With Chevrolet SS, Pontiac GXP Lives

Two years ago, miffed at GM joining up with President Obama and his destructive policies, after being firmly in the GM camp my entire life, I felt compelled to issue GM a punitive penalty for their actions, which most notably included the ending of the iconic Pontiac Motor Division. Penalty Served

Now, two years later, with our Pontiac Grand Prix GXP gaining in years and miles, it was time to make a move. A recent 20% sale was deemed to significant to take a pass on, so we made the move and we are now the proud owners of a new 2016 Chevrolet SS.

The Chevrolet SS, currently Chevrolet's entry in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with the street edition often serving as the pace car, is actually a Holden, produced in Australia for General Motors.

Housing a 415HP V8, and with a suspension that would make the wide track Pontiac's proud, this is quite an impressive ride, very fast with superior handling.

In actual fact, the car could be considered a Pontiac.

Originally, the car was the Pontiac G8, widely considered a top notch four door sedan. The G8 took the place of the Pontiac Grand Prix. Unlike the front wheel drive 2007 303HP V8 Pontiac Grand Prix GXP, the 2008-09 G8 GXP came rear wheel drive 415HP V8.

When Pontiac went away in 2009, GM felt so strongly about the Pontiac G8, they simply shifted the vehicle, along with making improvements, over to Chevrolet, re-badged as the Chevrolet SS.

Pontiac no longer builds excitement, but the hot-rod G8 GXP is back as the Chevrolet SS.

The Chevrolet SS kicks ass, and is really fun to drive. And in our minds, with it, Pontiac lives.

Lead, follow or get out the way!

Coming Soon

Does Shakedown Become Takedown?

According to President Obama, the economy is growing, jobs are being created with the unemployment rate decreasing and everything is just fine.  Thanks to him.

Obviously, this is Orwellian doublespeak, and nothing could be further from the truth.

The economy is growing, but at a historically small rate buoyed by exponential levels of stimulus, and the figures are certainly massaged.  Jobs are being created, but more jobs are being lost.  The unemployment rate is decreasing, because the pool of those counted continues to decline as less people are looking for work, as they recognized few job opportunities exist.  For a real gauge of the health of the American workforce, see the labor participation rate for full time workers, which is at rates not seen since the Carter administration.

Not withstanding the horrendous economic policies of the Obama administration, job killers most, perhaps the real culprit for job loss is Obamacare.  Yes, I know that Obama and his legion of handlers and yes men claim the opposite, but they have no idea what the truth is they lie so much.



Kathleen Sebelius/Washington Post

On Monday, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius was in Orlando speaking to boost enrollment in the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, and presented an enthusiastic proclamation that the job market is gaining health and that Obamacare has not been responsible for any job losses.

There is absolutely no evidence -- and every economist will tell you this -- that there is any job loss related to the Affordable Care Act. Part-time positions are actually down since 2010, not up. The number of full-time workers continues to increase, so I know that that's a popular myth that continues to be repeated, but it just is not accurate.

The administration rarely checks facts on the ground, given they make up their own statistics, but had Sebelius taken the pulse of the Orlando market in recent days, she would have seen an article on the front page of The Orlando Sentinel within the prior week discussing how a major local employer in the mortgage industry was set to layoff approximately 750 staff members, although many may remain on in part time or independent contractor status and the company adopts a hybrid workforce model.

Certainly, real estate industries, from appraisers, who were already staggering from Andrew Cuomo's brainchild of the Home Valuation Code of Conduct regulations to mortgagers, who are reeling as 63% of residential sales in December in Florida were cash sales, are in turmoil in part thanks to governmental interference in the marketplace. Homebuilder sentiment is crashing, housing starts are dreadful and mortgage applications have hit a two decade low due to what Obama and Sebelius cannot see; a horrendous economic market and a bleak job market led by their orchestration.

As a company evaluates making the painful decision to layoff workers, not a signal of a healthy enterprise, each and every factor of where costs can be saved is thoroughly examined.  While a single reason may sometimes result in corporate layoffs, perhaps the loss of a major client, it is most often a collection of issues which make the move necessary.

