Chrysler dealers that supported GOP ordered closed by Obama?

[devil21]

I came across this blog at ATS so proceed with caution. The methodology appears to be accurate though. It appears that many (most?) of the Chrysler dealers that were ordered to shut down were in fact GOP donors and not necessarily the worst performing dealerships. Ive seen items lately claiming that there was no rhyme or reason to the closing of dealerships and that some were profitable. If this is true it sheds a lot of negative light on what's going on in the Obama administration and the motivations behind some of these questionable policy moves.

http://directorblue.blogspot.com/2009/05/red-alert-did-campaign-contributions.html



A tipster alerted me to an interesting assertion. A cursory review by that person showed that many of the Chrysler dealers on the closing list were heavy Republican donors.

To quickly review the situation, I took all dealer owners whose names appeared more than once in the list. And, of those who contributed to political campaigns, every single one had donated almost exclusively to GOP candidates. While this isn't an exhaustive review, it does have some ominous implications if it can be verified.

lots more at link

The creep of fascism takes another step forward.

[Objectivist]

The moment they said that even well run Dealerships would be closed I knew it had to do with who they supported in the past elections. It didn't make sense to close successful dealers. FDR to a tee!

You could search my posts and find where I asked "who'd the support in the last election?"

[devil21]

Another blog following this as well:

http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?t=193893

[MsDoodahs]

http://directorblue.blogspot.com/2009/05/dealergate-statistical-evidence-that.html

My apologies to the TS, I did not realize you had already posted it.

[cindy25]

its stupid to close any dealers.
more dealers=more sales.
the dealers pay Chrysler or GM. its win-win for the auto companies to have many dealers

[Unspun]

its stupid to close any dealers.
more dealers=more sales.
the dealers pay Chrysler or GM. its win-win for the auto companies to have many dealers

When you are losing money each car you sell plus having to recoup shipment costs, and other contractual obligations it may be more burdensome than you think. It may be a good thing in the end--as long as it's not politically motivated, but rather economically motivated. One can only speculate.

[FSP-Rebel]

Reward your friends, punish your enemies. Thats how government works. That's why I support no government, only voluntary contracts between consenting adults.

[Objectivist]

its stupid to close any dealers.
more dealers=more sales.
the dealers pay Chrysler or GM. its win-win for the auto companies to have many dealers

Fewer Dealers means you can raise your price for lack of regional competition.

[GunnyFreedom]

The moment they said that even well run Dealerships would be closed I knew it had to do with who they supported in the past elections. It didn't make sense to close successful dealers. FDR to a tee!

You could search my posts and find where I asked "who'd the support in the last election?"

I remember you asking that yes. I've also been hearing this from disparate sources, but haven't done to research to say for certain if it's true. Sounds completely plausible, however.

[GunnyFreedom]

Fewer Dealers means you can raise your price for lack of regional competition.

Haha, it's Chrysler for goodness sake. They are already overpriced for the quality they offer in comparison to the Japanese car market. If they raise their selling price they will go under anyway. More people will just buy the Honda instead.

[Objectivist]

Haha, it's Chrysler for goodness sake. They are already overpriced for the quality they offer in comparison to the Japanese car market. If they raise their selling price they will go under anyway. More people will just buy the Honda instead.

Remember we are talking about Chrysler Dealers competing with each other. ANy car company that continues to stay under the control of the Government and Unions is destined to fail. The extra costs will drive savvy consumers to non-Union car companies. I'll never buy another so called American car. Maybe a H1 Hummer.

They also have service departments.

[Monolithic]

this is bullshit, most dealers are republicans

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

guess what, if you put 100 red marbles and 10 blue marbles in a bag, close your eyes and grab a handful, you're going to get nearly all red marbles, jesus.

[GunnyFreedom]

this is bullshit, most dealers are republicans

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

guess what, if you put 100 red marbles and 10 blue marbles in a bag, close your eyes and grab a handful, you're going to get nearly all red marbles, jesus.

LOL, the argument is about PROPORTION not numbers. If, at the end of the day, the ONLY marbles left in your bag are blue, then the handful wasn't exactly random, now was it?

