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Dealer Sneak Attack in Missouri
http://www.teslamotors.com/blog/trouble-missouri
Missouri folks: time to start calling your favorite legislature.
O
Missouri folks: time to start calling your favorite legislature.
O
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Comments
Part of this it the obvious dealers' lobby.
There is also a partisan aspect. Don't forget that, while Tesla is an "American" car company, to the rest of the US, it is a "California" car company. There is a lot of antipathy toward California in the rest of the country, particularly in the rural South and in "red states." We're not liked because of our progressive politics, for one. Also, we're not liked because we are perceived as "intellectuals" and "gays" and "socialists." Texas governor Rick Perry even went on a tour of California in which he did nothing but slam California and paint an apocalyptic picture of the business environment in California.
The bottom line is that other states want to kill Tesla and build demand for Nissan, Toyota, etc. who have been building factories in these states. Even though Tesla is better for America, they want to kill it in favor of foreign car companies, because they are better for Missouri, for example.
TFMethane -100. Get over yourself. I grew up on the east coast in the south and we didn't really have an opinion of california beyond a nice place to go on vacation.
Certainly not california as intellectuals. Surfers maybe.
I have to ask. Did you base your observation on interaction with multiple Californians or just TFMethane's post?
@TFMethane - I see nothing in this specific to CA. I simply see greed. It is blind to all the things you listed.
We all hope this will be the case. I am sure this issue will heat up even more, as Tesla gets close to a mainstream 40K car. There are too many jobs on the line--dealers are getting nervous--as is big oil. They all must feel like Kodak employees after viewing images from the first digital camera
But I've travelled all over the US many many times over the years. Californians are not liked. It's not just me, it's multiple members of my family. I spent all of my summers growing up with family in Mississippi. California is a den of liberals (in their minds), and it is viewed much in the same way Europe is viewed in these areas.
I experience it whenever I travel. One of the first questions people ask me in Mississippi is whether I find it difficult to do my job with "all the foreigners" in California. If Tesla had a plant in Texas, most Southern and red states would be clamoring to facilitate sales. Just my opinion.
+1--your posts always crack me up.
Intellectual is the wrong superlative---but creative, innovative and entrepreneurial generally fit pretty well. Read the synthetic DNA Scripps article in the NYT today.
"For purposes of this section, 'franchisor' shall be deemed to include any manufacturer of new motor vehicles which establishes any business location or facility within the state of Missouri, when such facilities are used by the manufacturer to inform, entice, or otherwise market to potential customers, or where customer orders for the manufacturer's new motor vehicles are placed, received, or processed, whether or not any sales of such vehicles are finally consummated, and whether or not any such vehicles are actually delivered to the retail customer, at such business location or facility. Accordingly, for purposes of this section, 'new motor vehicle dealership' shall be deemed to include any business location or facility as described in this subsection.
4. In enacting subsection 3 of this section, it is the express intent of the legislature to prevent any manufacturer of new motor vehicles from circumventing the public policy as stated in section 407.811, by engaging in methods of retailing new motor vehicles which are designed to avoid the provisions of sections 407.810 to 407.835."
This legislation, if enacted, would prevent Tesla from using any physical location to "inform" or "entice" potential customers, which is pretty much what a Tesla studio does. Accusing Tesla of circumvention is an especially nice touch, no?
I was born in Los Angeles, but grew up in Mississippi. Lived there from age 8. Moved back to California three days after my 18th birthday.
People there hate Californians. It is for a variety of reasons really. <ul><li>Some despise that, <i>"Dem fokes frum up Nahth came own down hinh 'n raised up awul kindza trubbo..."</i>, during the Civil Rights Movement.
<li>Some hate that people who moved to California... never came back. Ever. Not even to visit.
<li>Some hate that, <i>"Y'all thank that U beez betta 'n us, hunh?!?"</i>, because we <i>"tawksew pwapuh"</i>, or don't remember <i>"Wayuh yew cum frum!"</i></ul>
I still don't quite understand it. Nearest I can tell, it has something to do with abandonment issues. They absolutely <b><i><u>LOVE</u></i></b> people who moved to Chicago, Gary, Detroit, St. Louis, or Memphis though...
What I did figure out is that California isn't actually a place where you are supposed to get married, rear children, have a family... It's cool if you can, especially if you can afford it... But actually, California is the place where people should instead <i>'Run Away from Home'</i> to... The presumption being that after you <i>'Make Your Fortune'</i>... You'll go back home.
