Kalifornia at it again

[dalej]

Even used car dealers are suffering with this economy!

Not so fast Ed, I know a used car dealer in east Tennessee that just bought a newer bus!

[fixrim]

Boy you guys don't want to get me going on this thread! Havent been on this board since we got our 03 Prevost, came back to see what is happening.

As for cars, I own between 13-15 at any given moment, and my tastes run the gamut. No comparison on the Hemi's, et al, of old and new cars. Your basic late model Honda or Chevy is faster than most old muscle cars, and it would kill then on a road course. As for the Mercedes, I sadly have had one, nice car, lots of power, but you are right, a real POS! Fantastically overrated!

Being Canadian (I left that socialist left wing mecca in 1992 with $300 and a 20 year old car with no AC, and not another possession!) I have sad observations about what is happening here now. I never thought I'd live to see the day when the Canadian PM was to the right of the President. And sadly, there is no "conservative" movement in Canada, since as a socialist country the best a party can do is to claim they can run the socialist system better than the lefties.

Canadian health care, is, well, scary. Fact is most of the population doesn't need it, because they are healthy, but heaven help you if you are elderly and need care. By that time, your voting power is diminished due to demographics, and the lousy health care is just "the way it is" Funny thing about most Canadians is that they love their system, they just think it hasn't been run right. Most falsely believe that Americans routinely go bankrupt after a hospital visit, and that many simply die because they can't get treated at the hospital. "Better to wait and get care than die on the street in front of the hospital" is what they say. But wait they will. Long waits for even the most routine things are common. Many of these routine things are life altering or life threatening, but no matter, you will still wait. Simply stated, many die that might have done better with fast, aggressive treatment. And rich Canadians have it no better, for it is ILLEGAL for a doctor to provide care for money outside the system. After all, no one should be able to get at the front of the line due to money. Good for them that they can come here ( a staggering number come here for their health care), but that soon will change also.

I feel like the country I knew is now gone... and is was the only place on earth like it!

As for Republican car dealers, yes I heard that all but 2 of the dealers that were closed were Republican contributors. Sad day indeed.

As for GM and Chrysler, I'd say they are finished, but I hope I am wrong. I can't ever recall a government owned business (or any other entity for that matter) that can run better and be more effective that a private sector business or entity. And turning these entities over to the very union that bankrupted them is, well, poorly consider in my estimation. Apparently Obama and his cronies are smarter than everyone else in every area of the economy and government. And they used the word "hubris" when talking about Bush!!

I am considering going to DC on 9-12 for a tax protest rally (in my Bus) maybe some on this board should do the same thing!

Thanks for letting me rant!

[sawdust_128]

Say there Bob, Welcome to the war!!

[Jerry Winchester]

Bob,

Pretty good rant, eh? Lots of truth to those words....

[GDeen]

I have been fishing the past few years at a lodge up in Saskatchewan. The Canadian owner developed cancer 2 years ago and immediately relocated to the US for treatment.

[rickdesilva]

The Republican/Car Dealer closing I believe is just a coincidence since most dealers I know are republican. The GM deal will be interesting to watch as GM is being (as well as Chrysler) "convinced" to produce and sell vehicles which are sale-proof. There is no doubt in my mind that eventually they will be back at the trough again for more money and I think that by then the public will have had enough. Now that the UAW owns a chunk of GM and sits on both sides of the table the next contract negotiation is going to be interesting. Gettlefinger won't know what hat to wear. I originally thought that a "pre-packaged" bankruptcy would be the way to go as it would have given both GM and Chrysler the opportunity to shed the extreme legacy costs and renegotiate the contracts that keep the domestic manufacturers on their back. Never did I think that the only ones who would emerge whole and not give up too much would be the UAW. The bond holders lost out and the Supreme Court upheld it. Ford on the other hand started the corporate restructure a few years before everyone else by shedding off Jaguar, Range Rover and Aston Martin. Mulally has done a great job however, Ford does not have the luxury of having had its balance sheet cleaned up from a bankruptcy, but at least they don't have the Car Czars running the store.

[hhoppe]

Yes Us California Citizens are in a real pickle, several pickles as a matter of fact. We have three terrible Congress ladies out of the 354 law makers in congress. They are not doing all of the damage being done to our country. Look in your own back yards at what you are sending for law makers. I'm presently holding my breath our governor continues his hold out on signing the budget being presented to him by the Democratic Legislature.. He told them " We are broke." As citizens of this great state we have the most to lose by being forced out of state by taxes and destructive regulations. Best year round climate, Jobs, income, standard of living, beaches, mountains, forests, deserts, lakes and all year recreatiobn.
So pick on Kalifornia if it makes you feel good, but we will survive and come back better for for having gone through the tough of it.

[Sid Tuls]

Hey Harry good to hear from ya. Are you going to OK?

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Harry, I think you are wrong. I have seen a parallel with NY state and what has happened is the welfare constituency has become the dominant political force, and the politicians now pander to that voting bloc. As a result legislation and budgets leave the income producers no other option than to bail out.

Businesses are leaving, high wage earners are leaving, real estate values are plummeting because far more people (who earn their way in life) are leaving than are coming into the state.

The decline is happening at a faster rate now and the state is creating even more ways to take money from its residents. I don't know when it will reach the tipping point, but it is getting close.

You have a beautiful state, but it is all about numbers, and as those on the receiving end of your money outnumber you the end is near.

[rickdesilva]

There is a tremendous amount of support of a Bill that is moving through the House which may give back the terminated dealers their rights if not their franchises. Its called the "Automotive Dealer Economic Rights Restoration Act". Its picking up alot of momentum and it has accumulated over 220 co-sponsors. My understanding is that it would restore their agreements prior to their arbitrary termination. Unfortunately for some dealers its too late. But it shows the power of Grass Root involvement and Lobbying and knowing your Representatives. It would be Huge victory for those dealers who are looking at bankruptcy as an option because they didn't make the "stay" list.