NADA Anti-GM Campaign Begins

This past week, the troubled status in which some of GM's dealership found themselves in has triggered a swift response from the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA). In an attempt to hold off the closure of some 2,600 dealerships, the association was planning to rally no less than 19,000 of its members and embark in a campaign against these measures.

Alongside with talks to be held with congressmen, mayors and governors, NADA has set up a media offensive against the closures. They will publish advertisements in the Washington Post Politico and via Automotive News with the following message:

"Cutting dealers at this time would do absolutely nothing to make either GM or Chrysler more viable. The idea that dealer numbers should be rapidly and drastically reduced apparently comes from Wall Street advisers. Mr. President, we urge you to choose Main Street over Wall Street," as Autonews reported.

On May 13, dealer representatives will head for D.C. to meet with members of the both Congress and the auto task force. The stake? The future of some 150,000 people involved with the dealers.

"It's too abrupt and drastic. The concern is in every community across the country. Dealers are one of the principal sources of employment, charitable contributions and tax revenue," John McEleney NADA chairman said in an interview.

GM has already begun notifying 2,600 of its dealers that they will soon become obsolete for the company's future plans. The notifying will take GM all summer, according to Fritz Henderson, GM's CEO. The first to go are, obviously, the ones in business with Saturn, Hummer, Saab and Pontiac.