When it comes to irresponsible promotions, giving away a free gun with every purchase of a new car has to take the biscuit. I suppose it is quite enterprising. Taking advantage of the feeling of desperation that the collapse of the US economy is putting on both sellers and consumers alike.

A car dealership in the United States is offering a free handgun with every vehicle sold.

Max Motors in Butler, Missouri, says sales have quadrupled since the start of the offer.

Owner Mark Muller said: “We’re just damn glad to live in a free country where you can have a gun if you want to.”

Mantuition: Free in the sense that teenagers can get tasered to death for walking the wrong way and arrested for sitting down

He added that the promotion was inspired by recent comments from one of the Democratic nominees for the presidential election, saying: “We did it because of Barack Obama.

“He said all those people in the Midwest, you’ve got to have compassion for them because they’re clinging to their guns and their Bibles. I found that quite offensive. We all go to church on Sunday and we all carry guns.”

Mantuition: Hmm, it’s a winning combination. Remind me not to go to the Midwest for a holiday.