To those researching this, please focus on low performing dealers that survived the "cut" and see if they can be tied to democrat donations. THATS where this story could really gain traction.
More than likely, their majority owners are comprised of a "federally protected class" of citizens.
Look what it takes to get contract in Chicago...
Good suggestion. Keep digging and keep your powder dry!
IMHO this whole Chrysler thing smells to high heaven.
I do know that Fort Pierce, Florida had Charlie’s Dodge and the owner is a known Republican and he had his dealership yanked.
Only way that this holds any water is if you can prodice a list of poorly preforming dealerships that survived the cuts and who also were Obama contributors. If that is not the case, this is an anomaly.
At this point I’m considering them to be victims of an overzealous and stupid government.
After all the dust settles it will be more interesting to check the “Diversity” of the dealerships and the auto manufactures.
I would guess that most people who run their own businesses but still WORK for a living (like dealers) would be republican. Democrats are mostly poor people who want other people’s money, and rich people who don’t have to work anymore and want to be loved and accepted and assuage their guilt by getting other people to do charity through taxes.
Regarding the Melbourne, Fla dealer ... a bit more data has come in. Sunshine Dodge / Isuzu did finish a major renovation at their dealership located on US 1 (locally known as Harbor City Blvd). South of Sunshine on the SW corner of US 1 and NASA Blvd is Osman Lincoln-Mercury Jeep who is reportedly losing their Jeep franchise. Head west on NASA Blvd a little way and after passing Lane Pontiac-Buick you find Gator Chrysler Suzuki, with Gator supposedly retaining their franchise and I guess picking up Dodge & Jeep from Sunshine and Osman respectively.
I wonder if Gator was told to jettison Suzuki as part of the deal. Maybe George C. Joseph will get it as a consolation prize.
Where Gator is going to put everything is a good question. They'll have to spend what Sunshine did to renovate their own shop unless the plan is to snap up Sunshine's property from the bankruptcy court. But that raises the question, why force dealers across America to make massive capital investments to consolidate their operations? How is that going to help anyone's profitability? I can see if this is an Obama move to use the shell of Chrysler to generate a building-trade stimulus. But is that in Chrysler's best interests? Is the new major stockholder going to Gordon-Gecko the business and leave Fiat with the carcass?
And what about all the dealer loyalty getting flushed down the crapper? This takes place in two weeks or less! Why the rush? What are customers supposed to do in the meantime for warranty work? It's multiple dozens of miles to the next intact dealership from Melbourne. Maybe they can use all that unsold inventory as courtesy cars to help with the 1 hour each way travel someone seeking authorized service face.
AFAIK, we're not talking about underperforming dealerships with lots of territorial overlap. If there is method to this madness, it would behoove Chrysler to educate the public as to how any of this makes sense.
Well here’s one: Russ Darrow Jr. who ran unsuccessfully agasint Herb Kohl for Senate from WI has a dealership on the closure list. One wonders if any Dems had a chance to “nominate” to the list?
icwhaudo said: "It could just be a case where most car dealers tend to be republican in the first place but we need to keep an eye on the story. More digging-especially on the political donations of Chrysler dealers that survived the 'cut' is needed."
Indeed, on both counts.
With the help of computers, thorough records etc, what's the bind?
This could've been started last month.
"To those researching this, please focus on low performing dealers that survived the 'cut' and see if they can be tied to democrat donations. THATS where this story could really gain traction."
Can't this be investigated from both ends, ie, dealers -- regardless their performance -- and all donations made stacked up against the results?
The truth will speak for itself after its been revealed.
zerO & Co will fail blocking swipes made with a double edged sword.
Maybe they were just yanked because they were successful, and successful self-employed businesses tend to be more Conservative/Republican?
Latest information on the “protected” dealerships:
In my analysis of the Chrysler dealers that will remain open, I came across one dealer group that stood out to me.
The company is called RLJ-McLarty-Landers, and it operates six Chrysler dealerships throughout the South. All six dealerships are safe from closing. The dealer locations are:
1. Bentonville, AR (northwest Arkansas)
2. Lee’s Summit, MO (south of Kansas City, MO)
3. Branson, MO
4. Olathe, KS (near Kansas City)
5. Bossier City, LA (near Shreveport)
6. Huntsville, AL
The interesting part is who the three main owners of the company are. The owners are Steve Landers (long-time car dealer, 4th-generation dealer), Thomas “Mack” McLarty (former Chief of Staff for President Clinton), and Robert Johnson (founder of Black Entertainment Television and co-owner of the NBA’s Charlotte Bobcats). Landers has given money to Republicans in the past, but McLarty campaigned for Obama in 2008, and Johnson has given countless amounts of money to Democrats over the years.
I will post some information on RLJ-McLarty-Landers and how their dealerships are effected by the closings shortly.
Now the average citizen must dig for themselves.
So be it.
Michelle Malkin is right on with this.
Do not be afraid to speak the truth, but make sure the truth is true, first!
***Ping***
The fact that the government is dictating private company closures is what should be the biggest outrage.