Did Chrysler play politics with dealer closings?

[RodISHI]

Conspiracy theory du jour. What a bunch of crap. Don't these people have anything better to do than try to bring down Obama with this kind of nonsense? Seems to me there's enough right in their faces to smack him down for without having to expend enormous amounts of time digging up dirt that eventually will just go into the trash bin like all the rest.

It's a given that established big businesses have traditionally supported Republican candidates. But I am surprised at the "list" and the amount of the donations. You mean those dealerships were <gasp> BUNDLING campaign contributions so they could escape the legal limits? OMG!!!! How many rants did I see against Obama during the campaign for that very thing?

Why wash a little laundry? Let's wash it all.

Do you think what is happening today is any different that what was happening in the early 1970's? Certain banks were allowed to wipe out the family farm at an alarming rate. That was a national problem. It happened in all the states. Now they want to pin the tail on the donkey and blame it on the housing market. Private enterprise is an enemy of the state now. Has been for years. Who do you think bought your boy and his cronies into office? Bitch all you want about the republicans. There is a hell of alot bigger problem looming ahead of us. If, (and I say if) president Obama is not a part of the solution he is just another bought on credit politician with his pockets turned inside out.

 

[Sinatra]

This is spooky. No way can this be a coincidence. Not going to paste any of this blog article here, plus it appears to be all the author's original research. Please just read and comment.

RED ALERT: Did anti-Obama campaign contributions dictate which Chrysler dealers were shuttered?

Far from conclusive, but it appears a potential pattern of discrimination is forming regarding these dealership closings.

Again, if in fact true - this would be HUGE against Obama Inc.

Still need further quantified evidence though...

 

[MaggieMae]

Conspiracy theory du jour. What a bunch of crap. Don't these people have anything better to do than try to bring down Obama with this kind of nonsense? Seems to me there's enough right in their faces to smack him down for without having to expend enormous amounts of time digging up dirt that eventually will just go into the trash bin like all the rest.

It's a given that established big businesses have traditionally supported Republican candidates. But I am surprised at the "list" and the amount of the donations. You mean those dealerships were <gasp> BUNDLING campaign contributions so they could escape the legal limits? OMG!!!! How many rants did I see against Obama during the campaign for that very thing?

They should be targeted for shutters for political reasons, instead of being prosecuted if any laws were broken?

You're going on record as approving of this?

She believes corporatism can be benevolent. GE is clean as the wind driven snow, to hear her tell, while Halluburton is not. Halliburton, bad. GE, good.

Yup. Has Halliburton ever reimbursed the DoD for all those cost overruns? The double-billings? The fraud? The damaged equipment due to sheer negligence? How often has GE tried to screw the government, just because it could...

 

[Fraulein Hilda]

Conspiracy theory du jour. What a bunch of crap. Don't these people have anything better to do than try to bring down Obama with this kind of nonsense? Seems to me there's enough right in their faces to smack him down for without having to expend enormous amounts of time digging up dirt that eventually will just go into the trash bin like all the rest.

It's a given that established big businesses have traditionally supported Republican candidates. But I am surprised at the "list" and the amount of the donations. You mean those dealerships were <gasp> BUNDLING campaign contributions so they could escape the legal limits? OMG!!!! How many rants did I see against Obama during the campaign for that very thing?

No, babe, it's the way they do it in Chicago, and that's who Barack Obama is.

Who says what they donated was illegal? Democrats "bundle", too. I said that. And Obama was highly criticized for it. READ.

This is not about who deserves to stay in business, it's about who paid Barack Obama cash on the barrellhead.

This is just too hilarious. By this logic, every business that supported McCain and not Obama is now on some sort of enemies list and had better watch their backs. The slightest wrong move, and Obama will make sure they are run out of Dodge.

Every campaign contributor expects consideration, yes. Why give money if your candidate does not matter?

Obama is just like Nixon. He's a Chicago thug, just like Bill Clinton said. Go look up the campaign he ran against his Senate opponent.

Then, in drone like fashion, come back here and say something like, "But everyone does it!"