In this day an age, notwithstanding the idiot thugs running our federal government, Obamacare is without question a major contributing factor to the greater majority of any layoffs taking place. 

However, this may not be stated publicly.

As Chris Stirewait, A FOX News contributor reports, the thought police are in control.  It seems that in the latest unconstitutional delay of Obamacare regulations, firms will be required to certify to the IRS – under penalty of perjury – that ObamaCare was not a motivating factor in their staffing decisions.

A corporate executive who certifies and signs such a document would be committing fraud, particularly if a public company, as a fiduciary responsibility to shareholders to present all facts as known, which would be inclusive of causation for employee layoffs, exists.

So, the IRS is willingly forcing executives to commit fraud, potentially placing themselves and their company in a box without escape, illegally, in an effort to prohibit Obamacare from facing negative publicity and shield the public from he hard truths of not only this horrendous piece of legislation, but the great level of peril our economy is statused in.

Governmental thugs should not dictate to public or private companies what their correspondence to employees, clients, partners or customers should be.  Sadly, many companies who, for whatever reason have found themselves in bed with the government, find that corporate independence quickly eludes management.  GM and the banks are classic, timely examples.

America is facing a coup from within.  As promised, the fundamental transformation of America by the takeover of major industries either through legal legislation and executive orders to legal and potentially illegal intimidation to unchallenged and potentially illegal regulatory and legal action.

Controlled lawlessness with a complicit electorate and mainstream media drunk on power.

It is far time for this encroachment to be thwarted by any and all legal means necessary.  In a seemingly obvious statement, it will take more than a handful of republicans; it will require you.

Help freedom loving America stop the shakedown before it is officially scored a takedown.

Executive Lawlessness

Executive Lawlessness is where we are as a republic in 2014, with our elected president operating outside the parameters of the funding principles of our nation; our rule of law.

We are a nation of laws, not of men, and unless this corrected quickly, the future of our once great nation is in great peril.

With our current president, the first indication of his imperial behavior began with the awarding of stimulus finding to the car companies, shafting the bond holders for the benefit of unions breaking long standing contract law, and authority he does not have.  Sadly, none of those with the power to restrain this illegal action took action to thwart it.

There are numerous instances of the executive branch targeting political opponents. Among those that quickly come to mind are the following:

*The administration going went hard after Gibson Guitar over a small issue involving wood importation that was never before found troublesome.  Gibson continues to fight back, and is actually scoring some points.

*Federal investigators raided Lumber Liquidators, LL:NYSE,  with the search said to involve special agents from the Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Department of Justice. It was suggested the investigation involved its importation of wood products.

*Under the EPA, the administration has embarked on major land grabs without congressional approval.  In addition, extensive action under the false premise of Global Climate Change has been enacted on the citizenry, again, without congressional approval

*The utilization of the IRS by the administration to target conservative organizations through illegal mechanisms hoping to ridicule, hassle and bankrupt, or significantly harm financially, through regulatory action, both legal and illegal.

*Reports have come to light  that Friends of Abe, a conservative group in Hollywood, has been under investigation by the IRS for over two years, underscoring how the bad the environment is for those who dare to challenge the administration.

With the election in full swing, Obama chief advisor Valerie Jarrett publicly claimed she would go after opponents of the administration.  Without fear of being held accountable for such illegal action, the administration has kept its word.

Recently, an indictment was handed down on filmmaker Dinesh D'Souza for campaign fraud.  D'Souza produced an acclaimed movie,  2016; Obama's America, which was not looked upon favorably by the administration, so this is not viewed as coincidence, rather politcal payback. Because of that, D'Souza had to be stopped; hence the felony indictment, which accuses D'Souza of making improper campaign donations.  While I find the work D'Souza has performed as extremely credible, character issues not unlike those of many Americans regarding D'Souza have surfaced, which likely were partially to blame for his recent resignation as president of Kings College in New York. Given the work D'Souza was engaged in, he should have been recognized the need to keep his life clean and more cognizant of the moving targets of campaign finance laws.

