Straight From the Heart

Republican-Owned Car Dealerships Targeted to be Closed by Obama Car Czar

Earlier this week I came across a story regarding a family-owned independent Florida car dealership that was being forced to close. The second generation owner, would receive nothing in return, his extensive new car inventory, that was already paid for, was now virtually worthless. He would not be able to sell these as new cars because Chrysler "aka" Obama Cars Inc. would not honor any warranties. His inventory, worth over $3 million, was deemed worthless without the warranty work, and his staff of some 100 employees would be out of work. No stimulus money for him- two lifetimes of work down the tubes. This story is being replayed in countless small towns all across America. Thanks to this article by Mark Tapscott of the Washington Examiner, a curious link is slowly being revealed. It appears that the majority of the car dealerships that are being run out of business are owned by Republicans! The horror! I hope that the tens of thousands of "furloughed" workers will remember this at the polls. Obama's Car Czar, Steven Rattner,isn't some impartial business genius tasked with fixing the auto business, he is married to Maureen White, former national finance chair of the Democratic National Committee. He also used to write for the NY Times, that notable arm of the Democratic Party. Tapscott brings up some great points in his article and it is worth the read. First it is the car dealerships, the banks, soon health care companies, and it could be YOUR company if you don't vote Democratic. This is a scary development for all business owners and anyone who wants choice. The left has co-opted the word "choice" as a code word for unfettered abortions. We are going to lose our choice to bank where we want to, buy the kinds of cars (black gas guzzlers) we want, to use the health insurance providers and doctors we want, what color roof you can have on your house, and the choice to vote for who we want--all because Obama Inc. wants to run the world. If you don't toe the line, you will lose everything. This is just the start and to say it again, Freedom Isn't Free. By the time the sleeping masses wake up, will it be too late? There is a choice--speak up!

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/beltway-confidential/Furor-grows-over-partisan-car-dealer-closings-46261447.html

 

Individual Rights Are Dead If This Continues

I came across this letter in the blogosphere (hat tip: Dirty Rotten Scoundrels) and had to post this. The hard working, family-owned businesses are going to suffer even more under Obama's policies. As the government continues to take over more independently owned businesses in order to run them into the ground and destroy our once florishing economy, this type of story will become more commonplace.

"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"

The individual is no longer important to Obama and our government, the collective, the group right is now paramount. We are screwed unless we stand up and take back what is being taken away.

Interesting Day

On my flight today to Minneapolis I had the pleasure of sitting next to a reporter from NPR. He generally covers long term reports (30 minute documentaries) and has a series coming out on the environment. He *didn"t* have a card. Imagine having 3 hours to talk to a liberal leftist! After my post yesterday on the Somalis, we had a long discussion about them.He lives in a very mixed neighborhood with them and has been involved in their integration into the community. He is friends with them. He tried to convince me that the boys going over to Somalia are acting out their national pride as the Hmong community had a similar issue with some of their members wanting to go over to Laos to start a revolution.  He had a hard time even thinking that it was religiously motivated. He felt that there are so many gangs in his area, that the Somali parents encouraged their sons to go to the mosque as it was a safe place to be. He admitted to me that he attended this mosque and heard their Imam preach in Arabic, Somali and English. I asked him if it was the same sermon in all three languages and he couldn't say. I reminded him that this was a common tactic, perfected by Arafat to say one thing in Arabic and quite another to the Western world in English. He quickly changed the subject. I also asked him if didn't he think that the Somali parents knew what was being preached and approved of it themselves? He hadn't considered this tacit approval but agreed it was possible.

We talked about health care too. He wants free universal healthcare for everyone. Who is going to pay for that? Doctors need to be paid. I told him I like my current coverage and don't want to change. I don't want the government telling me what to do, I like to have a choice. I asked him to come back and talk to me when he is 65 and needs a knee replacement and the govt tells him no, he is too old.I knew about a survey taken that breaks down the number of uninsured Americans into several categories that show what the real number of eligible candidates for subsidized health care is and offered to email him the results. My new reporter friend has my email address and I will wait to see if he contacts me. In the meantime, here is that information:

http://keithhennessey.com/2009/04/09/how-many-uninsured-people-need-additional-help-from-taxpayers/

I also gave him my .02 cents on Israel, knowing that he was a captive audience and a member of National Palestinian Radio. Why not!

After that we stayed fairly neutral talking about movies, literature and generalities. I don"t know if I made any headway. It was an interesting encounter! I wonder who I will meet on Tuesday on the way back to Phoenix?

It Always Creeps Me Out!

