most of Corporate America today!
Considering minority and corporate relations for some like yourself, and the bigots at CNN, might seem racist, but the facts are, for Chrysler to demand a dealer, if he is a white guy, to hire as GM a black guy or gal, in order to open the doors, now that's racist!
Now you might be thinking this can't be true? Well it is.
The blame needs to be shared with the UAW $70 / hr for putting the red nut on the blue screw. Not just the Manufacturers fault.
He should sue Dodge, Chrysler, and the Federal government for breach of contract.
The Mfg’s signed the contracts...no one had a gun pointed at their heads...
It's the responsibility of the unions, like all unions, to get the best deal they can for their members...and no I'm not a “union thug” LOL...I've owned my own biz for 30 years, thank you.
“Look at the numbers for dealership by dealership new car sales and you will probably agree that Chrysler had way too many franchises. A thinning of the herd was necessary.”
While I don’t disagree with you in theory...
These guys should not be left with millions of dollars of inventory, millions of dollars of forced debt and have their loyal customers just given to someone else without any sort of compensation.
That is just wrong on so many levels.
:(
Did you not realize that this is being as part of a restructuring through their assisted Ch 11 bankruptcy? This whole program is already in front of a judge.
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