If they want to get, they can find a legal avenue to get it done, particularly under the IRS regulations and laws.  Even it your are ultimately found innocent, the financial cost to defend can be staggering, not to mention unmeasurable potentially punitive damage to your or your organizations reputation.

These are just examples of an imperial president who finds Congress a bother, and as an arrogant leader of the political ruling class, governs through executive order against the will of the people, the latter evidenced by the overwhelming unpopularity of the much maligned Obamacare.

While political opponents of Obama are under attack, violators of the the law, seemingly no matter how significant, are not held accountable, not only to the administration, but to our laws. Lois Lerner got promoted after the IRS debacle, but in a travesty of justice, former New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine, who commingled funds and lost customer in foreign currency arbitrage, walks double fisted in the Hamptons after perjuring himself in kabuki theater hearings in Washington.

Charles Krauthammer has had enough, and eloquently hammered Obama in a FOX News essay.  Please take a listen:



While Krauthhammer is completely correct, the problem is regrettably far deeper than the discussion with Dr. Krauthammer and Judge Andrew Napolitano waded.

What is most concerning are the amount of elected officials who appear to knowingly sanction the executive branch rendering the other branches of government essentially either intimidated pawns or or toothless adversaries.  With the balances of power under attack, there is little doubt the Founding Fathers would be appalled at this spectacle of executive arrogance and congressional complicity and or ineptitude.

Senator Ted Cruz, R:TX, who historically has fought for the Constitution against any and all who seek to execute outside its parameters, joined Glenn Beck this morning for an extremely relevant and timely discussion on the absence of rule of law under the Obama administration.  Please take a listen:
The issues surrounding Obama and his imperial presidency, the abuse of power and executive lawlessness are staggering, and are an imminent threat to the survival of our country.  Abuse of power in this regard should be swiftly dealt with by the people, no matter which party it happens under, evidenced by Sen. Cruz defeating President George W. Bush in court.

Although President Obama was reelected, if the public were able to decipher all the lies misrepresentation he put forth, coupled with extensive abuses of power, there is little doubt he would currently be president.

The principles given us in our founding documents are those we are governed by, not by the whims of an arrogant leader who aims to implement the dreams of his father against the will of our citizenry.

The rule of law is on life support, if not already dea. Sadly, few seem to care, and the executive lawlessness continues.

Excitement Lost

As President Obama embarked on his new administration, many of us knew the avenues of approach on the road we were going to travel to fundamentally transform America from her exceptionalism and lofty position of prosperity in the world.

While this seems intolerable, and it is, in the aftermath of a financial shock, a seemingly orchestrated crisis, much of the citizenry seemed willing to almost blindly place allegiance behind a young GQ black Senator with little meaningful experience who vocalized an altered political arena and workable landscape for those noting reductions in their standard of living.

The financial crisis had placed much of America in a stranglehold, and hope for change was placed in the hands of our new president, although few would seek an opportunity to read the "fine print" regarding his plans for a new America, one based on fairness, embracing social justice and focusing on equal outcomes rather than equal opportunity.

One avenue of approach in the direct aftermath of the financial crisis was the government rescue of the large US automakers.  You see, given their financial constraints, they were unable to survive without government assistance. Except, while Chrysler and General Motors accepted governmental cash, Ford did not.

Those who could not stand on their own should have gone through the bankruptcy process, rather than having been bailed out.  The Wall Street Journal did not foresee the bailout as a worthy investment.

Ford has turned itself around quite nicely the old fashioned way, and for those who jumped in a $1 per share (F:NYSE), the current share price of approximately $17, it feels damn good to be an American.  With a distinct and measurable advantage of having borrowed from the government, both Chrysler, which since was sold, and GM have made significant gains.

The borrowing for GM can with a hidden cost; however, that most consumers were unaware of.