Why is it when I fly there are always so many veiled Muslim women working in the airports and screening at TSA? Who is doing that hiring? It is political correctness to the wrong degree. I'm sure they are very nice people but it creeps me out. I am flying into Minneapolis tomorrow and from the time I get off the plane,walk through the airport and take the cab to the hotel, if it weren't for the stores and buildings, I could be in Somalia. Aren't there any other people who could work those jobs? I see this here in Phoenix to a lesser degree, but it is always jarring. Didn't anyone learn anything from 9-11? I feel absolutely no sense of security flying. The screening is a joke, everyone has a story about the knife, water bottle, "whatever is banned from carry-on baggage' getting through the screeners. You walk through a machine that strips you bare to some anonymous voyeur in a booth. Are they taking pictures of us with their camera phones to post online somewhere? Why do they always pull the old people out of line and embarrass "our greatest generation"? What is wrong with this system? Why doesn't the TSA profile? I can't remember the last time I saw anyone Middle-Eastern looking pulled out of line. TSA seems to go out of its way not to embarrass them! Maybe now that CAIR is on the outs TSA will feel more comfortable doing a bit of profiling. In the meantime I will make sure that I pack 3 oz or less of liquids and gels, bring along my little baggies to stuff my lipsticks into, and wear socks so my feel don't pick up G-d knows what from that floor when I have to take off my shoes. And say my prayers.

I'm a Pill!

Every other week my girlfriends and I play Mahjonng and take turns playing at each other's homes. Last night was my turn. We always talk about our families, vacations, kids, light stuff, eat yummy snacks and when one of us has a health problem- commiserate. We don't veer towards politics, but they know where I stand. One of our usual players went to ASU with her daughter to hear the Obama's speech. Actually her son was graduating, he didn't want to go, so the mom and daughter went instead and we were chitchatting about that.

My husband had Fox News on and they were broadcasting Obama's speech at ASU. We could hear it from the living room, it was a bit loud. Under my breathe, my knee-jerk comment whenever I hear Obama's voice is "windbag". The girls started laughing and then I yelled to my husband if the One was using a teleprompter. One of my friends heard it and looked me right in the eyes and told me I was a pill! She said she loved me but that I was a pill! I couldn't believe it. I was a bit steamed but bit my tongue. After they left (2 hours later) I decided I was glad I was a pill. What is wrong with my friends? Why can't they see the destructive policies that are now in force? They are Jews. He is selling out Israel. He is ruining our future economy with the non-stop spending. I hope that someday they will wake up and recognize what is happening. I'm sorry I bit my tongue in retrospect, I know that I will have to open my mouth. These friends are also congregants so I instinctively dance a delicate dance. That is part of my dilemma about getting politically active.

I'm a pill and I'm proud!

Politics University

Yesterday was my first day of class at Politics University. I attended my first Republican legislative district meeting (LD 11) and began my listening tour. I was struck by how old everyone was. There were a few people in their 30's and 40's but the majority of involved people are in their 60's or older. The only diversity was female and male, there may have been a few hispanic attendees,no one African American. I was surprised by the open dissent between the conservative and moderates in the audience. In fact the moderates were referred to as an extreme in the party! I was able to meet and speak with State Senator Barbara Leff, who was thrilled to meet another Republican Jewish woman and State Representative Adam Driggs. I spoke to one of Congressman John Shadegg's representatives too. I was surprised by the easy access, I guess if you know where your elected officials go, you can talk to them. I only see them at AIPAC events and you can't get near anyone because of the number of people and security.

I now have some guidelines on how to proceed to become a precinct committeeman and a timeframe on how that works. It will be an interesting journey and I know I will enjoy my new "classes".

Arizona's Missed Opportunities

Tonight I had the pleasure of meeting Barry Broome, CEO of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council. www.gpec.org He gave a very interesting talk on Phoenix's economic outlook, and it wasn't pretty. Didn't know that the state legislature has not passed one bill in the past 5 months! That we come after cloudy Oregon and New Jersey with our solar energy policies! That we have turned down business opportunities that would have brought $2 billion (yes with a B) to Phoenix, but Gov. Brewer and Gov. Napolitano couldn't find the time to meet with the CEO and bring this to fruition! That company has now gone elsewhere. We have a unique opportunity to supply solar energy to California. We need to bring business to Arizona, we need to be the leader in solar (not following cloudy New Jersey and Oregon), and we need to get our legislators off their butts and in gear! We have amazing opportunities to seize and move forward, but we must make these decisions now. Snooze and we lose!

Education needs to change. The way our children are taught must change. What we are doing now is failing--25% non-graduation rate, and 25% of our kids can't even get accepted to ASU or U of A; hardly top-tier schools.Google came and left because we couldn't provide them an educated workforce or incentives to bring one in. We need to bring innovation to the classroom and train our students in emerging technologies.

We need to mobilize and motivate our elected officials to work for our state. We need to diversify our businesses. The outlook doesn't look so pretty for our kids. The demographic prognosis is that in 30 years Arizona will be a state of uneducated, non-English speaking, people living in the dark. I don't want that for my grandchildren--who would?

On a lighter note, I was introduced as the new Director for Central Phoenix Women, the premier women's professional organzation in Phoenix. I will be presiding over our meetings for the next year at the Ritz Carlton, enjoying fabulous speakers, engaging with the most astute women, and listening to what our members' concerns are. For information, www.centralphoenixwomen.org

Where is the Republican Party Going?

