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The Wiz asked in Politics & GovernmentElections · 1 decade ago

Is this the change we can believe in?

The following letter appeared in 'The American Thinker' on May 19, 2009

Letter from a Dodge dealer

letter to the editor

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

Update:

dhramveer..WTF r u smokin', boy?

13 Answers

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  • ?
    Lv 5
    1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    This is very disheartening and yes, this is the change you get.

    The United Socialist States of America.

    The sad thing is most of the obama supporters are too blinded by propaganda to see what is happening right in front of them. All they know is what they are told on MSNBC...It's Bush's Fault, government is the answer, obama's plans will save us.

    Our founders saw this coming; the question becomes... Will you stand up against tyranny?

    Source(s): "A wise and frugal government, which shall restrain men from injuring one another, which shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor and bread it has earned. This is the sum of good government." - Thomas Jefferson
  • 1 decade ago

    Sorry to hear about your plight Mr. Joseph. However, when you buy a franchise from a franchisor, you are not and independent private owner. Instead, you are an agent of that franchisor and you are subject to the franchisor's decisions and control. If your franchisor is a big disaster, as GM was, the company was going to go bankrupt anyways. I am not sure if this whole letter is a hoax in trying to stir up the pot because nobody who actually owns a franchise would make such radical claims. GM was going bankrupt no matter what, and as a result, all of the dealerships would have been subject to foreclosure and liquidation anyways.

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    I am not surprised that this is only the 5th answer to this rendering,

    What this man says is real. This is not a rant from some left wing

    malcontent or Obamma lover, This is truth, This is Reality, This man

    is about to lose to no fault of his own his livelihood and that of his

    50 Employees and vendor suppliers. He is going to file bankruptcy,

    This will stiff the bank for 3 million dollars in upaid debt, This will

    halt all sales tax and revenue from this dealership.

    So the question we have to ask. Is why did the US GOVERNMENT do

    this to Americans, For if one minute you think the Obama administration

    had no idea this would happen. Your as stupid now as the day you

    voted for the bastard. This was part of the Obama plan to ruin this

    country. Well its time for this country to ruin Obama. Its time for all

    the dealerships who were in good standing with Chrysler, and GM

    who are losing there locations to class action sue the new owners

    of both operations, The United States Government and the UAW.

    If it means busting this country into the dirt, go right ahead, FOr this

    tired *** phony administration, no more cares about the future of

    this country than fly. It is time for the Revolution to start. Time to

    send these long time self serving losers in washington a message

    they will never get over. We need to start caring about Americans,

    not the dividers of America.

  • canam
    Lv 7
    1 decade ago

    That is unbelievable. I heard this morning on the news that GM is being forced into bankrupcy by the feds and that GM will be given to the UAW at no cost to them. Is this socialism or communism??? Is this the "change" america thought they were getting???

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  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    That is the type of "change" the Republicans tried to warn everybody about.

    Although, the Liberal's solution is to have the Government buy out the dis-enfranchised dealer with tax-payer money.

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    Oh sorry....I was gonna ask why did ya post this twice....and erase my answer...........but it was someone else. Sorry....someone beat you to this very same rant about 5 minutes ago.

    Must be the hot talking point on Fox news today.

    I will sum up briefly again--------

    HUNDREDS of thousands of lives ruined and LOST over the BS war in Iraq.

    You're worried about some GM dealership?

    where's the outrage over the last 8 years?

    I'll save my outrage for things getting outraged about.

  • 1 decade ago

    I've been hearing more and more stories like this coming from all around the country. You would think that IF franchises need to be closed down, Chrysler would choose franchises that weren't doing well to begin with... but NO there seems to be no rhyme or reason to the decisions. Franchises that are doing well are being closed down while other less-successful franchises in the area are being allowed to continue. If there is logic in these decisions, I fail to see them

    As to "hope and change"... Many are losing hope and about all they have left in their pockets is change.

    Thanks a bunch President O

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    Mr. Joseph's situation is horrible, and I am sorry to read about it.

    The hard times and situation that placed Mr. Joseph in this situation are a direct result of the greed and unchecked business practices of the auto companies in America. The "cure" is painful, however not to blame for Mr. Joseph's situation. However, it apparently makes many happy to point the finger at the new administration. I guess you can say anything and that just makes it so......very sad all the way around.

  • 1 decade ago

    So where was your or his anger when millions were put out of their jobs when Bush allowed corporations to move their factories overseas?

    My dad lost his livelihood under Bush's reign and a car dealership is more important than my dad's job?

  • 1 decade ago

    that certainly does beg the question who's scratching who's back.

    I hope this got attention higher up the chain.

    Its rather sad that no matter what people do, theres always someone out there willing to do you over.

    Hope it gets resolved , but looks like they don't have long to get it sorted

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