Chrysler Conservatives Axed - Only Blogs Investigate

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The blogosphere has, once again, proven itself a worthy investigator.  Unsurprisingly, that same investigatory spirit is nearly nonexistent in the mainstream media.

This morning on Fox and Friends, Michelle Malkin gave an interview on a story that she and HotAir have been following for several days (video embedded to the right).  Apparently, many of the Chrysler dealers that have been chosen for closing have made a habit of donating money to Republicans, or nobody at all – and those who donate to Democrats are miraculously safe.

Why is it miraculous? 

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The odds are massively against this pattern emerging – to the tune of 1/10,000,000 of 1% [h/t Doug Ross].  By comparison, you have a better chance of being struck by lightning this year (1/400,000); Mine That Bird had a better shot at being the winner of the Kentucky Derby (a glue-factory refugee which was the longest-shot winner since Donerail won on 91-1 odds in 1913), and Buster Douglas had of knocking out Mike Tyson.

In all fairness, it must still be determined what overall percentage of these small-business owners actually donate to political parties and candidates.  One might assume that, since they are small-business owners, they are overwhelmingly supportive of the GOP.  But assumption is not the job of a vigilant press.  One would at least hope that with the odds being so stacked against the emerging pattern, the professional curiosity of journalists would get the better of them - or at least some of them.  Never fear, however; journalists have been inoculated against the disease of curiosity.

It must also be said that proving any of this is a dubious task at best.  The idea is not only that the White House is closing car dealerships by monarchial decree [already constitutionally problematic], it further accuses the White House of politicizing the business decisions of a major American automaker.  To prove that, one must establish intent.  That, however, was nearly the task of Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein.  If nothing else, where is the professional curiosity of the press?

The announcement of a Supreme Court nominee notwithstanding – even if it the nominee is being billed as ‘historic’ – should not, and would not, hold an honestly curious media in such rigid sway.  And if bloggers can find the time to investigate, why can the New York Times not spare even a junior reporter to do the same?  Why are the part-time journalists asking the questions that should come from an investigative press?

The Times is already accused of letting the Watergate scoop slide to the Washington Post.  One would hope that they will not repeat their mistake.

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Poor Wilson Dodge

Guys donated to Republicans AND are competing against a Corporate Owned Store.  No wonder they got axed.

More like Government Owned

More like Government Owned Store at this point.

Let's see Obama already owns General Motors and General Electric, nice little monopoly he's got going here...

After fumbling around a bit

After fumbling around a bit I found that OpenSecrets has stats showing that historically 80% of donations from Auto Dealers go to Republicans.

Which means if Dem donors are being protected that the odds of that happening really get into the land of make believe.

Donor Stats

 

 

GateWayPundit brings this

GateWayPundit brings this little bit of news

Steven Rattner is married to former National Finance Chair of Democratic Party, Maureen White.
Instapundit writes:

A reader notes something about “car czar” Steven Rattner: “Rattner is married to Maureen White, the former National Finance Chair for the Democratic Party.” The
comment: “So one of the guys advising SecTreas on this thing is married
to someone who used to be one of the people in charge of fundraising
for the Democratic Party. This explains so much it’s scary.” Well, it
bears a close look.

That doesn't look good.

 

Can you say 'Conflict of

Can you say 'Conflict of Interest' , I know you can!

Fear not, as Obama's coming "Intel Czar" will make Dealergate...

...disappear from the blogosphere.

-Even if he/she/it has to unplug the internet to do it.

-Dave

I think you meant Internet

I think you meant Internet Czar

Closing Dealerships

I thought Obama wanted to increase employment.

Closing all these dealerships is putting thousands

of people out of work.  This is progress?

Don't worry

Don't worry - - The One will "save" 40 Million other jobs to make up for this little blip!

It actually makes perfect

It actually makes perfect sense....Slash the advertising budget and close dealerships....This makes the brand hard to find, it also means that not everyone will know about the new cas they are making. Since they are finally going to be making the cars that we Americans want now, when we do see one we will want them, but being as they are not readily available they can charge more for these "collector" cars.

Get it?

/sarc off

LOL like the old Coke new Coke thing....

