Death of the Middle Class, & Its Cars

The two-party system in these United Snakes is leading to a two-tier economic system as well, reflected in the disappearance of such automobile marques as Plymouth, which went away in 2001 w/o much hoopla that we can remember, and Oldsmobile, the very middle of the GM ladder of success that customers were expected to climb when it was assumed one's economic status would continue to improve over one's life. Instead, Americans are to be born to wealth & privilege, or to an indentured servitude based on debt & fear. Today we see in the Times of L. A. that there's no point to the Mercury anymore, & it only has a few more yrs. of running down the highway.

It would be a sad end for a marque that had generated its share of automotive history. Launched in the 1939 model year as a "step-up" car for buyers between economy Fords and upscale Lincolns, Mercury was known for its powerful V-8 engines and became popular with hot rodders. James Dean drove a black '49 Mercury Club Coupe in the 1955 movie "Rebel Without a Cause," cementing the brand's place in American pop culture."It became an icon for teenagers," said Gary Richards of Sun City, Calif., a member of the International Mercury Owners Assn. "James Dean was cool; he drove a Mercury; ergo, Mercury was cool." [...] Because of franchise agreements and state laws that protect car dealers, killing off a line of vehicles can be a real pain, as General Motors Corp. discovered when it pulled the plug on Oldsmobile eight years ago. GM set aside almost $1 billion to handle the transition and still spent more than five years battling dealer lawsuits. "Discontinuing a brand isn't as easy as you might think," said Libby of J.D. Power. "It's a long-term process and it can be very expensive."

We can't say if the elimination of the middle of Ford's & GM's middle cars are part of the plot, or a reflection of its success, as the middle-class dwindles & fewer & fewer consumers are able to afford anything but a shit mobile. And a shitty one at that. Chrysler, even before the Krauts & then the venture capitalists took over, had long ago dropped Imperial. They've gotten rid of the extremes, leaving it to the Dodge & Chrysler marques to demarcate the class divide, as Ford will w/ its two remaining brands. meanwhile, General Motors plods along w/ four separate lines, although to this jaundiced eye the new Caddies (pick-ups & SUVs) have little to do w. the luxury vehicle of our fading youth,