May 19, 2009
Letter from a Dodge dealer

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
http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/...ge_dealer.html
http://www.sunshinedodgeisuzu.com/

[geologist]

Originally Posted by Bro. Parrish

May 19, 2009
Letter from a Dodge dealer
HOW CAN THIS HAPPEN IN A FREE MARKET ECONOMY IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA?
[/B]

With all respect for the man suffering this terrible wrong, our Government was dead wrong in bailing out Chrysler and GM. They should have been left alone to fail. That is a part of America's economic system.

Our Government further compounded this wrong by injecting itself into running the auto industry and banks. Unfortunately, this is only the beginning of things to come. Now this Government is trying to spend its way out of a recession by, essentially, printing money. You can't get out of debt by more borrowing. America is now solidly doomed to fail. And when America goes down, so will the whole global economic system. Get ready for the MARK!

Originally Posted by geologist

With all respect for the man suffering this terrible wrong, our Government was dead wrong in bailing out Chrysler and GM. They should have been left alone to fail. That is a part of America's economic system.

Yep, you're right, that's why they have chapter 13....

Originally Posted by geologist

Our Government further compounded this wrong by injecting itself into running the auto industry and banks.

LOL, the politicians can't even run the government and the states, now they want to run the car business. Illinois started shutting down it's park system last year. California is laying off thousands of workers and selling public buildings.

Originally Posted by geologist

Unfortunately, this is only the beginning of things to come. Now this Government is trying to spend its way out of a recession by, essentially, printing money. You can't get out of debt by more borrowing. America is now solidly doomed to fail. And when America goes down, so will the whole global economic system. Get ready for the MARK!

Not me, I'm not planning on being here for any mark...

[Jassy]

Bro. Parrish, I don't understand this. He doesn't state WHO is taking this dealership away from him and WHY. Nor who the letter was from. He insists that he did nothing wrong; why is that happening to him? What's the reason? It would help to understand more in depth the situation that he is in.

All I can offer is prayers.
Jassy

Jassy,
it's part of a massive change to the American manufacturing sector,
also happening with GM dealers, see here:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/busine...,1360736.story

[Bill]

This sounds like blatant theft of this man's franchise, assuming the factual content of his letter turns out to be both true and complete. It would seem like there would be a legal agreement signed at the time He bought the franchise that would at least require compensation for taking it away. Maybe one of the reasons for having these bailouts (besides stealing money from taxpayers and currency holders) instead of normal bankrupt court is to circumvent legal agreements which would prevent this type of theft. It might be illuminating to see a record of politcal contributions made by both this man and the people who are going to receive his stolen franchise.