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Letter from a Dodge dealer
American Thinker ^ | 5/19/09 | American Thinker

Posted on 05/19/2009 10:29:47 AM PDT by American Dream 246

My name is George C. Joseph. I am the sole owner of Sunshine Dodge-Isuzu, a family owned and operated business in Melbourne, Florida. My family bought and paid for this automobile franchise 35 years ago in 1974. I am the second generation to manage this business.

We currently employ 50+ people and before the economic slowdown we employed over 70 local people. We are active in the community and the local chamber of commerce. We deal with several dozen local vendors on a day to day basis and many more during a month. All depend on our business for part of their livelihood. We are financially strong with great respect in the market place and community. We have strong local presence and stability.

I work every day the store is open, nine to ten hours a day. I know most of our customers and all our employees. Sunshine Dodge is my life.

On Thursday, May 14, 2009 I was notified that my Dodge franchise, that we purchased, will be taken away from my family on June 9, 2009 without compensation and given to another dealer at no cost to them. My new vehicle inventory consists of 125 vehicles with a financed balance of 3 million dollars. This inventory becomes impossible to sell with no factory incentives beyond June 9, 2009. Without the Dodge franchise we can no longer sell a new Dodge as "new," nor will we be able to do any warranty service work. Additionally, my Dodge parts inventory, (approximately $300,000.) is virtually worthless without the ability to perform warranty service. There is no offer from Chrysler to buy back the vehicles or parts inventory.

Our facility was recently totally renovated at Chrysler's insistence, incurring a multi-million dollar debt in the form of a mortgage at Sun Trust Bank.

HOW IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA CAN THIS HAPPEN?

THIS IS A PRIVATE BUSINESS NOT A GOVERNMENT ENTITY

This is beyond imagination! My business is being stolen from me through NO FAULT OF OUR OWN. We did NOTHING wrong.

This atrocity will most likely force my family into bankruptcy. This will also cause our 50+ employees to be unemployed. How will they provide for their families? This is a total economic disaster.

HOW CAN THIS HAPPEN IN A FREE MARKET ECONOMY IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA?

I beseech your help, and look forward to your reply. Thank you.

Sincerely,

George C. Joseph President & Owner Sunshine Dodge-Isuzu


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Extended News; Front Page News; News/Current Events; US: Florida
KEYWORDS: america2point0; asocialistamerica; automakers; bho44; bhoeconomy; chrysler; communism; dealerships; dodge; economy; fascism; fubo; government; hopeychangey; killchryslerlist; nationalization; obama; obamunism; politics; socialistblitzkrieg; starkravingsocialism
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To: Melinda
The "Sorry" was directed at the poster who suggested the man do something totally unproductive.

I'm suggesting that a better course of action is to do something positive and replace the lost supplier with a new one.

141 posted on 05/19/2009 11:56:56 AM PDT by HIDEK6
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To: IYAS9YAS

Check 2 things:

Their voting record-too conservative they were axed

Their Church attendance

I bet either one or the other has something to do with it. We can’t have those faith filled (ie bitter clingers) running successful businesses. It would only bolster their argument.


142 posted on 05/19/2009 11:57:17 AM PDT by wombtotomb (ITS NOT ABOUT RIGHT VS. LEFT, ITS ABOUT RIGHT VS. WRONG!)
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To: American Dream 246

Mr. Bowman is one of those wealthy Americans that are evil and greedy according to the disgusting piece of humanity that occupies the Oval Office. Wanna bet Mr. Bowman is a republican who has donated to political causes? How many of the dealers who are being shut down are owned by politically active republicans?


143 posted on 05/19/2009 11:57:48 AM PDT by Rebelbase
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To: ontap

They aren’t Chrysler’s renovations, they’re his.


144 posted on 05/19/2009 11:57:54 AM PDT by HIDEK6
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To: xp38
Here's his new sales manager:


145 posted on 05/19/2009 11:58:16 AM PDT by Cletus.D.Yokel (FreepMail me if you want on the Bourbon ping list!)
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To: American Dream 246
This reminds me of stories about people who invested with Madoff and lost everything. I hope there is some legal recourse for people in his situation. In the mean time, FUBO!
146 posted on 05/19/2009 11:58:23 AM PDT by GBA
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To: seatrout
I can’t believe the real Tom Paine was that annoying and full of himself.