 

[Annie]

Conspiracy theory du jour. What a bunch of crap. Don't these people have anything better to do than try to bring down Obama with this kind of nonsense? Seems to me there's enough right in their faces to smack him down for without having to expend enormous amounts of time digging up dirt that eventually will just go into the trash bin like all the rest.

It's a given that established big businesses have traditionally supported Republican candidates. But I am surprised at the "list" and the amount of the donations. You mean those dealerships were <gasp> BUNDLING campaign contributions so they could escape the legal limits? OMG!!!! How many rants did I see against Obama during the campaign for that very thing?

No, babe, it's the way they do it in Chicago, and that's who Barack Obama is.

Who says what they donated was illegal? Democrats "bundle", too.

This is not about who deserves to stay in business, it's about who paid Barack Obama cash on the barrellhead.

It is very much "The Chicago Way", have to agree with you there. Also this seems to have mixed messages, about exactly who decided which dealers would close:

Plan to ax dealers not Chrysler's decision -lawyer | Industries | Consumer Goods & Retail | Reuters

Plan to ax dealers not Chrysler's decision -lawyer
Tue May 26, 2009 4:00pm EDT
* Lawyer says plan to cut dealers not Chrysler's decision
* Dealers call termination plan 'unconstitutional'
By Nick Zieminski

NEW YORK, May 26 (Reuters) - A lawyer for Chrysler dealers
facing closure as part of the automaker's bankruptcy
reorganization said on Tuesday he believes Chrysler executives
do not support a plan to eliminate a quarter of its retail
outlets.

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."

...

A spokeswoman for Chrysler said the decision to cut a
quarter of the dealers was "not coming from the task force."

...

Chrysler wants fewer but bigger dealers in central locations
near highways that would carry Dodge, Chrysler and Jeep vehicles
under one roof, Engel added, but the decision about who survives
was "random" and set a precedent of government interference in
free markets....

 

[Sinatra]

If these closings are politically motivated, how can ANY American condone such an abuse?

Anyone in here willing to support such a thing?

 

[Fraulein Hilda]

They should be targeted for shutters for political reasons, instead of being prosecuted if any laws were broken?

You're going on record as approving of this?

She believes corporatism can be benevolent. GE is clean as the wind driven snow, to hear her tell, while Halluburton is not. Halliburton, bad. GE, good.

Yup. Has Halliburton ever reimbursed the DoD for all those cost overruns? The double-billings? The fraud? The damaged equipment due to sheer negligence? How often has GE tried to screw the government, just because it could...

GE pays the government to be taken care of. The government gave GE $140B and imposed none of the executive pay restrictions it did on other bailout recipients. MSNBC and NBC report the news just like the government wants it.

This is far more corrupt situation than cost overruns.

 

[MaggieMae]

They should be targeted for shutters for political reasons, instead of being prosecuted if any laws were broken?

You're going on record as approving of this?

I'm going on the record as saying no such thing happened. Okay?

Denial. Great! Did you really read the article I linked?

Indeed I did. And right out of the gate, there is this disclaimer:

Special note for moonbats: no one here is saying that the sole criterion for closing a dealership was partisanship. What we ask is: does it seem odd that the list of closed dealerships appears to have contributed a grand total of $200 to Barack Obama and millions to GOP candidates/causes?

It's nothing more than speculation, without a shred of proof. As I said earlier, businesses traditionally donate campaign money to Republicans because Republicans don't like regulations and will look the other way when they aren't followed (as we know so well by now), and Republicans will fight to keep tax levels as low as possible for businesses. It's just another fucking NO-BRAINER.

 

[Sinatra]

She believes corporatism can be benevolent. GE is clean as the wind driven snow, to hear her tell, while Halluburton is not. Halliburton, bad. GE, good.

Yup. Has Halliburton ever reimbursed the DoD for all those cost overruns? The double-billings? The fraud? The damaged equipment due to sheer negligence? How often has GE tried to screw the government, just because it could...

GE pays the government to be taken care of. The government gave GE $140B and imposed none of the executive pay restrictions it did on other bailout recipients. MSNBC and NBC report the news just like the government wants it.

This is far more corrupt situation that cost overruns.

Totally agree here.

GE purchased NBC in the late 1980's. Not long after, we see the emergence of Global Warming and the GO Green industry. GE is making tons of cash off this orchestrated "global threat".

