The days surrounding the Fourth of July are about all things American: apple pie, fireworks, and car sales. To mark our nation's 234th birthday, at least one car company has tapped into the resurgent patriotism embodied by the Tea Parties. According to Chrysler's new Dodge ad—titled "Freedom"—"There’s a couple things America got right: cars — and freedom."

The irony, as Amy Gardner of The Washington Post points out, is that Chrysler "received more than $7 billion in federal bailout money last year. Anger about the bailouts is a favorite tea party topic." A Chrysler spokeswoman interviewed by Gardner noted, however, that the filming of the commercial didn't squander taxpayer money because Chrysler used "costumes left over from an old Mel Gibson movie."



Take note, young patriots: even George Washington wears his seatbelt.

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