Problem for Chrysler is who wants to drive one now?

R2, you are correct.

LOL-That's what happens when you try to type comments while reading about Obama's intel team coming apart at the seams.

-Dave

waiting for the full statistics

the MSM probably is too *holds breath* 

reuters says "conspiracy theory"

___________________________________________ 
Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past - George Orwell - 1984

Passover, Chicago-style

The dealerships that were axed where the ones that DID NOT paint lamb's blood over their doors.

Sick, that is probably ...

Sick, that is probably truer than you know.

Why, when the government took over Chrysler, did profitable dealerships get the ax and non-profitable dealerships allower to continue to operate? If I were a reported for a reliable news organization, I would certainly want to know the answer.

It is known through the limited investigation that has been done, that at least some of the closing dealerships were donners to the GOP. This question begs to be answered: How many of the dealerships that remain open are owned by liberals and how many are owned by conservatives? With the answer to that question, ye will know the truth. 

Remember folks, Freedom isn't Free. It was bought with the blood and sacrifice of the men and women who are serving and who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces.

For those who fought for it, Freedom has a flavor that the protected will never know.

Also remember folks, that the way to SUPPORT THE TROOPS is to support their mission. Anyone who says that they support the troops but don't support their mission is lying about supporting the troops. And if you want to know, yes I do have a dog in the fight, he is a United States Marine.

 

Make sure you follow the

Make sure you follow the Doug Ross link in the post above , since it has the whole issue of a Dem dealer having most of his competition wiped out by the closings.

If true, Watergate pales in comparison

Dan: I've read every speck of info I can find on this, and I'll tell you what, Watergate pales in comparison if what appears to be the truth on this pans out.

Think of Al Capone "taking over another outfit."

A question...

...I would ask, would be this:  How many of the Republican-donor dealerships are in competitive Congressional districts?  That'd be the first guy I'd call as a Republican Congressman, along with the bankers and lawyers...

 Seriously, I want to know.  I don't have the full list, though...

All those types of issues

All those types of issues are being researched.

But from a quick look at the spreadsheet I linked in another post you will see that many are in congressional districts that Obama lost during the last election.

 

What is also strange here

What is also strange here is that Chrysler is already talking about bringing back 'new dealers' in some of the areas they closed them out on.

Look for affirmative action and other sort of agenda driven decisions on that one.

 

Spreadsheet of the dealers

Spreadsheet of the dealers that were closed, including a tab sorting them by state.

LOL...

...Hey, I found that list of closed dealers, lol...

→ Lord Bless em' all

God Bless Michelle Malkin, and God Bless The Washington Post, and God Bless FOX News.

Just updating my bedtime prayers.

 

"Take your powder take your gun, report to General Washington.."

Schoolhouse Rock

Let my aim be truer than my enemy who is trying to kill me.

"Let him who would move the world, first move himself." -Socrates

"We sit together, the mountain and I, until only the mountain remains." -Li Po

The thing that hasn’t

The thing that hasn’t rung true in this whole thing is why you would close any dealers at all.  Don’t the dealerships have to pay both a franchise fee to Chrysler Corporation as well as floor plan for all of the cars they are carrying?  If I am Chrysler Corporation it costs me nothing for a dealer to be in business, in fact it is net income.  Rule #1 – in hard times the last thing you cut back on is your sales force.  If the Obama administration had anyone on staff with actual business experience they would know that too.    

It's elementary, Watson

Increase sales by closing sales outlets.

Re Elementary

Typically when businesses are in trouble, they lay off those workers that are easiest to rehire and whose need follows demand, ie the factory workers. The last people to go would be sales. This illustrates the corruption introduced by government operation of a company that puts the UAW thugs first.

Yes but Chrysler has to

Yes but Chrysler has to lend them the financing for the 'floor plan' of the inventory.

Now figure about a million dollars of inventory per dealer and 789 dealers shut down and that is a whole lot of lending that they don't have to finance out there when they are really hurting for cash reserves.

 

cash reserves meaningless when you're not selling anything

They don't need no steenking cash reserves - they can always go back for more like GM.

What they need to do is move vehicles by any means possible.

