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The exact same fight is being waged in Texas by the established dealers there. Here's a little known but closely related fact about Congress: its membership ha

by alexqgb 13y ago

The exact same fight is being waged in Texas by the established dealers there. Here's a little known but closely related fact about Congress: its membership has long contained a disproportionate number of car dealers, which leads to "wins" for America like this: "Last summer...Congress approved a financial reform bill that specifically exempted auto dealers’ financing from regulation." http://www.publicintegrity.org/2011/04/11/3948/6-car-dealers-congress-industry-revs-horsepower-capitol-hill http://www.publicintegrity.org/2011/04/11/3948/6-car-dealers... This raises the larger point about car finance in general, which has become the heart and soul of the business. Essentially, the major car companies have become banks with manufacturing wings attached. The interests, skills, and motivations of their senior ranks tend to reflect this non-automotive set of priorities, so it's no wonder that Musk was able to poach serious talent. People who have obsessed about cars their entire lives finally found an employer who wouldn't leave them to die on the vine. Which brings us back to point #1 about business in general: it's not about what's on the table. It's what's in the chairs.

khafra 13y ago
> Here's a little known but closely related fact about Congress: its membership has long contained a disproportionate number of car dealers, which leads to "wins" for America like this: "Last summer...Congress approved a financial reform bill that specifically exempted auto dealers’ financing from regulation." I'd never heard that before, but somehow, that Congress is full of used car salesmen is the least surprising fact I've learned in a long time.
greedo 13y ago
The article you linked mentioned that six Representatives either owned or had owned a car dealership. I don't think this qualifies as disproportionate by any stretch. With 435 Representatives, that's about 1.4%. Compare that with Reps (and Senators) who were lawyers. I personally would rather have a Congressman who had some familiarity with business rather than being gentry for life in Congress.
- alexqgb 13y ago
  "I don't think this qualifies as disproportionate by any stretch." Here are the actual facts: A) US Population per the 2010 Census (i.e. the survey that determines levels of representation) ~ 308,400,000. B) 1.4% of this population = 4,317,600 (i.e. the number of car dealers that would need to exist for their current level of representation to be proportionate). C) Actual number of car dealers in America < 20,000. In other words, their level of representation is not only disproportionate, but wildly so. Like, by a factor of 215.

by alexqgb 13y ago

khafra 13y ago

> Here's a little known but closely related fact about Congress: its membership has long contained a disproportionate number of car dealers, which leads to "wins" for America like this: "Last summer...Congress approved a financial reform bill that specifically exempted auto dealers’ financing from regulation." I'd never heard that before, but somehow, that Congress is full of used car salesmen is the least surprising fact I've learned in a long time.

greedo 13y ago

The article you linked mentioned that six Representatives either owned or had owned a car dealership. I don't think this qualifies as disproportionate by any stretch. With 435 Representatives, that's about 1.4%. Compare that with Reps (and Senators) who were lawyers. I personally would rather have a Congressman who had some familiarity with business rather than being gentry for life in Congress.

alexqgb 13y ago
"I don't think this qualifies as disproportionate by any stretch." Here are the actual facts: A) US Population per the 2010 Census (i.e. the survey that determines levels of representation) ~ 308,400,000. B) 1.4% of this population = 4,317,600 (i.e. the number of car dealers that would need to exist for their current level of representation to be proportionate). C) Actual number of car dealers in America < 20,000. In other words, their level of representation is not only disproportionate, but wildly so. Like, by a factor of 215.