First, as an avenue to support the government sought after transition away from fossil fuels, Obama motors emerged building vehicles with energy sources whose supply failed miserably to match public demand.  Yes, due to global warming, nothing short of a vehicle for the transformation of wealth and the greatest hoax of all time, economic principles will be violated to advance a political agenda.  And due to GM accepting the cash, they were unable to deny the request, or mandate.

A second major decision, as it turns out, was also forced upon General Motors, and on a personal level, it is difficult for me to contain my rage on this one; the shutdown of the famed Pontiac Motor Division. GM did not want to go along with this, just having produced the Pontiac G8 Grand Prix sedan, which was a strong contender for Motor Trend Car of the Year in 2009.  But racy sport model sedans did not fit the agenda over at 1600 and the government forced GM to jettison the iconic brand. With no leverage against the government, who held the purse strings, the demise of Pontiac sadly became reality.



2009 Pontiac G8 GXP Grand Prix Sedan

VP Joe Biden, Pontiac Trans Am

So bent on advancing the alternate energy vehicles and working toward elimination of high powered V8 muscle cars, even Vice President Joe Biden, the owner of a classic Pontiac Trans Am, failed to take steps to thwart the shutdown. Shame on him.

Third, in a seemingly illegal action, those holding GM bonds were shut out in the reorganization, with the billions of taxpayer dollars going to the unions and political cronies along for the ride.

Fourth, the dealerships forced to close in the consolidation were overwhelmingly, over 80%, owned by GOP donors and or those owner-operators with vocal opposition to the agenda of the new administration.

While much of the automaker tale is classified by most as water under the bridge, it is worth noting that the administration agenda, one closely matching those outlined by Stuart Chase in his 1940's book "The Road We Are Traveling", is to achieve governmental control over significant engines of commerce, including transportation, health care, finance and communication among others.

Alas, there is good news reported by Pravda, oh excuse me, the mainstream media. GM, utilizing all that borrowed tax payer dollars, is "early chapters" of a comeback! However, don't get too excited about a return of all the lost taxpayer money.  It ain't gonna happen.

Time is said to heal all wounds.

Recently, Ken Blackwell, Senior Fellow of the Family Research Council and someone I respect and view favorably, asked Conservatives to rethink our animosity of GM.  It appears Blackwell subscribes to the axiom of George W. Bush of abandoning the free market system in order to save the free market system.  I do not.

As many of you may have previously read, my family has always driven Pontiac cars and Chevrolet SUV's and have always held the product in high regard.  That remains the case as this blogpost is written.

However, my Chevy Trailblazer is nearing 200K miles, and although in good shape, if global economic collapse can be averted next year, it likely will be time to make a move.

Due to GM associating with the regime, the closing of the Pontiac Motor Division, seemingly illegal targeting of political opponents, the rewarding of union cronies with taxpayer funds and my unwillingness to support socialism and the regime, a penalty will be levied and my next move will be the purchase of a 2014 Ford Explorer.

The regime should know cash is king. Pontiac built excitement, but thanks to the regime, that excitement is lost.

A Measure of Success

While literally in midst of another domestic terrorist attack in Washington, DC at the Naval ship yard, in what can only be described as a classless and appalling action, President Obama took to the podium in front of a staged crowd marking the five year anniversary of the financial crisis to take credit for saving America from a a depression.

The top priority since his tenure in the oval office began, Obama reiterated his intention of focusing like a laser beam in his effort in building our economy so it works for everyone and laying out a new foundation for economic growth and prosperity. Take a listen:



With an adoring mainstream media failing to once again to question the assessment of the president, the extreme lies and misrepresentations of this speech cannot go unchallenged.

Obama, through the passage of Dodd-Frank, has left most banks paralyzed, as he blames the money center banks for creating the housing crisis through unsavory lending and underwriting practices.  Never mind that much of the blame falls on the goings on surrounding the Community Reinvestment Act, which sought to provide loans to lower income individuals and families who under normal established guidelines would fail to qualify.  ACORN, a community activist organization Obama supported and worked with, threatened legal action and public ridicule through protest for those considered racist banks who refused to dismiss best underwriting practices and engage in lending to unqualified applicants.