 

[Fraulein Hilda]

I'm going on the record as saying no such thing happened. Okay?

Denial. Great! Did you really read the article I linked?

Indeed I did. And right out of the gate, there is this disclaimer:

Special note for moonbats: no one here is saying that the sole criterion for closing a dealership was partisanship. What we ask is: does it seem odd that the list of closed dealerships appears to have contributed a grand total of $200 to Barack Obama and millions to GOP candidates/causes?

It's nothing more than speculation, without a shred of proof. As I said earlier, businesses traditionally donate campaign money to Republicans because Republicans don't like regulations and will look the other way when they aren't followed (as we know so well by now), and Republicans will fight to keep tax levels as low as possible for businesses. It's just another fucking NO-BRAINER.

You're either dishonest or stupid. Which is it?

 

[MaggieMae]

Blagojevich is dirty. Jesse Jackson and Jesse Jackson, jr. are dirty. Roland Burress is dirty.

Barack Obama is not.

I guess he can grow up as a young black man and automatically be assumed to have an authentic, victim-of-racism experience, but he can come of age in Chicago poltiics and have not the same, corrupt experience at all.

I don't doubt for a moment he was exposed to it, and that he also pulled some strings to get elected to his senate seats both in Illinois and Washington. Show me a candidate who doesn't. But when you can prove criminal activity or corruption, send up a flare. In the meantime, you just sound like the millions of other sour grapes who have been flinging your shit from Day One trying to make something stick.

 

[Midnight Marauder]

It's nothing more than speculation, without a shred of proof.

It's public record, the ones that were forced to close. It's also public record, the owners of these closed ones political donations.

So it's all just a BIG coincidence that all but one of them forced to close, were GOP donors.

Right?

 

[MaggieMae]

No, babe, it's the way they do it in Chicago, and that's who Barack Obama is.

Who says what they donated was illegal? Democrats "bundle", too. I said that. And Obama was highly criticized for it. READ.

This is not about who deserves to stay in business, it's about who paid Barack Obama cash on the barrellhead.

This is just too hilarious. By this logic, every business that supported McCain and not Obama is now on some sort of enemies list and had better watch their backs. The slightest wrong move, and Obama will make sure they are run out of Dodge.

Every campaign contributor expects consideration, yes. Why give money if your candidate does not matter?

Obama is just like Nixon. He's a Chicago thug, just like Bill Clinton said. Go look up the campaign he ran against his Senate opponent.

Then, in drone like fashion, come back here and say something like, "But everyone does it!"

I simply want YOU to provide proof that Barack Obama is a "Chicago thug." If you can't, which I KNOW you can't, then you just sound like a whiny loser chewing on that old bone that's already been shredded and regurgitated a gazillion times by the rabid righties.

You're actually sounding more like one of those pissed of Hillary PUMA gals who became so shrill in their attacks against Obama that they were the reasons Hillary lost. Sane people got sick of that crap, too.

 

[MaggieMae]

She believes corporatism can be benevolent. GE is clean as the wind driven snow, to hear her tell, while Halluburton is not. Halliburton, bad. GE, good.

Yup. Has Halliburton ever reimbursed the DoD for all those cost overruns? The double-billings? The fraud? The damaged equipment due to sheer negligence? How often has GE tried to screw the government, just because it could...

GE pays the government to be taken care of. The government gave GE $140B and imposed none of the executive pay restrictions it did on other bailout recipients. MSNBC and NBC report the news just like the government wants it.

This is far more corrupt situation than cost overruns.

Sure... You just go on posting your fact-free suppositions. It's clear if I post any facts, they'd just get in your way.

 

[MaggieMae]

Conspiracy theory du jour. What a bunch of crap. Don't these people have anything better to do than try to bring down Obama with this kind of nonsense? Seems to me there's enough right in their faces to smack him down for without having to expend enormous amounts of time digging up dirt that eventually will just go into the trash bin like all the rest.

It's a given that established big businesses have traditionally supported Republican candidates. But I am surprised at the "list" and the amount of the donations. You mean those dealerships were <gasp> BUNDLING campaign contributions so they could escape the legal limits? OMG!!!! How many rants did I see against Obama during the campaign for that very thing?

