Overturn laws that limit auto manufacturers from selling their vehicles directly

https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/overturn-franchise-laws-limit-auto-manufacturers-selling-their-vehicles-directly-consumers/rlShbLzr

by tmoretti • 13 years ago

48 22 13 years ago

petitions.whitehouse.gov

afarrell2• 13 years ago

Like many petitions on We The People, the executive hasn't the power to do what this proposes. The president simply doesn't have the power to rewrite state laws. The judiciary could questionably overturn state laws as overreaching into interstate commerce, but even that requires a case. I'm sure if Tesla believed that it was worth it, they would be bring such litigation. So, I'm curious what impact a petition like this has on the various actors who have the power to do something: state and federal legislators. Given that there is no way for a legislator to tell how many people in their district support a petition, I would guess very little.

btilly2• 13 years ago

The executive does not have that power, but if Congress should pass a law regulating it, I'm pretty sure that Congress can override state commerce laws. Doubly so if the commercial transaction counts as interstate (as would happen if you bought the car on the manufacturer's website).

However that said, even if this passed, every manufacturer is so embedded in its web of dealers that any move to reconsider that relationship would cause a lot of conflict. In fact fear of that exact conflict is how we got the state laws in the first place.

traeblain2• 13 years ago

Actually Congress cannot pass a law regulating it per the 10th amendment. They can pass laws governing other things that effectively regulate this--often by withholding federal funds from states that do not comply--but have no power over this specific issue.

If Musk wants the US Congress to interfere, maybe he should sell liquor in the most lavish and expensive and functional "bottle case" ever conceived. But selling liquor in a car "case" might not be the best PR move. hehe.

joelrunyon3• 13 years ago

Is it me or are these petitions almost worse than doing nothing? These petitions show over & over again that they don't actually do anything to change policies.

It's almost like a release valve so people feel like they're being democratic without even really doing anything at all.

stormbrew2• 13 years ago

In what way is any of that worse than doing nothing at all?

whatshisface• 13 years ago

It's easier to "sign" an online petition than to send a letter to one of your representatives, if people click once and then feel like they have had their say then much of the people's voice will be lost.

joelrunyon3• 13 years ago

As I said in the second part of my post:

> It's almost like a release valve so people feel like they're being democratic without even really doing anything at all.

hiharryhere• 13 years ago

Interestingly there was a great podcast on archaic dealership laws on NPR's Planet Money in February. Worth a listen for some context.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2013/02/12/171814201/episode-...

ameister14• 13 years ago

Ignoring the debated effects of petitions, laws that limit auto manufacturer's sales are there for varied reasons state to state.

I love Tesla, but this isn't going to do it.

Finally, really nit-picky but you're petitioning the White House here, please proofread.

sunnybunny• 13 years ago

Why were the laws enacted in the first place?

jbigelow76• 13 years ago

Lobbyists earning their money.

ScottWhigham• 13 years ago

You'd get 50 different answers because those are state laws.

Overturn laws that limit auto manufacturers from selling their vehicles directly

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