Posted on 06/06/2009 3:03:58 PM PDT by Jim Robinson
House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer and Reps. Chris Van Hollen and Daniel Maffei have circulated this letter today ...
... to Obama expressing growing concern with the closures of GM and Chrysler dealerships across the country. The lawmakers say theyre asking for a compelling justification as to how closing healthy dealerships will make the automakers more financially sound. The lawmakers are asking for lawmakers to sign this letter by 5p.m. today.
Full letter below:
Dear President Obama:
We are writing to express our concerns about General Motors and Chryslers decision to close profitable automobile dealerships across the country, and urge you to ask GM and Chrysler to delay final action on proposed closures pending further review of the decision to consolidate dealerships and the process by which Chrysler and GM selected the dealerships to close.
Closing these dealerships will put over 100,000 jobs at risk at a time when our country is shedding jobs at an alarming rate. We also question the criteria being used to determine which dealerships should be closed and the fundamental fairness involved in this effort. It is our view that the market rather than leaving it up to the manufacturers whose poor leadership contributed to their demise. Furthermore, we believe car dealers will be key players in any effort to revive the American auto industry.
We believe the dealerships are one of the auto industrys key sources of strength and the manufacturers should continue to honor their agreements and contracts. The dealerships, and their more than 1 million employees, form personal relationships with customers that often contribute to brand loyalty and will be key to General Motors and Chryslers recovery following this economic downturn. While we understand the desire to reduce the number of unprofitable dealerships, no one has yet sufficiently explained the need to close profitable dealerships.
We recognize that efforts by your Auto Task Force prevented the total liquidation of General Motors and Chrysler, as well as their dealership networks. We commend your efforts to help these businesses survive these challenging economic times.
However, we are concerned that manufacturers are closing profitable dealerships to circumvent current contracts which could require expensive buy-outs under normal conditions. We are also concerned about allegations that dealers that have previously stood up for their rights against the manufacturers are being targeted by these closures. We believe that the forced closures of profitable dealerships needs to be scrutinized by the Task Force to prevent additional future financial loses to General Motors and Chrysler and job loses across the United States
We may consider legislative proposals to ensure that dealers and their employees are treated fairly, and we look forward to your timely response.
I never thought I would see the day when Congress would be writing a letter to the President asking him to delay clousure of automobile dealerships. Welcome to Government Motors. Would you buy a used car from that man, Obama?
I think growing cojones is next.
CYA, in a big, big way!
I think the Democratic Senators are starting to figure out that if they kill the golden goose (the economy of course)... then nobody is going to be left to help finance their reelection campaign...
The very definition of Obamunism is unsound economics.
I actually saw this sign driving past a used car dealership the other day...
No Job? No Problem!
Apparantly neither Obama nor any of the legal pukes he works with were ever cut in on the "way things are really done".
Now the Democrat party will pay.
Screw those A$$hole$. They are complicite with all of the closings. After all, He’s their boy. They got him elected,
and they can now share in the blame.
I’m sure they are hearing plenty of howls from their constituants regarding this situation.
I hope the ball-less Repubs are paying attention to this.
Maybe they can use it to their advantage in 2010.
Nahhh, that’s expecting way too much.
How dare they question the boyFuerher?
Majority of Chrylser dealers on the closing list are owned by Republican donors.
This would also help kill off local newspapers, which get a lot of advertising from dealers. I’m sure the media companies that own those papers are concerned.
Majority of GM and Chrysler car dealers in America are Republicans from the look of it.
All for show ... the democrat criminal enterprise knows the Democrat controlled Congress is going to get the blame for the affirmative action figure’s mistakes, because the enemedia isn’t going to let it accrue to their Marxist messiah.
Barack "Unintended Consequences" Obama..... or
B.U.C.O.
And they are donors to Republican candidates. That was a dumb move by ZERO, Emmanuel, and Axelrod as if they thought it would never come out.
Sadly, right again.
I knew it was political when I saw the lists come out.
I was in the car business in the City of Detroit, for over twenty years.
Before anyone did any in-depth research, I said find out who was giving donations to the Dem/Socialists.
Or maybe it’s just a weird coincidence that all of
Mac McClarty’s dealerships, in numerous areas, have survived the ax.
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