I am an avid Fox News watcher; I get the hives whenever the TV is turned to CNN. This is due to the terrible coverage CNN and other MSM outlets have given to Israel over the years. Now, of course it is compounded by the unmitigated love-fest given to our new president. Tonight it was sickening to watch the annual National Press Club Dinner. The mutual pandering by both Obama and the press was revolting. Don't get me started on Wanda Sykes. It was a disgrace.

If it weren't for the blogosphere, it would be very difficult to find any independent news reports.

Lately, there have been a proliferation of articles and punditry about the fate and future of the Republican Party. Lots of Democrats giving us their "advice". We don't need their advice. Our party leaders tried to have a normal working lunch in public to prove a point of some sort. At least they didn't put Grey Poupon on their burgers. They are so out of touch, in a dreamland. Lots of back and forth about whether the GOP is going to succeed or fade away as the Whigs did. Much debate about the sanctity of life and sanctity of marriage, but nothing about issues that Americans worry about every day: national security, taxes,jobs, healthcare,the safety of their food, and immigration. I am personally pro-life and believe that marriage should be between a man and a woman, but should these issues be the hallmarks of the GOP? Is this what will attract more people to our party? Will this be what puts the next Republican president in the White House?

I believe these two issues are important, but that Americans want more than that. Our party is failing to offer more. Many say McCain lost because of Sarah Palin. I don't think she was the reason, she was a great addition to the ticket but the GOP bailed on her. Much as I have supported him in the past, I believe he was ultimately a tired, weak candidate that did not have the fire in his belly to fight the Democrats. I still find it unbelievable that someone with no experience won the election. I want a Republican candidate that will be a fiscal conservative, someone who values individual freedoms, someone who wants America to be the best, someone who will keep us safe. I want someone who believes in business, capitalism, free enterprise, and that our country is the leader of the free world. I want someone who will stand up to dictators and protect us from islamic fascists, not bow to them. We do not have that person leading our country now. Can the GOP deliver? I hope so.

Mark Steyn Hit the Nail on the Head, Again

I'm sad. I just got done reading a disturbing article by Mark Steyn, one of the great minds today. The increase in European anti-Semitism, the lack of will to fight it, the acceptance of radical Islam because governments are afraid to confront it, the demographics not in our favor, the poisoning of minds around the world about Jews and Israel...I could go on. Our own President abandoning friends to curry favor with our enemies. The fact that we are going to set avowed terrorists free from Gitmo to go forth and terrorize again. That our country is asleep at the wheel while this Democratic Congress is stealing the auto companies and banks right from under our noses. That Americans are too consumed with who the next "American Idol" is to care. That Conservative women (Sarah Palin and Carrie Prejean)who speak their minds are riduculed, sexualized, and their private lives are dragged through the mud. I'm sad because I have felt that our beautiful country has been safe for the past 8 years and now we are so vulnerable, our enemies are laughing at us. That we have a President who encourages that behavior, with no self- dignity to walk out of anti-American speeches. I don't care that he has a date night, eats cheeseburgers (yuk anyway),acts cool and takes walks on the beach. I care that our country is safe, that our women are respected, that our friends are treasured, and our enemies reviled and destroyed.

Here is the link to the Mark Steyn article. I am mourning for the world our children are inheriting and they are blind to problems they are going to have to eventually face.

http://www.commentarymagazine.com/viewarticle.cfm/israel-todaythe-west-tomorrow-15134?search=1

Great Day in the Sun

Today was a great day to get out and enjoy our Arizona sunshine. I had the opportunity to play in the Arizona Real Estate Women (AZCrew) annual golf tournament. The proceeds went to the Phoenix Rescue Mission. One of my team mates is very involved in this organization and related how many hundreds of thousands of meals PRM serves each year, and that number is rising every day. I am proud to be on the board of the Interfaith Cooperative Ministries (ICM), a 25 year old non-profit that serves the working poor. ICM provides food boxes, clothing, and in some case cash assistance especially if utilities are going to be shut off. We have seen a 30% increase this year. Some of our clients are probably illegal, but most of our clients are children and we cannot in good conscience turn them away. We do not serve the homeless, there are other agencies that can do a better job with that population. We have food drives several times a year and work with St. Mary's Food Bank for the bulk of our food boxes, but they have had to cut back in the past 1 1/2 years. Our clients can only receive 6 food boxes and then it is bye bye. This has helped to thin out the people regarding ICM as their Food City and the people who really have an emergency need. It is a real struggle, but we have fantastic volunteers and community support. We have been working to have job placement advisors on site, have free medical clinics available and basically filling in the gaps that most of these folks have. I have been heading up our "Planned Giving" initiative and always welcome donations, gifts, and bequests. I was happy to learn more about the Phoenix Rescue Mission today and hear that they are going to start up a planned giving initiative. That is the way to go. We cannot expect or rely on the government to provide everything to everybody. We must help these people get back on their feet and become productive. Handouts alone do not work.

www.icmaz.org