[Objectivist]

this is bullshit, most dealers are republicans

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

guess what, if you put 100 red marbles and 10 blue marbles in a bag, close your eyes and grab a handful, you're going to get nearly all red marbles, jesus.

You have a source for that information? I do know for a fact that most Corporations give (extortion) to both parties, some more, some less.

[GunnyFreedom]

The source Monolithic gave, lists people who work for car dealers, while the earlier source the OP cited people who actually own car dealers. Perhaps that's where the disconnect comes in.

The source Monolithic cited seems to playing at amphibole. His graphics display "self employed" dealers (which are usually the lot salesmen) while he talks about owners.

The OP citation instead pulls up owners by name.

Apples and oranges here.

[Cowlesy]

Barney Ffffrwank just said on CNBC he's going to look into dealership closures.

You can all rest assured he is on the case!

[angelatc]

Chrysler said that they had no say in the closures - the decisions were made entirely by the Obama administration.

Here's something a blogger dug up:
http://chryslerdealershipshutdown.blogspot.com/2009/05/current-project-rlj-mclarty-landers.html
The company is called RLJ-McLarty-Landers, and it operates six Chrysler dealerships throughout the South. All six dealerships are safe from closing. The dealer locations are:

1. Bentonville, AR (northwest Arkansas)
2. Lee’s Summit, MO (south of Kansas City, MO)
3. Branson, MO
4. Olathe, KS (near Kansas City)
5. Bossier City, LA (near Shreveport)
6. Huntsville, AL

The interesting part is who the three main owners of the company are. The owners are Steve Landers (long-time car dealer, 4th-generation dealer), Thomas “Mack” McLarty (former Chief of Staff for President Clinton), and Robert Johnson (founder of Black Entertainment Television and co-owner of the NBA’s Charlotte Bobcats).

All their local competitors were closed.

[angelatc]

Barney Ffffrwank just said on CNBC he's going to look into dealership closures.

You can all rest assured he is on the case!

I'd feel better if Ron Paul were looking into it, but you probably already knew that.

[angelatc]

Now it's personal:
Another name on the list is Ray Huffines, who owns a large dealerhsip in the Metro-Dallas/Ft. Worth area. The Huffines family have been major contributors to Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) over the years...

[Brooklyn Red Leg]

Well we can see the clear case of Obama unveiling his first round of The Enemies List. Can't wait to hear the defense of the Cognitively Dissonant.

Edit: If I were one of these dealerships that is being closed and was successful, I'd tell the government where they could stuff it. Come down and shut me down with soldiers or get the fuck off my property! If they know whats smart, they will fight this tooth and nail and make sure that it ends up in court.

[acptulsa]

its stupid to close any dealers.
more dealers=more sales.
the dealers pay Chrysler or GM. its win-win for the auto companies to have many dealers

Absolutely. Other than sales literature and bookkeeping chores, dealers cost the car company nothing. And, of course, their competition helps ensure that potential customers are well-treated. If you're determined to buy a particular model of car and there's only one dealer in the area that sells that brand, you had better not tip your hand to the salesman or you could wind up buying a long way from home--or switching brands.

The very notion of forcing a profitable business to close--a business that is successfully moving the products of a struggling company, at that--is absolutely foreign to the U.S.A. I grew up in. My grandfather would be speechless.

[angelatc]

The very notion of forcing a profitable business to close--a business that is successfully moving the products of a struggling company, at that--is absolutely foreign to the U.S.A. I grew up in. My grandfather would be speechless.

I am quite depressed (for lack of a better word) about the general tone of the country. Capitalism is bad? Cripes - capitalism is what drew immigrants to our shores. All they wanted was a chance.

[acptulsa]

I am quite depressed (for lack of a better word) about the general tone of the country. Capitalism is bad? Cripes - capitalism is what drew immigrants to our shores. All they wanted was a chance.

And socialism isn't what gave them that chance.