Dodd-Frank also provides consumer protection for those engaging in commerce with banks, given the deemed incompetence of the consumer derived by the government.  Forget buyer beware, Obama and big brother are here to help, guiding (and restricting) what banking actions of commerce the consumer will be allowed to engage in. Dodd-Frank does nothing but restrict banking opportunities all while increasing costs of the consumers.  It is about nothing but government control, and limits the individual liberty and economic freedom of the citizenry.

In addition, while we are at it, the assault on property rights also adds costs and restricts freedom of property owners through EPA implemented regulatory action, restricted permitting and zoning regulations implemented under Agenda 21.  Has anyone replaced an HVAC system lately?

President Obama spoke of how his efforts jump started the flow of credit.  Through government entitlements, such as HARP, scores of homeowners have refinanced their mortgages at lower interest rates as banks beholden to the government have been directed to provide this opportunity.  The lost money is absorbed by the taxpayers.

Most property owners, due to underwater property values, facing restricted credit and unstable employment, are unable to qualify for loans without government assistance.  Credit for small businesses, and mortgage loans free from governmental intrusion, remain quite difficult to obtain.

Some thirteen trillions dollars have been spent, actually borrowed, to "stabilize the economy" and create jobs, and although Obama has no idea, this has been a colossal failure in large measure to his horrendous economic policies. Remove the FED buying bonds, begin some tapering, and see how stable the economy is.

While the administration trumpets a lowering unemployment rate, it should be noted that figure has been grossly manipulated.  Millions of Americans, unable to find work, have quit looking, and thus have fallen from being counted in the data sample, thus allowing the rate to fall.  The real story can be found by looking at the Labor Force Participation Rate, which tells us that the amount of our citizenry fully employed, not withstanding steady population growth, is at levels not seen since 1978.

 

The real statistics regarding the economy are staggering, and if the workforce was equal to when Obama was sworn in, the unemployment rate would be closer to 14%.  Among the jobs Obama has claimed to create, a mind boggling number have been part time, in large measure due to companies limiting the hours of their employees in preparation of the implementation of Obamacare.  Obama championed the flagship legislation he spearheaded in Obamacare, the current top ranked job killer in America. 

 

In a related statistic, ZeroHedge.com illustrates economic realities even the low information crowd can comprehend; reporting a record number of restaurant workers while restaurant companies report decreasing sales.  Something is wrong with this picture.

 

Obama noted an erosion of the middle class, unaware his policies are the culprit.  Families are working harder than ever for less as median family income is lower than when he took office, coupled with rising costs in health care, food and of course gas, which has been over $3 a gallon, in contrast to a cost of $1.83 upon him taking office, for over 1000 days.

 

In fact, Obama highlighted his efforts to insist on new technologies to end our addiction to foreign oil.  Given that commentary, it is puzzling that this included reducing domestic drilling where possible, with a byproduct of a reduction in jobs, and increasing purchases from foreign countries.  Obama proclaimed we sought to become Brazil's biggest customer for oil.  Cheers!

 

Higher education has been an item Obama has focused on, even having Sallie Mae taken over by the federal government,  Sadly, the cost of higher education has never been higher and issues abound.

 

Much of the stimulus money went to unions organization and green job initiatives, many of whom are now bankrupt. Bridges and roads earmarked for repair remain in need as the money went elsewhere.

 

Obama was thrilled to save Detroit, except he did not.  The city of Detroit has gone bankrupt, and General Motors has been unable to repay Uncle Sam for the bailout.  The famed Pontiac Motor Division fails now to exist, and green energy vehicles Obama forced GM to produce have not produced a profit.  In a brazen derailment from contract law, bond holders had their money stolen while auto unions were padded.  Dealerships that were closed were over 80% owned by GOP donors, a political hit.  Ford, meanwhile, turned down the bailout and is outperforming GM. 