In addition to these closings, they proposed cutting Chrysler's corporate advertising/marketing budget to ZERO; they ended up whacking it in half.

This is analogous to your plumber advising you on that triple bypass you need. They don't know WTF they are doing.

→ Just lucky, I guess

Beating the odds like that, I think I'd go straight to the local convenience store and buy a $1 ticket for the mega-millions.

 

Beating the odds like that,

Beating the odds like that, I think I'd go straight to the local convenience store and buy a $1 ticket for the mega-millions.

...every time it's offered for the next three years.

"And yet the same revolutionary beliefs for which our forebears
fought are still at issue around the globe – the belief that the rights
of man come not from the generosity of the state but from the hand of
God."

- John F. Kennedy

Other Factors?

There could be other factors at work here that need to be looked at. Some bloggers are also looking at minority ownerships, and whether they were given preference in closings. I am not aware of anyone that is looking at union shop vs non-union shop, ie the auto mechanics. Given the Bamster's outrageous favor shown to the UAW thugs in faux-bankruptcy proceedings, it might be wise to look for other ways that unions are corrupting this process.

Washington Post Since

Washington Post

Since the 1970s, General Motors has led the way in providing opportunities
for minorities to own car dealerships. The automaker pioneered special training
programs and put money behind candidates for new dealerships.

Now, after almost four decades of slow but steady progress, minority dealers
are increasingly worried that the latest wave of GM cuts could erode any gains.
As part of its latest restructuring, GM yesterday said it planned to slash about
2,600, or 40 percent, of its 6,200 dealerships. GM currently has about 240
minority dealers. (snip)

GM dealers see other bad signs. They point to GM’s decision to kill the
Pontiac brand. Nearly a third of GM’s minority dealers sell Pontiacs, according
to the National Association of Minority Automobile Dealers.

 

you made this too easy ...... (old tasteless joke time)

 They point to GM’s decision to kill the
Pontiac brand. Nearly a third of GM’s minority dealers sell Pontiacs, according to the National Association of Minority Automobile Dealers

 

 c'mon now ...we all know why minoriteis like Pontiacs

 

FINALY A REAL CANDIATE FOR PRESIDENT!!!!!!!!!

http://zod2008.com/index.htm

All of Montana's

All of Montana's dealerships got the boot.

Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart

First your link is broken,

First your link is broken, second only 4 dealers in Montana got closed and I am sure there are more there than that.

Well R2P we need to remember

Well R2P we need to remember there are only 967K people in Montana.   So like Dallas with only a handful of dealers then taht could be all in Montana.

A quick search of the list

A quick search of the list of dealers to remain open shows at least 8 or 10 dealers still there according to the list before I quit searching half the way through the list.

Hey R2... Thanks for

Hey R2...

Thanks for letting me know about the link, I just tried it twice too...all I know is what I read in the short article on the 22nd...that is why I saved it...I also thought it was strange that their were only four franchises, but that is what the article said, they also had one a few days before that and mentioned Kalispell as one of them being the first to go...and they did mention there that there were only four, so I am only reporting what they reported.

The Missoulian is my home page, so I check out what news is going on here, since we don't get any local news in Mt. via the TV.

Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart

R2... I know where I

R2...

I know where I messed up....it was GM that I was thinking of...glad you pointed this out...although I am kind of laughing now.

Anyway...it wasn't and isn't good news locally for them and the economy.

I'll wait until the get the site fixed and see if I can get that back some time tomorrow...if I remember that is.

Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart

Regardless of the dealer

Regardless of the dealer type closed in MT ,any closing will result in a long distance commute to get to another still open.

Think of the carbon footprint for the extra travel round trip!

 

Crony Capitalism

Generally practiced by two bit tin horn dictators like what is found in Venezuela, Zimbabwe and Indonesia.

Criminal

Eventually, Obama and his Chicago thugs will do something illegal if they haven't already. It will be interesting to see media outlets trying to cover for this scenario when it does happen..This Socialist Coup will eventually be exposed. Enough job loss and extending poverty to the middle and upper classes will open the eyes of even the dullest Americans. Robespierre ended up losing his head too.....