*sigh* As went the Chrysler Imperial, so goes Imperial America. Hard for a republic to maintain an empire.

http://www.imperialclub.com/Yr/1931/Davis/lower.jpg

[devil21]

Another blog digging into this and releasing interesting findings:

http://thomasalamb.blogspot.com/2009/05/is-there-mopargate-on-horizon.html

[Carole]

This is an issue that demands the people get involved and scream loud and clear that the government has no right to select which dealers are closed. This should be a business decision, not a political decision.

Write your Congress and the White House and complain today. Expose Obama for his hypocracy and narcissism.

Only two of those dealers contributed to Obama's campaign. Let us find out more about these. It appears that these two Obama supporters did not give thil it hurt. :D

Mostly Reps and Dem Clinton supporters hit hard.




BAMANOMICS
Find out which GOP donors getting Chrysler's ax
Obama receives only $450 in entire inventory of political contributions

________________________________________
(((h ttp://www.wor ldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=99328)))


(Delete ((( space between h ttp space between wor ld and )))

WND reviewed the list of Chrysler's 789 closing franchises and databases of political donors and found that of dealership owners making contributions in the recent election, less than 10 percent gifted to Democrats while 90 percent gave substantial sums to Republican candidates.

The following dealers are scheduled to lose their Chrysler franchise designation. Based on available records and databases, each of them contributed to political campaigns during the 2008 election.

Many of the dealers who donated to Republican campaigns last year also contributed additional thousands to George W. Bush's presidential 2004 campaign and to campaigns to elect GOP representatives. Those donations are not included in this list.

The listed franchise owners contributed at least $450,000 to Republican presidential candidates and the GOP in the recent election while only $7,970 was donated to Sen. Hillary Clinton's campaign and $2,200 was given to Sen. John Edwards' campaign.

Of all political contributions from dealers on the list of closing facilities, President Obama received a combined total of only $450 toward his election.

Dealers who contributed to GOP and candidates in recent election
Rep. Vernon G Buchanan, dealership in Venice, Fla. – contributed $2,300 to John McCain in 2008 and $147,450 to GOP candidates and organizations since 2007.

Michael Maroone, dealership in FT. Lauderdale, Fla. – contributed $20,000 to Florida Republican Party, $12,700 to the RNC, $2,300 to Mitt Romney

Stephen Fay and family, dealership in Charlottesville, Va. – contributed $6,000 to RNC, $2,000 to John McCain

Robert Rohrman, dealership in Lafayette, Ind. – contributed $2,300 to John McCain and $740 to National Republican Congressional Committee

Charles Nash, dealership in San Marcos, Texas – contributed $2,300 to Rudy Giuliani
Larry Crain, dealership in Little Rock, Ark. – contributed $4,600 to John McCain, $4,600 to Mike Huckabee and $207 to the Arkansas Democratic Party

Jay Park, dealership in Beachwood, Ohio – contributed $2,300 to Mike Huckabee
Charles Gabus, dealership in Des Moines, Iowa – contributed $9,000 to Republican Party of Iowa, $6,000 to the Republican National Committee and $2,000 to Mitt Romney

John D. Stewart, dealership in Minot, N.D. – contributed $1,000 to North Dakota Republican Party and $2,300 to John McCain

William and Amy Ruth Churchill, dealership in Fort Worth, Texas – contributed $2,000 to Republican Party of Texas

Thomas Ganley, dealership in Lakewood, Ohio – contributed $250 to John McCain
Harry Green, dealership in Clarksburg, W.Va. – contributed $1,000 to John McCain and $225 to National Republican Congressional Committee

Franklin Jarrett, dealership in Hatboro, Pa., – contributed $2,850 to John McCain and $200 to the RNC

Frank Pearson, dealership in Midlothian, Va. – contributed $2,100 to Rudy Giuliani
Richard Kempthorn, dealership in Canton, Ohio – contributed $1,000 to Stark County Republican Party

Richard Kern, dealership in Winchester, Va., – contributed $2,701 to John McCain and $5,700 to RNC

Gerald Leglue, dealership in Alexandria, La. – contributed $3,055 to John McCain and $7,320 to the RNC

