Courtesy of Mish.
Governor Chris Christie is damaged goods. Revelations regarding lane closures on the Washington Bridge peaked with a ‘Very Sad’ Chris Christie Apology. Yet, I suspect the final chapter on that sorry saga is not written.
To refresh your memory, as political revenge, a Christie aide ordered the closings of traffic lanes on the bridge, during rush hour, as political payback. Traffic was snarled for days. NewJersey.Com reports Fort Lee woman died as GWB closures delayed medical help.
Christie No Free Market Advocate
I do like how Christie has handled unions, but other Christie ideas have me shaking my head. For example, Tesla, NJ Governor Christie clash over direct sales to customers.
Tesla Motors Inc said New Jersey Governor Chris Christie’s administration was pushing forward with a regulation that would hamper sales in the state by forcing the electric-car company to use dealers instead of selling directly to customers.
Tesla said on Tuesday the administration was undermining its model of selling cars, while the administration says Tesla has long known the company needed a law change to accommodate its sales model.
The New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission introduced a rule in October that made explicit the need to have a franchise license to sell cars in the state, and that rule was due to be approved on Tuesday.
New Jersey would effectively be the third state to bar Tesla from selling its cars directly, along with Arizona and Texas, according to Tesla.
Why Franchises?
Why should anyone need a franchise to sell anything? If Tesla, Ford, GM, or any car maker wants to sell cars on Ebay, through Amazon, or their own online site, why should anyone care?
If the buyer and seller think it’s OK, of what business is it to the state of New Jersey, Texas, or Arizona.
“It seems like Chris Christie is intent on driving traffic into New York with this decision,” Northland Capital Markets senior analyst Colin Rusch told CNBC. “We’re going to see folks coming into Pennsylvania or into New York.”
Texas is certainly peculiar. What the hell are these states thinking? …