Kinda makes me think of this ....

 I forget who the original author was...

When the Nazis came for the communists

I remained silent;
I was not a communist.

Then they locked up the social democrat,
I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.

Then they came for thetrade unionist,
I did not protest;
I was not a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jew,
I did not speak out;
I was not a Jew.

When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out for me.

 

Proof Obama is not Jesus. Jesus could actually build a cabinet 

Robespierre ended up

Robespierre ended up losing his head too.....

Only after way too many other people lost theirs.

"And yet the same revolutionary beliefs for which our forebears
fought are still at issue around the globe – the belief that the rights
of man come not from the generosity of the state but from the hand of
God."

- John F. Kennedy

and Kenya

Don't forget Kenya.

FoxNews Major Garrett asked Press Secretary Robert Gibbs

today if he had any comment on the blogs reporting that the Chrysler dealerships targeted for closure were primarily supporters of Republicans. Gibbs said that the Presidential Task Force on Autos was not involved in making the decision on dealership closings. It was Chrysler management that made that decision, and that Garrett's question should be addressed to Chrysler management.

If you listen to Press Secretary Gibbs you get the impression that the government has no or little control on the decisions made at the car companies. The Government is only providing the money. 

--------------------------------------------------------------

"Obama knows this stimulus won't work. The Democrats know it won't work, too, and yet they want to do it. So why do they want to do it? Well, it must accomplish something, and it does, folks: it buys votes." ~ Rush Limbaugh

Re Garrett and Gibbs

Just as I read your post, Bret Baier on Fox News recounted what Gibbs said on this. Gibbs answer directly contradicts this report:

Plan to Axe Dealers Not Chrysler's Decision: http://www.reuters.com

[quote] Lawyer Leonard Bellavia, of Bellavia Gentile & Associates, who represents some of the terminated dealers, said he deposed Chrysler President Jim Press on Tuesday and came away with the impression that Press did not support the plan. "It became clear to us that Chrysler does not see the wisdom of terminating 25 percent of its dealers," Bellavia said. "It really wasn't Chrysler's decision. They are under enormous pressure from the President's automotive task force." [end quote]

Given Gibbs history of just making stuff up, I have to go with the Reuters quote.

 

That quote is a little

That quote is a little unclear. It wasn't Chrysler's decision to terminate 25% of their dealers, or it wasn't their decision which ones to terminate? And how vague is "came away with the impression"? 

→ Don't axe me.

My understanding (putting on my Baghdad Bob Gibbs hat) was that the government told Chrysler they had to shed a number of dealers.

Maybe Gibbs is splitting hairs with a meaning that the Administration wasn't involved in which dealerships were chopped.

 

→ Found him

I found Baghdad Bob Gibbs.

 

RO... LMAO! That is

RO...

LMAO!

That is pricless...and a keeper!

Going to be fun to use and send to others...thank you.

Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart

Cool Arrow - Thanks for the picture.

Some would say that Robert Gibbs doesn't lie. He just handles the truth recklessly!

------------------------------------------------------

“The media is a disgrace.  You have forfeited any notion that you once had of respect” ~ Rush Limbaugh

The point should be, why the secrets?

This controversy blew up because the formula for which dealers would be retained was kept a secret. Dealers tried to reverse engineer the formula from results and they could not. Very successful and profitable dealers are being closed while others less successful are not. Reverse engineering the formula and trying to fit success and profitability into the principal factors failed. Once that fails, you look for other factors and try and find what factors are a better fit.

Right now political contributions look like a better fit than financial success. They are not a perfect fit, but a good enough fit that this deserves an explanation.

Second, Chrysler officials interviewed by some dealers' lawyers have admitted that they don't understand the formula, don't agree with the closure list, and say that the decisions were made by the political team.

The old media need not sign up to the political contribution theory, -they don't have to. There's nothing wacky or conspiracy-minded about simply asking what the criteria was and why it is being kept a secret.

I was hoping that

I was hoping that information would have been filed with the bankruptcy court filings ,but so far no luck on that angle.

Unbelieveable!

