CARS.ORG

Stellar is like a star, as in brilliance, shape, etc.

Marxism is the political philosophy and practice derived from the works of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, though the name “Marxism” has been used by many with political perspectives those men would likely reject. Marxism is a political-economic theory that presents a materialist conception of history, a non-capitalist vision of capitalism and other types of society, and a non-religious view of human liberation. Closely related to the ideology of communism. At its core, Marxism holds a critical analysis of capitalism and a theory of social change. The original Marxian vision consisted of three complementary parts, each of which is hard to separate from the other two:

1. The dialectical and materialist conception of history. Marx interpreted the history of any society as being the result of conflicts within society, including those between social classes (e.g., bourgeoisie and proletariat) and between the development of the forces of production (technology, the labor force, etc.) and the relations of production (institutions). Accordingly, a society’s possible futures are interpreted in terms of these conflicts.
2. The critique of capitalism. Capitalism is seen as a society in which a small minority of the population (the bourgeoisie or capitalists) dominates and exploits the vast majority (the working class or proletariat). In Marx’s labor theory of value, workers typically have no choice but produce more value and more output than is necessary to pay the cost of their reproduction as people in society over time. They do this under conditions that they do not control, i.e., under the direction of the supervisors and threatened by unemployment or poverty the rather than following democratic decision-making, and thus give the surplus-product to the owners, the bourgeoisie. The capitalists then use this surplus (also called surplus value) to accumulate more wealth and power for themselves. Often, this accumulation goes ‘too far’, causing an economic crisis.
3. The theory of revolution. In Marx’s conception, workers under capitalism are alienated since they do not control a major portion of their day (the working-day) and must follow orders, producing goods or services that they do not own and cannot choose to avoid producing. They are alienated from their own true selves as members of society and from nature. The solution — which Marx saw as existing below the surface of actual bourgeois society — was for workers to unite in labor union and political parties, to take political and economic power away from the bourgeoisie. In fact, he saw this kind of collective self-liberation as the only true liberation of the working class.

Thanks goes to Raymond Chevrolet, for registering at CARS.ORG. Raymond Chevrolet is located at: 118 Route 173 Antioch, IL 60002

After almost 30 years, Schlossmann’s Dodge City of Milwaukee is no longer selling vehicles made by Chrysler Corp.

“Today is officially our last day as a Dodge dealer on S. 27th St.,” co-owner Brad Schlossmann said Tuesday.

The family-owned auto group will remain a part of the restructured Chrysler, selling the company’s products in Brookfield.

For Schlossmann’s, as well as 17 other Chrysler franchises in Wisconsin and a total of 789 around the country, Tuesday was the end of an era. It was another in a series of extraordinary days during which America’s auto industry is being remade at a staggering pace.

U.S. Judge Arthur Gonzalez approved Chrysler’s plan to terminate the franchises, which Chrysler says is necessary to cut costs and quickly emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Gonzalez issued an order Tuesday saying the franchises can no longer act as authorized Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep dealers, effective immediately.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Tuesday cleared the way for Chrysler’s sale to Fiat Group SpA, turning down a last-ditch bid by opponents of the deal.

For dealers, Tuesday’s decision doesn’t necessarily mean going out of business.

The Schlossmann Auto Group is continuing to sell Subaru models from the former Dodge City location at 4640 S. 27th St., and it will sell Chrysler products on Capitol Drive in Brookfield. Schlossmann said the Dodge City Milwaukee vehicle inventory, parts and specialized service tools have been transferred to the company’s Chrysler/Jeep/Dodge franchise in Brookfield.

Wolf’s Motors in Plymouth will not be a part of the new Chrysler.

General manager Bart Wolf said the dealership scrambled Tuesday and found three surviving dealers in Wisconsin willing to purchase the six remaining new Chrysler vehicles in stock.

Wolf’s will reopen Wednesday as a used-vehicle retailer and service center.

“We’ve invested hundreds of thousands of dollars sticking with an underperforming manufacturer,” Wolf said of Chrysler. “Then, to be pretty much orphaned by them.”

He said he is waiting for Chrysler to send someone to remove the brand’s signs from the business.

“I’m not going to run up there with a tarp and cover it up,” he said.

Wolf said he was planning to go to a wholesale auto auction Wednesday and see about boosting inventory. He added that the business plans to open Wednesday morning just like any other day.

“Now we’re going to head in a different direction,” he said.

Time to liquidate

Chris Snyder, attorney for the Wisconsin Automobile & Truck Dealers Association, said Tuesday that the organization is still working with the state Department of Motor Vehicles to find a solution to ensure that all Chrysler dealerships have time to liquidate their inventories.

According to state law, dealerships that lose their franchises are not allowed to continue selling new cars and would be subject to fines.

Consumers buying those vehicles could have warranty problems because they wouldn’t be properly registered with Chrysler.

“It’s a major stumbling block” to finding a solution, Snyder said.

Earlier in the day, Chrysler attorneys said that the automaker would extend until Monday its program to help the affected dealers send any unsold vehicles to other dealers.

Chrysler has guaranteed those losing their franchises that it will find others to take their unsold vehicles and extended a deadline to transfer the cars and trucks.

The company will give the 789 dealers being rejected until Monday to sign paperwork that lets them transfer vehicles to others that will keep operating, Chrysler lawyer Kevyn Orr said in bankruptcy court.

“We are now close enough to guarantee that we will redistribute 100% of the affected inventory,” Steven Landry, Chrysler’s executive vice president for North American sales, said in a note to rejected dealers on June 5.

Landry said in his note that as of that date, Chrysler had found dealers willing to purchase all but 400 vehicles from the rejected franchises and would be able to find homes for the rest.

Chrysler’s ability to speed through the bankruptcy process has partially been a result of the involvement of President Barack Obama’s administration’s auto task force, which provided $4.5 billion in financing and helped negotiate a deal with the company’s stakeholders.