It is very interesting to see states like Texas, Mississippi, and North Carolina... Places that for decades resisted any type of major industries and manufacturers moving in... Have in recent years started to court them, especially technology companies, with verve. What is really weird about it is that they have to on the one hand tout the quality of their higher learning institutions, while apologizing for the low graduation rates at public schools. In the end, it is lower labor costs, and lack of unions that bring the business to those states. I hope it works out for the best.
1) Their people largely don't know about Tesla and
2) They are somewhat less sympathetic when they learn it is from california and
3) it is a car for "rich" people
4) It doesn't bring any additional jobs to their state (and may start a trend that reduces the number of dealer jobs in their states).
There are a host of other reasons, as I mentioned in my original post. I was just trying to point out one that people hadn't mentioned in the past. Poaching business from CA and enacting policies that spite CA in order to bring jobs to these states is a trend that has been getting worse in recent years.
On another front. Those of you from outside the U.S., are you enjoying this edition of "How Stupid Can it Get." brought to you by greedy and small minded Americans? And of course don't forget the soon to be released sequel "Why can't Mississippi and California Just Get Along."
The silver lining is for those of you in China waiting for your S, if Missouri has it's way your wait might be getting shorter.
Not saying it's not real. Just saying to apply it to what MO is doing is a stretch. This is greed.
Yup. Hence the seemingly suddenly upcoming move of Toyota to Texas. And the move of Nissan to Mississippi a few years before. Interesting that though BMW is in South Carolina, and will expand there, they expect to open a new factory in Mexico...
The policies of spite typically have to do with safety regulations. The sort that companies routinely state are hard on businesses, cost too much, are too restrictive, kill jobs, etc. But then a factory blows up in Texas and levels half a town. Oops.
I really hope that Tesla's Gigafactory is built and operated to the same standards it would have been in California, no matter what state it resides in. The last thing that Tesla needs is for electric car naysayers to get ammunition that comes in the form of <i>'proof'</i> that hazardous materials, chemicals, or waste from battery production pollute more than refining of petroleum products. Knowing that pretty much every single component element of the battery packs can be recycled at the end of service in a car helps considerably.
Tesla will need to sue and get this to the federal level. They are otherwise going to suffer death by a thousand cuts by trying to fight the dealer lobby in every single state.
Yes. Because the alternative is to review every single piece of legislation that passes through each and every state assembly to make sure no one has added a last minute, super secret, back-room, 11th hour rider amendment to satiate their masters at NADA. The lawyers fees for reviewing those many laws, proposals, and amendments in multiple states would simply be too much to bear.
So that leaves the question... How to proceed...? Should Tesla Motors challenge existing laws on the books that restrict their sales method the harshest? Or should they sit back and wait for another of these sneak attacks, allow it to go through the legislative process, then sue immediately thereafter?
So far, Tesla has attempted to play nice. They asked for exemptions to franchise law. They asked for dealers licenses. They asked for consideration as a new industry. All along, saying they were willing to make no moves to destroy, dismantle, or diminish the roles of Dealerships with existing Franchisers.
No one is interested in <i>'playing fair'</i>. Dealers seem to literally be ready to decapitate themselves to spite their toenails. A scorched Earth policy seems due in response.
I'm reminded once more of the quote, <i>"You will be nice until it is time to not be nice."</i> -- <b>Patrick Swayze, <i>'Road House'</i> (1989)</b> Well, the time has come to not be nice.
I can't believe I have been watching this bill for so long and it has just been sitting there gathering dust. I was expecting it to just go away and not be touched by the Senate because there are so many more important issues in MO.
If you are in range feel free to join us I am sure the organizer won't mind.
http://www.meetup.com/Saint-Louis-Tesla-Enthusiasts/events/182020842/
If anyone wants to call the MO Governor even out of state and tell our Governor how backwards this bill is please feel free.
https://governor.mo.gov/get-involved/contact-the-governors-office
or (573) 751-3222
I am going to work on a list of who supported and voted for the bill and work against them come election time no matter what party they are in. This is just bribery getting what it wants. I think the NADA bought them all dinner with an open bar and made this piece of garbage bill... The way it is worded they might even eliminate the service center... which is a regional service center.
Also remember that some states might be annoyed because they were not part of the Tesla battery factory.