Obama Didn’t Save the Auto Industry: He Took Away 2,200 Dealerships and 120,000 Jobs.

Obama Didn’t Save the Auto Industry: He Took Away 2,200 Dealerships and 120,000 Jobs.(LC).As a Catholic who works in the trade association profession in the auto industry it was unsettling to hear President Obama claim that he saved the auto industry. President Obama closed over 2,200 auto dealerships, which caused the losses of decades old family-owned businesses and over 120,000 jobs they provided. The closures were allowed to happen under the false notion that auto dealerships were an expense on their auto maker. The President ignored the fact that auto dealers are not an expense to automakers. Auto makers own none of what you see at auto dealerships. Auto dealers own all their property; the cars and trucks, parts, buildings, land, signs, everything. The dealerships pay their employee’s salaries and millions of dollars in taxes to state and local governments. The manufacturer has nothing to do with any of these things.

Facts:

• President Obama purposefully and unjustly took away 2,200 self-sufficient, family owned businesses under the false premise that they were an expense on their auto manufacturer. He deliberately put these people in debt with no way to recover. Auto dealers still cannot sell their closed properties.

• President Obama’s decision to close dealerships cost 120,000 persons their jobs and livelihood.

• The President’s action defrauded auto dealers of their property rights and their employees of their wages.

The President’s actions against auto dealers violated the Catholic social teaching principles of social justice and the common good by removing owners rights to their property and defrauding workers of their wages. His actions (he calls it “shared sacrifice”) were an example of collectivism, centralized planning and socialism. All of these ideas are rejected by America and all are rejected by Catholic teaching in regard to the commandment, “thou shall not steal.”
Many people have forgotten what damage President Obama did to the auto industry and the auto dealer and their employees. Please remind them.
Peter L. Hodges Sr.