William Timmermeister, dealership in Lima, Ohio – contributed $3,000 to Ohio Republican Party, $2,400 to John McCain, $1,000 to the National Republican Congressional Committee and $1,000 to the RNC

Dennis Petrisak, dealership in Rochester, N.Y. – contributed $500 to John McCain and $400 to Rudy Giuliani

William M. Martin, dealership in Saginaw, Mich., – contributed $250 to Republican National Committee

Herbert Yardley, dealership in Plantation, Fla. – contributed $2,000 to Fred Thompson
Wendell Miller, dealership in Vestal, N.Y. – contributed $1,270 to the RNC

Charles Obaugh, dealership in Staunton, Va. – contributed $1,500 to John McCain, $500 to National Republican Senatorial Committee and $500 to the RNC

Paul Obaugh, dealership in Staunton, Va. – contributed $1,500 to John McCain, $250 to RNC and $250 to Virginia GOP

John Soares, dealership in Billings, Mt. – contributed $500 to Mitt Romney

Bruce Rothrock, dealership in Allentown, Pa. – contributed $300 to John McCain

Frank Stinson, dealership in Shreveport, La. – contributed $2,300 to John McCain

William J. Pratt, dealership in Nashville, Tenn. – contributed $1,000 to Mike Huckabee

Carlos Planas, dealership in Miami, Fla. – contributed $500 to Mike Huckabee

Roger Penske, dealership in Bloomfield Hills, Mich. – contributed $2,300 to Rudy Giuliani and $15,000 to the RNC

Christine Van Burkleo, dealership in McAllen, Texas – contributed $1,000 to John McCain
Larry Miles, dealership in Lajunta, Colo. – contributed $300 to RNC

Robert Dance, dealership in Sanford, Fla. – contributed $2,800 to National Republican Congressional Committee

Wallace D. Alley Jr. and Martin Alley, dealership in Kingsport, Tenn. – contributed $500 to National Republican Congressional Committee

Robert Archer and family, dealership in Houston, Texas – contributed $1,000 to National Republican Congressional Committee and $500 to Americans for a Republican Majority

Homer and Vinson Higginbotham, dealership in Abilene, Texas, – contributed $950 to National Republican Congressional Committee and $500 to the RNC

William Numrich, dealership in Pittsburgh, Pa. – contributed $1,400 to RNC

Ralph and Carolyn Bennett, dealership in Salina Kansas – contributed $300 to John McCain
Frank, Victoria and Gordia Boucher, dealership in Greenfield, Wis. – contributed $2,200 to Wisconsin Republican Party and $250 to the Republican National Committee

Scott Bossier, dealership in Waxahachie, Texas – contributed $500 to Mike Huckabee, $300 to RNC and $250 to John McCain

Russ Darrow and family, dealership in Menomonee Falls, Wis. – contributed $19,000 to RNC, $6,029 to Wisconsin Republican Party, $2,300 to John McCain and $1,000 to Rudy Giuliani
Don Hill and family, dealership in Kingsport, Tenn. – contributed $1,000 to RNC; $950 to National Republican Congressional Committee

Walter Downer Jr., dealership in Elmer, N.J. – contributed $300 to the RNC

Eddie Cordes, dealership in Lawton, Okla. – contributed $1,650 to RNC and $500 to National Republican Congressional Committee

Robert Edwards, dealership in Walhalla, S.C. – contributed $300 to South Carolina Republican Party

Arthur Grayson, dealership in Knoxville, Tenn. – contributed $3,200 to the RNC

Eric Grubbs and family, dealership in Bedford, Texas – contributed $11,500 to Mike Huckabee, $4,600 to Rudy Giuliani, $6,500 to Texas Republican Congressional Committee, $1,085 to the RNC and $500 to National Republican Congressional Committee

Ray Huffines and family, dealership in Denton, Texas, – contributed $4,600 to Mike Huckabee and $1,000 to John McCain

James Marsh, dealership in Las Vegas, Nev. – contributed $2,600 to Nevada Republican Central Committee, $500 to Mitt Romney and $500 to John McCain

