Buy American ... Or You're Fired

I joked yesterday that before long we'd be required to shop at the Obama Motor Company or face reprisals from the union goons. Well, what do you know, one Michigan mayor is already forcing political appointees to drive American vehicles or seek employment elsewhere.

You’ve got to admire James Fouts and his eagerness to start a courtroom brawl.

The mayor of Warren, Mich., has issued an executive order requiring that all political appointees drive an American-made car. For those who now drive a Honda or a Lexus? Get shopping.

According to Fouts, they have to guarantee that their next car purchase will be a vehicle made by General Motors, DaimlerChrysler or Ford.

To those who don’t want to make the switch?

“They can find another place to work,” Fouts said.

Nice attitude. Considering the shape Michigan is in, hundreds of thousands of former residents are looking for work.

In other states.

Seem harsh? Consider this: GM and DaimlerChrysler are the town’s number one and two employers, respectively.

Tax revenues generated by the two carmakers account for 15% of the city’s $98 million annual fiscal budget, and one-third of the Detroit suburb’s 138,000 residents rely on the auto industry for their livelihood.

That’s a lot of folks.

When someone dared to point out that Honda and Toyota make many cars in the U.S. with U.S. workers, Fouts shrugged.

Let's not confuse him with the facts.

I wonder if the town will be picking up the tab for repairs to the shoddily-made vehicles employees are forced to buy?