Living in Canada, I've sat by for months since this guy became president and have been absolutely gobsmacked at the corruption and pandering going on whilst the American people are almost numbed to it all. It's disgusting the journalists are this uncaring-where is the passion!

 This is one of the worst, most blatant forms of corruption I've seen yet and as this narcissistic man thinks he can get away with anything you will see more and more of this corruption. Don't think he's not laughing inside. Every move he has made has been for himself and to elevate himself to the world which he cares more for than his own country. But not all of us living outside the US have fallen for it!

 If anyone has a list, or knows of where I can find a list, of those auto dealers who are being forced to close, please email me at equusarts@hotmail.com. I'd very much appreciate your help. We must work together no matter where we live, to help the great country of the USA remain great.

Look up the thread, I

Look up the thread, I posted a link to the online version of the closures.

You can refer to that for the information just as well as having a copy of the original files.

 

 

Equusarts...

Thanks for this post, northern neighbor. You know, it's actually refreshing to hear anybody outside the U.S. express this view. You start to feel like you are just in this bad dream: "Is it just me (us) -- or is this completely out of control and frightening as heck?" It's a really helpless feeling -- and you want to feel like the world gets what is going on. 

Believe me, I'm not numb. I'm freaked out! And rest assured, many true conservatives (and just generally wise folks) here in the U.S. do see what is going on (and, sadly, saw it coming)...many of us are trying to figure out how to take back our country --  beginning in 2010, but every step along the way where we can.

As for Canada, if you guys have Obama mugs and t-shirts for sale up there, just please don't buy them! LOL. ;)

The dealer closings could

The dealer closings could have produced jobs and stimulated the economy if only Obama had created a "blue ribbon" - "Auto Dealership Closure Board" - like the ones they used for closing military bases. These committee members could've traveled all over the country holding hearings, with their staffs in tow, spending money in all the cities, thereby stimulaing the economy. It could've provided government employment for thousands for at least a few years...

The "Mainstream" Media: By liberals. For liberals.

Can anybody answer my question

What does it mean to Chrysler Corporate to close dealerships. Isn't the dealer independent owned? I fail to see how closing dealers, depriving towns neighborhoods of service and jobs actually makes any sense to anybody.

How decreasing the availability of your products increase sales?

Any help ...

As I posted upthread it is

As I posted upthread it is all about not having to finance the inventory of the dealers when they close.

They just don't have the cash on hand or the borrowing ability to carry those inventories on the books right now.

 

→ Really?

Seems the Government just fflung out another $7.5 billion to GMAC just last week to free up lending.

With that kind of money, the Chrysler and GM Dealerships could administer the loans themselves.

GMAC services both companies.

 

If you considered all 2000

If you considered all 2000 plus dealers at a million a pop for the inventory that is a chunk of change.

→ What?

If Obama wants to put 80,000 workers on the unemployment line, I hope they remember who it was that gave them their walking papers.

You'll note I didn't say anything about GMAC giving any money away to losing concerns. 

That $7.5 billion is for loans.  If the Dealership can't make it, they have the right to fail.  We are not assured all these were losing businesses.

 

Anyone?

Does anyone know the percentage of dealerships that have made republican donations?

 

As you may presently yourself be fully made aware of, my grammar sucks.
Family Guy

Look it up its in the free

Look it up its in the free records for campaign donations.

Dan the Man....

I did a search, Dan. I couldn't find any, from the right, that had any statistics on the percentage of dealerships donated to Repulicans. Then I found FiveThirtyEight.com.

 http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2009/05/news-flash-car-dealers-are-republicans.html

It says that rougly 88% are Republican donors.

So, unless you find some other source, I'd have to say this story has no validity.

As you may presently yourself be fully made aware of, my grammar sucks.
Family Guy

As if anyone was going to convince you of a damn thing Jen7.

Have you met bal, cacc or shawn228?  I think you guys would hit it off nicely.

Jen this is important when

Jen this is important when looking at any sites data.

What is your political affiliation? My state has non-partisan registration, so I am not registered as anything. I vote for Democratic candidates the majority of the time (though by no means always). This year, I have been a supporter of Barack Obama. The other contributor to this website, Sean Quinn, has also been a supporter of Barack Obama

Dan the Man..