John Hine, dealership in San Diego, Calif. – contributed $500 to Mitt Romney

Max Pearson and family, dealership in Midlothian, Va. – contributed $18,000 to National Republican Senatorial Committee, $6,900 to RNC, $6,900 to John McCain, $3,600 to Virginia Republican Party and $1,000 to National Republican Congressional Committee

John Medved, dealership in Wheat Ridge, Colo. – contributed $5,000 to the RNC

Robert Helphenstine, dealership in Gainesville, Fla. – contributed $500 to the RNC

Mark Heywood, LeMans, Iowa – contributed $1,000 to the RNC

Mark Hendren, dealership in Neosho, Mo. – contributed $500 to John McCain

Patrick Painter and family, dealership in Nephi, Utah – contributed $5,000 to Mitt Romney and $560 to Utah GOP
________________________________________

Dealers who contributed to Democratic Party and candidates in recent election

Robert Carver, dealership in Mena, Ariz. – contributed $1,950 to Hillary Clinton; $1,000 to Arkansas Democratic Party; $200 to Democrat Senate Committee

Ethel Cook, dealership in Little Rock, Ark. – contributed $1,720 to Hillary Clinton

Sidney Doboer, dealership in Colorado Springs, Colo. – contributed $2,300 to Hillary Clinton

J. Fitzgerald, dealership in Kensington, Md. – contributed $4,600 to John McCain and $2,000 to Hillary Clinton

Stanley Graff, dealership in McKinney, Texas – contributed $2,200 to John Edwards and $500 to Dallas County Republican Party

Jeffrey Hunter, dealership in Waco, Texas – contributed $200 to Barack Obama

Jane and Stephen Baldock, dealership in Wenatchee, Wash. – contributed $250 to Barack Obama

*Blogger Doug Ross also provides a partial list of Chrysler dealership owners and their contributions

[Zippyjuan]

If 90% of all dealers donated to Republicans it should not be surprising to learn that nine out of ten of the dealerships being closed did not donate to Obama. That ratio is true of ALL dealers, not just those being closed. It is discussed further in this thread: http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?t=193893

According to figures at Open Secrets, about seven percent of all car dealers made contributions to the Obama 2008 election campaign.
http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/recips.php?ind=T2300&cycle=2008&recipdetail=P&mem=N&sortorder=U so from a random sample of dealerships (ie the list of ones being closed) one would expect to find less than ten percent of them donated to Obama and this is exactly what is found. It does not show any bias against dealers who did not donate to him.

It is selectively using numbers to imply a relationship which is not there. It is true that nine in ten of those target for closure gave to Republicans but so did nine in ten of those not closed down.

If 50% gave to Obama and 90% of the dealers shut down gave to Republicans, then you certainly have a problem.

[acptulsa]

That ratio is true of ALL dealers, not just those being closed.

The wonderful thing about keeping government out of business as much as possible is, you don't have questions like this even coming up. Seriously, even if the company really is better off with fewer dealers (which I doubt), why does the freaking White House need to seperate the wheat from the chaff? And even if there is no impropriety in any of this, why even risk the accusation?

[HOLLYWOOD]

How history repeats itself... Remember the FISA Act Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_Intelligence_Surveillance_Act_of_1978), the one Obama voted for and the new revised Act, which also voted WORST THAN BUSH?

Those politicians that voted for Immunities for telecoms and government received over twice as much, in campaign donations from telecoms corporations than those that voted against Immunity.

ENEMY of the GRAFTING STATE... you are targeted, if you don't comply!

First Dubya and now the Infallible Chocolate Jesus.. 2 heads of the same evil Beast and We The People are the pawns to their conquests.

PS: I didn't see any Dealers that were shutdown with contributions to Ron Paul.

PSS: So they threw in a couple of Obama donors to give the appearance it's not biased. Notice they were a couple of very feeble donors($200 & $250)? Duh, didn't know Americans are this ignorant, but you're not safe unless you donate the MAX!

[devil21]

PS: I didn't see any Dealers that were shutdown with contributions to Ron Paul.