When Obama adds it up, he sees a tremendous success. Given his ambition to fundamentally transform the United States of America, his presiding over our decline may be measured as such.  For those who appreciate free markets, individual liberty and economic freedom, his tenure has been catastrophic.

But the lies and misrepresentation did not end there.  Yet to come was the all too common bitterly partisan and divisive attack on those meddling kids, otherwise known as Republicans.



It is worth noting, again, that for the fist 18 months of the Obama administration, until the election in Massachusetts of Scott Brown, democrats held a super majority. Better stated, the republicans may as well have played golf everyday because they alone could stop no legislative action. Zero.

At this point, the GOP has the house, but the democrats still control the presidency and the senate. Furthermore, against rhetoric to the contrary, a long list of progressive GOP members refrain from contesting Obama on anything, even some having supported much of his plans, inclusive of Obamacare.

The economic chaos Obama speaks of has been caused by his wreckless spending, exploding entitlements and attacks on small business and free markets.  Keep in mind it is Obama and his party are and have been in control presiding in the decline of America.

With respect to those who are offering opposition to Obama and his collective ambitions, I joined millions of others in electing representatives charged with defeating his initiatives.  It is Obama who has tanked the economy, not a handful of GOP members who oppose his socialistic goals.

Obama is emphatic that he will not negotiate with the GOP on the budget issues, which is odd coming from a man who claimed he would negotiate with any terrorist on the planet.  The GOP always get hammered for not compromising, but it is Obama who will not negotiate.

Yes, when you add it up, freedom and prosperity has been lost under Obama's presidency.  Five years after he implemented his strategy, with limited elected opposition, the country is far from economically stable and cannot pay its bills.  Seemingly under control of the administration, the FED is monetizing our bloated debt, crushing savers and decreasing asset wealth in what has to be considered the reaching of Obama's goal of the transformation of wealth.

The media can cheer Obama on, but those of us in the middle class out here working know what the scorecard says.  The economic conditions as a result of the actions taken by Obama have significantly reduced freedom and prosperity, the opportunity to achieve it, and have decreased the standard of living for the greater majority of our citizens.

How is success measured in this case.  For Obama, presiding over the transformation of the United States is considered a rousing success.  I consider those actions unconstitutional, and therefore seek his impeachment.

Power of the States

As the winds of Autumn prepare to blow over the gridiron fields across the fruited plain, for those of us who seek freedom and limited government, a stiff, sometimes sharp and biting, political wind has been in our face seemingly for decades.

For 100 years, the Progressives have been working diligently to "fundamentally transform" America, molding it to their hearts content. Not withstanding the presidency of Ronald Reagan, the wheels of transformation have been turning, and we are now coming to grips with which direction the wind is blowing.

While the parallels to George Orwell's 1984 novel are quite clear, it really is beyond that. The falsities presented on a daily basis in the mainstream news cycle is illustrative that common sense is absent, and in a more troubling development, the presentation of events are dictated by political influences with specific agendas.

The progressives have done their homework, and have welcomed the utilization of the insights and tactics of Edward Bernays, Saul Alinsky and Cass Sunstein. Through executive orders, legislation and media elements, public behavior in being nudged into an inescapable position of oppression. These mechanisms have allowed the government to introduce the public to new normals that are unnecessary in their existence, manipulating choice in effort to control the citizenry.

Certainly, that paints a grim picture of the future, but the most ominous aspect of this transformation is the failure our elected officials to adhere to the law. Under the Obama administration, there are many examples that can be presented to illustrate the administration operating outside the law. It was first exhibited when the GM bondholders were eliminated from the contract order of repayment of their bond investment, present when the DOJ failed to prosecute obvious voter intimidation by the Black Panthers in Philadelphia to recently picking and choosing which parts of Obamacare, legislation voted into law which violates our Constitution, will be delayed in implementation.

Once you have our government doing as they please without adherence to our laws, you indeed have nothing short of a banana republic. At that point, and we are here, drastic measure must be taken to preserve the great experiment handed to us by our divinely inspired Founding Fathers.