No, babe, it's the way they do it in Chicago, and that's who Barack Obama is.

Who says what they donated was illegal? Democrats "bundle", too.

This is not about who deserves to stay in business, it's about who paid Barack Obama cash on the barrellhead.

It is very much "The Chicago Way", have to agree with you there. Also this seems to have mixed messages, about exactly who decided which dealers would close:

Plan to ax dealers not Chrysler's decision -lawyer | Industries | Consumer Goods & Retail | Reuters

Plan to ax dealers not Chrysler's decision -lawyer
Tue May 26, 2009 4:00pm EDT
* Lawyer says plan to cut dealers not Chrysler's decision
* Dealers call termination plan 'unconstitutional'
By Nick Zieminski

NEW YORK, May 26 (Reuters) - A lawyer for Chrysler dealers
facing closure as part of the automaker's bankruptcy
reorganization said on Tuesday he believes Chrysler executives
do not support a plan to eliminate a quarter of its retail
outlets.

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."

...

A spokeswoman for Chrysler said the decision to cut a
quarter of the dealers was "not coming from the task force."

...

Chrysler wants fewer but bigger dealers in central locations
near highways that would carry Dodge, Chrysler and Jeep vehicles
under one roof, Engel added, but the decision about who survives
was "random" and set a precedent of government interference in
free markets....

So if there was indeed some great conspiracy, why did this lawyer sit on his ass and not investigate WHY there was a "random" closure? Most lawyers are extremely supicious of any activity that doesn't make sense, so he had a great opportunity to expose the potential corruption and probably stall the whole deal. Why is it a couple of lone bloggers and not a whole investigative team--after the fact?

 

[MaggieMae]

If these closings are politically motivated, how can ANY American condone such an abuse?

Anyone in here willing to support such a thing?

Why would they be "politically motivated" NOW? Obama has already won. Why on earth would he seek "revenge" against businesses that didn't donate to his campaign? Sorry, guys, but this is unadulterated horseshit, from every conceivable angle.

 

[RodISHI]

If these closings are politically motivated, how can ANY American condone such an abuse?

Anyone in here willing to support such a thing?

Why would they be "politically motivated" NOW? Obama has already won. Why on earth would he seek "revenge" against businesses that didn't donate to his campaign? Sorry, guys, but this is unadulterated horseshit, from every conceivable angle.

I don't see it that away. I pissed off a Dem leader once. He went after me and my family for years.

 

[Fraulein Hilda]

If these closings are politically motivated, how can ANY American condone such an abuse?

Anyone in here willing to support such a thing?

Why would they be "politically motivated" NOW? Obama has already won. Why on earth would he seek "revenge" against businesses that didn't donate to his campaign? Sorry, guys, but this is unadulterated horseshit, from every conceivable angle.

Are you dishonest or naive?

I downgraded that from stupid.

 

[MaggieMae]

It's nothing more than speculation, without a shred of proof.

It's public record, the ones that were forced to close. It's also public record, the owners of these closed ones political donations.

So it's all just a BIG coincidence that all but one of them forced to close, were GOP donors.

Right?

The blog also states that it is a PARTIAL list. Nationwide, I thought it looked rather small. We've been down this road before with bloggers cherry picking stats, like how much AIG and its subsidiaries donated to Obama. Lo and behold, they also contributed heavily to McCain, but of course that was omitted in the opening salvo.

 

[WillowTree]

Conspiracy theory du jour. What a bunch of crap. Don't these people have anything better to do than try to bring down Obama with this kind of nonsense? Seems to me there's enough right in their faces to smack him down for without having to expend enormous amounts of time digging up dirt that eventually will just go into the trash bin like all the rest.

It's a given that established big businesses have traditionally supported Republican candidates. But I am surprised at the "list" and the amount of the donations. You mean those dealerships were <gasp> BUNDLING campaign contributions so they could escape the legal limits? OMG!!!! How many rants did I see against Obama during the campaign for that very thing?

They should be targeted for shutters for political reasons, instead of being prosecuted if any laws were broken?

You're going on record as approving of this?

I'm going on the record as saying no such thing happened. Okay?

No surprise there cupcake!