PSS: So they threw in a couple of Obama donors to give the appearance it's not biased. Notice they were a couple of very feeble donors($200 & $250)? Duh, didn't know Americans are this ignorant, but you're not safe unless you donate the MAX!

There was one TX Paul supporter in the mix according to the original blog.

[Zippyjuan]

PSS: So they threw in a couple of Obama donors to give the appearance it's not biased. Notice they were a couple of very feeble donors($200 & $250)? Duh, didn't know Americans are this ignorant, but you're not safe unless you donate the MAX!


Obama only got $133,000 total from all car dealers.

I agree they should not be telling the car makers how to run their business.

[devil21]

Obama only got $133,000 total from all car dealers.

I agree they should not be telling the car makers how to run their business.

ZeroHedge blog has done a more in depth analysis of this issue and has published their (somewhat preliminary) findings. Im inclined to believe their findings above others.

http://zerohedge.blogspot.com/2009/05/i-am-marlas-observations-on-artifical.html

Seems Clinton supporters have a noticably higher survival rate than all others and the likely reason why is discovered. Not really a surprise either considering the power the Clintons still hold both around the world and in Obama's own administration.

[LibForestPaul]

Good to know Hope is playing hardball...

[Zippyjuan]

Thanks for some more information. Seems they found "interesting" but not "statistically significant" trends.

[penguin]

If 90% of all dealers donated to Republicans it should not be surprising to learn that nine out of ten of the dealerships being closed did not donate to Obama. That ratio is true of ALL dealers, not just those being closed. It is discussed further in this thread: http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?t=193893

According to figures at Open Secrets, about seven percent of all car dealers made contributions to the Obama 2008 election campaign.
http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/recips.php?ind=T2300&cycle=2008&recipdetail=P&mem=N&sortorder=U so from a random sample of dealerships (ie the list of ones being closed) one would expect to find less than ten percent of them donated to Obama and this is exactly what is found. It does not show any bias against dealers who did not donate to him.

It is selectively using numbers to imply a relationship which is not there. It is true that nine in ten of those target for closure gave to Republicans but so did nine in ten of those not closed down.

If 50% gave to Obama and 90% of the dealers shut down gave to Republicans, then you certainly have a problem.

So the fact they didn't give to democrats is reason enough to shut them down? What about how much they make as a standard instead. The relationship you talk of is quite clear, non-dem so let's take as many out as we can. I really don't get your argument on this one. This is nothing more then political revenge.

[Indy4Chng]

Well we can see the clear case of Obama unveiling his first round of The Enemies List. Can't wait to hear the defense of the Cognitively Dissonant.

Edit: If I were one of these dealerships that is being closed and was successful, I'd tell the government where they could stuff it. Come down and shut me down with soldiers or get the fuck off my property! If they know whats smart, they will fight this tooth and nail and make sure that it ends up in court.

They aren't making them close they are using bankrupcy to terminate their franchise agreement. They can still sell their cars they have but Chrysler won't give them anymore... It really is unfair to these dealerships as they are not having the market end them, but this auto taskforce. I mean who is going to buy a new or used vehicle from a dealership that is probably going to close as it is public knowledge that they no longer can sell these vehicles. Also think about the fact that now the auto force is going to allow the dealerships allowed to stay open to buy these vehicles off these closed dealerships for penny on the dollar as they will have no choice due to my previous point. It is sick and wrong what they are doing and a disgrace to free market and capitalism.

[Indy4Chng]

The auto industry is very pro-capitalism. The last thing they want is to give some of their hard earned money to some lazy some of bitch. Of all the businesses in the country it has to be one of biggest "survival of the fittest" industry's around.

[Zippyjuan]

So the fact they didn't give to democrats is reason enough to shut them down? What about how much they make as a standard instead. The relationship you talk of is quite clear, non-dem so let's take as many out as we can. I really don't get your argument on this one. This is nothing more then political revenge.
My point was that the percent of dealers being closed down who gave to Republicans is the same as the percentage of dealers NOT being shut down who gave to Republicans. You could play the headline the other way:
"90 Percent of Dealers Spared Were Republican Donors". This is what you would probably read if this happend while Bush was president.