The Great One, Mark Levin, a Constitutional scholar and radio talk show host, joined Sean Hannity on "Hannity" on The FOX News Channel to discuss a radical, yet legal and intelligent, avenue for the citizenry to wrestle back control of our arrogant and lawless officials, sadly from both parties, running Washington DC. Take a listen:



Embarked upon by Woodrow Wilson, the road we are traveling portrayed by Stuart Chase has been slowly traversed by progressives, and the destination is sadly in sight. This is a resort of socialism, ripe with decay and void of incentive, hope and dignity for those on the outside looking in, alarming portrayed in Orwells' 1984. Perhaps Friedrich Hayek gave us the blueprint, noting how a society travels "The Road to Serfdom".



It will take an innovative and all inclusive effort to retard the momentum the progressives now have, but in order to preserve our nation, the fight must be engaged promptly. The ideas Levin presented, recognizing the power of the states, have strong merit, and BAHL Revere is hoping to sound the alarm in the spirit of  Paul Revere.

The times are just as dire.

Failing to Dodge a Bullet

Back last June, President Obama informed America that his administration has created hundreds of thousands of jobs and that the private sector is doing fine.

A great storyteller (liar) of our time, while the administration has created thousands of jobs, more folks have quit looking as the number of employed citizens has spiraled downward under his watch.

Although, for the moment, our economy seems to have stabilized with the help (?) of over 5 trillion in stimulus, there is no doubt, with increasingly handcuffing regulation and suffocating taxation, the private sector is not doing fine.  With apologies to Ted Nugent, who was in town Sunday night, the Obama economic policies have us in a stranglehold.

For the most recent case in point, I direct you to the announcement yesterday in Detroit that Fiat owned Dodge will cease participation in NASCAR at season end, some 12 years after their triumphant return to the sport.

After absorbing all the seemingly legitimate reasoning behind he decision, one thing is clear: this is not good news for the auto industry, Dodge and certainly NASCAR, where even the most casual observer is noticing the large number of empty seats around the Sprint Cup Series circuit. While participation of the major auto manufacturers in NASCAR is a small part of the overall business, it is a significant association. 

The manufacturers gained from participating on many levels, including engine research and development, a testing ground for innovative products and of course, advertising. Win on Sunday, show on Monday was a catch phrase back in the day, but with NASCAR going to the car of tomorrow, the personalities of the makes lost presence. While that is changing in 2013 in a effort to recapture the similar stock look, it is too late for Dodge.

It was unfortunately George W. Bush that began the process to bailout the car companies, a move that coupled with Obama taking advantage of the engagement, has severe repercussions affecting all those associated with the auto makers, and us taxpayers, to this day.  The actions taken by the Obama administration upon taking office, created significant issues, some bordering on criminality, plaguing efforts at achieving profitability.

The GM bailout is particularly troubling, with bondholder positions being placed behind union interests, dealership owners being targeted due to political association, the jettisoning of the iconic Pontiac brand and the government utilizing its ownership position to advance green energy vehicle initiatives. With the government in control, the old GMAC financial arm, a top player in the mortgage meltdown, has emerged renamed and is back to the old tricks with subprime used car loans,  a highly risky roll of the dice, this time with taxpayer money.

While Obama claims he saved the car companies, GM requires a stock price in the low 50's to make itself whole.  GM closed today at 20.38 per share, and the true costs of the bailout is staggering, In addition, the criminality associated with this takeover is now beginning to unravel.  Ford did not accept money, but Chrysler also was partially bailed out and has since been sold to Fiat.

The car companies were not saved.  The preferred route for them would have been a structured bankruptcy.  Obama has wasted untold trillions of dollars, and after this huge expenditure, the automakers are still having major trouble.  Similar to the housing industry, the industry needs the job market to improve significantly for these sectors to return to health.

For a company like Dodge to exit the friendly confines of NASCAR, take it as the harbinger it is, one signaling an unhealthy economy which is major trouble.