What difference does it make? Is he wrong? Do you have any other numbers to post that says otherwise? I just looked at Atlas Shrugs2000.com. They complain that Obama is being partisan, yet they don't know for sure. There is a list of those closed and those that remain open. No one, as of yet, has come up with a percentage of those closed and those that remain open that are Republican owned. That's important when you are claiming Obama is taking down Republican owned dealerships because they didn't vote for him.

 

As you may presently yourself be fully made aware of, my grammar sucks.
Family Guy

Jen7 - Right2thePoint has the Opensecrets link in an earlier

post that has the information you are looking for. Here is his post.

--------------------------------------------------------

“Understand something about liberalism.  They never stop until they get what they want, and when they get what they want, it's never enough.  That's why it's a constant thing to have to oppose them.  You can't join forces with them, you can't moderate them, you can't slow them down by joining them, you can't make them like you and have them change their agenda.  They have to be stopped.” ~ Rush Limbaugh

Yes Jen7 I actually do... but I will not tell you since your

mother told me not to and you are a seminar troll like cacc... 

Oh, yes, this just in...  you need to shower as you totally reek.

Peace Out chicky babe.

My guess

is that this is a money grab in order to back ACORN in an off the books manner.

They can fund their shadow vote grabbing wing by increasing profits to the liberal car dealers of America that will in turn be able to send a greater amount of profit to ACORN and re election campaigns.

Republicans will be at a disadvntage even more now with this new scheme. 

"Democracy is worth dying for, because it's the most deeply honorable form of government ever devised by man." - Ronald Reagan

True reporting in the mainstream is dead

I dont think the mainstream media has ever been this corrupt in our country's history.  There are so many stories out there that they have chosen to look the other way on even if it costs them their liveliehood, our country its entegrity, and deprives the American people of the truth - they have made a grave decision.  A decision to under report liberal corruption, over report or exaggerate conservative scandals, and look the other way believing they are faithful liberals for supporting the bashing of the other party without realizing the main belief of liberals is the freedom to speak out and be heard in this country.  They believe that it is for the greater good that they forget why they became reporters and instead have become politicized puppets of the administration used as a daily propoganda machine.  They hope a statement here or there against the administration might be enough to keep the respect of the people but the viewership, polls concerning mistrust of the media, and public sentiment have left them with their only option being a possible payback job in the one term administration when their one-sided network programs go bankrupt. 

I gave up thinking any of these reporters had the guts to report a story fairly especially when their party is involved as have the majority of the public. If they report it they bury it the next day and claim they did their duty but will hang onto a conservative story for weeks at a time.  I love newsbusters.org but realize I was being idealistic to think the exposure of MSM bias would in anyway improve the filter that MSNBC, NBC, NPR,  or many other leftist channels throws on the current events they report. ABC has taken some steps in recent weeks but they are all in the tank for the President and if push came to shove would never rock the boat.  In the end Newsbusters is just a fan club for fair minded people to share their observations concerning the propoganda which would be considered fascism were it not for Foxnews- God Bless them! For if watergate happened today and Obama were the perpetrator there is no other network that would report it and I sincerely believe they would cover it up.  Keith Olbermann and Chris Mathews would throw their bodies on it like a hand grenade to keep it from exploding. Even more they would accuse anyone reporting the event as traitors or the 'worst person in the world'

Fox needs more news channels and formats to take the advertising dollars away from what is left of the socialist media so their death can be as quick and silent as possible.

 

NiftySwell - Well said. I agee with you that the day may NEVER

come when the mainstream drive-by media presents fair and balanced reporting. There are just too many liberals ensconced at every level in those news organizations, whether print or television.

We will have to rely on FoxNews and blogs like NewsBusters for the "real' information for some time. As the agenda-driven liberal media continues to lose audience, hopefully the success of FoxNews will be an incentive for others to create more "fair and balanced" professional news channels. 

--------------------------------------------------------------


“Nobody believes what the mainstream media says now anyway.  Except the uneducated, the illiterate, and the uninformed -- which, sadly, is a fairly large number” ~ Rush Limbaugh