Thursday, June 11, 2009

The End for Chesterfield Dodge

As painful as it is, the end of Chesterfield Dodge has come. I have been a loyal Dodge customer for years and though I do not have any ill will towards Chrysler per say, I think the new management is inept. The idea that clsoing 25% of the dealerships who sell your product is somehow going to make you profitbale without more money for tax payers is simply ridiculous.

The Lawrence family have been around for like 75 years as a franchise and even helped out Chrysler some thirty years ago with financing to keep from going under then and this is how the "new" folks repay the family. Closing a profitable dealership.

There have been accusation by some that these closings are purely political in nature brought about by the people running the task force for President Obama. Is it a coincidence that a Chesterfield County dealership under the same umbrella as those in Henrico County dealerships are being forced out of business. Um. Chesterfield is an historically very Republican-leaning locality and well Henrico County- they supported President Obama and other Democrats in the last few years. makes you wonder why a profitbale arm would be severed from a small business owner but his weaker dealership selling the same brands would be allowed to remain open.

Chesterfield Dodge has always provided a level of service to residents here that was second to none in service and repairs. They will be missed.

It begs the question what business segments next will be forced to close their doors through no fault of their own and how many more people will have to lose their jobs under the guise of economic stimulus!!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I have heard that the dealerships earmarked for closings are politically motivated as well. A dealer outside of Chicago who is very profitable is being closed... he emigrated here from Europe some years back, pursued the American Dream, and built up a successful dealership. But now he is being told he's just not successful enough... I'm sure Obama has friends in Chicago who just happen to own parts of a dealership and will just happen to be staying open. Gee, how did that happen?

The "weaker dealership" that you identify -- as an experiment, research how much money their employees and owners have donated to the Democratic Party in the last 5 years. Were they donors? To what political parties and committees did they donate? The Federal regulations say that such donations must identify the donor's employers as well.

I'm willing to bet a real yankee dollar (still legal tender and much more legitimate than a fake Hawaiin Birth Certificate) that the "weaker dealership" has ties to the democratic party in some form or fashion -- even if it is only so much as being in a district that elected democrats.

Anybody want to take that bet?

Anonymous said...

It may not even be a real deep as that. It could have simply been geography. Let see what County is trending more liberal in the last ten years. The answer. Henrico County thats what. Chesterfield has long been a pro-business and pro-Republican (conservative) County and it makes perfect sense for the Democrat-influenced car czars to look at that first in foremost. Its only the beginning.

Do you thibk that the Board or CEO of GE will be subject to those CEO pay scales? GE Capital was bailed out with tax dollars and I will bet you that yankee dollar as well that GE, which is so in bed with the Obama clan in Washington that they will get a pass while Republican-deemed contributor companies get the shaft and their workers fly the coup.

You see that is the mission. The goal is to create two worlds in the business community; those embracing Obama and those not. Those that chose not to "play" will get nailed with taxes and fees and their employees will not be able to be compensated as highly as those that support Obama's plans and the goal is to strap certain companies from keep employees in the long run thus forcing them out of business "naturally" and below the radar.

Anonymous said...

Max Pearson donated 2300 to John McCain and maxed out contributions to the International Auto Trade Pac (5,000) as well. Anymore questions why it was closed?????