Like yourself, King George found the original very annoying.

I happen to like every aspect of those videos.

147 posted on 05/19/2009 11:58:41 AM PDT by GingisK
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To: MrB
Fascism: It Sucks Even When Liberals Do It

With one minor change, I think I have my Tea Party sign:

Fascism: Unworkable, Even When Liberals Do It

148 posted on 05/19/2009 12:01:27 PM PDT by Cletus.D.Yokel (FreepMail me if you want on the Bourbon ping list!)
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To: BlueNgold; CA Conservative
“Look at the numbers for dealership by dealership new car sales and you will probably agree that Chrysler had way too many franchises. A thinning of the herd was necessary.”

Businesses survive or not. The survival is based on REVENUE and PROFIT, with the latter being the primary determinant. Thinning comes as a NATURAL result of inefficiency or incompetence. Success is in the blood that keeps it afloat.

No government action should be able to take what a man has accumulated through fiat. Unfortunately, we have nobody that cares and everybody wringing their hands!

I wish I was a lawyer. I would be in court to force an injunction on this destruction of America. There must be a way!


149 posted on 05/19/2009 12:03:41 PM PDT by WVKayaker ( God said, 'Cancel Program GENESIS.' The universe ceased to exist.- Arth. C. Clarke's shortest story)
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To: BipolarBob
It’s called change.

"Change" is all he will be left with. As in "loose change".

150 posted on 05/19/2009 12:03:56 PM PDT by Alex Murphy (Presbyterians often forget that John Knox had been a Sunday bowler.)
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To: HIDEK6

I don’t think my suggestion was totally unproductive. I do think yours is simply impractical given his situation.

The best thing at this point is to expose this to the media and hope someone thinks it is worthy of a story. The fact that it is being handed over to another dealer is interesting and begs further investigation.


151 posted on 05/19/2009 12:04:25 PM PDT by Melinda
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To: ontap
I don’t think they are closing the successful ones and not at this pace.

About 700 since the end of 2005. Judge whether that is "on this pace" for yourself.

152 posted on 05/19/2009 12:05:09 PM PDT by Publius Valerius
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To: Rebelbase

If the GOP had any b*lls, they would be researching exactly that question and publicizing the answer.

And oh by the way taxpaya, you gonna foot the bill for $10s of billions in UAW retirements and platinum benefits too.


153 posted on 05/19/2009 12:05:39 PM PDT by nascarnation
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To: Ingtar

Well... that makes perfect sense. The complete and total bankruptcy of America and Americans by its’ Marxist enemies can’t happen if someone, somewhere, is still making money via that evil capitalism. That has to be stopped!

Pitchfork time YET???


154 posted on 05/19/2009 12:06:49 PM PDT by XenaLee
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To: HIDEK6

Read the article he was ordered to do them by Chrysler!


155 posted on 05/19/2009 12:09:17 PM PDT by ontap (Just another backstabbing conservative)
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To: American Dream 246

What else can be done with 125 new vehicles with spare parts? hmmm?

Maybe a limosine / taxi service?
Delivery services?
America is innovative. Let’s help innovate!


156 posted on 05/19/2009 12:09:56 PM PDT by PuzzledInTX
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To: nascarnation

And compare those findings to how many under performing dealerships are democrat owned and were not axed.


157 posted on 05/19/2009 12:10:13 PM PDT by Rebelbase
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To: nascarnation

Oh and just for the hell of it, a class action lawsuit by the dealers against Government Motors.


158 posted on 05/19/2009 12:11:09 PM PDT by Rebelbase
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To: Rebelbase
Oh and just for the hell of it, a class action lawsuit by the dealers against Government Motors.

A waste of time I think.

The Baraqqis have pretty much replaced the rule of law with their dictat.

159 posted on 05/19/2009 12:14:03 PM PDT by nascarnation
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To: Publius Valerius
Using your figures 700 closings in four years.

Last week, 789 U.S. Chrysler dealers were notified they would be dropped by the struggling automaker, including several St. Louis-area dealerships. About 1,100 GM (NYSE: GM) dealers were expected to get the same bad news.

I think maybe not !!!

160 posted on 05/19/2009 12:14:44 PM PDT by ontap (Just another backstabbing conservative)
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