OK.
You like the government, you don't like the government.
You like big government, you don't like big government.
You liked the bailouts, you didn't like the bailouts.
Who cares?
Does not have a thing to do with the issue in this thread.
This is not the "Let's stomp our feet and bitch about the government" forum.
It's not the "Let's rehash political subjects that have been beaten to death years ago" forum.
You can find thousands of those all over the net.
This is one of only a handful of unique forums.
It is made up of a membership of what I feel is a unique bunch of "can do" individuals.
Those "can do" individuals are dedicated to the idea of owning a unprecedented and unique vehicle.
I believe most of those individuals are willing to support the company that is attempting to give them that vehicle.
After all, it's in those individuals' best interest to do so.
The issue in the thread is "Help Elio get the money."
That big chunk of change has to come from somewhere.
It's not going to magically appear out of PE's or my butt.
Without it, there is no Elio.
No Elio for you and no Elio for me.
And... Better yet, kiss your all-in deposit goodbye.
As far as major private investors providing that $185M...
That's already been discussed by by EM and rehashed by us.
It looks like the conclusion most of us came to was...
If you want a scant chance of the "first year's" production costing around $6800...
And if you want a scant chance of your Elio even remotely resembling the projected production model...
Leave politics out of it.
It's like this...
You're starving to death.
Someone offers you steak but you have a gripe with the cattle industry.
...must I go on?
It's simple.
EM seems to have been working to meet their goals and commitments.
They also seem to be trying to make a car that we want.
As opposed to making a car and then talking us into wanting it.
In my opinion they seem to be listening to the majority of us.
That's pretty good business 101, but it's a welcome change from the norm.
EM gets that last chunk of change, we get the cars.
The ones Paul Elio wants, not the ones some investors want.
More importantly, the ones that the vast majority of us want.