Ultimate irony: "Consumer protection" law may prevent Tesla cars from being sold in North Carolina

Liberals love "consumer protection" and electric cars so it is some what ironic that consumer protection laws are being used to prevent those cars from from being sold in North Carolina.  From Fox News:

Tesla Motors is fighting a bill in North Carolina that would effectively ban the company from selling its electric cars in the state, pitting it against auto dealers who say the car maker has an unfair advantage selling directly to consumers online. . . . 

The argument from dealers in North Carolina has mirrored those from the national association and in other states: franchise dealers invest more locally, showing commitment to communities and customer service that Tesla can't match. 

"It's a consumer protection," said Bob Glaser, president of the NCADA, "and why we say that is a dealer who has invested a significant amount of capital in a community is more committed to taking care of that area's customers." . . .

Here is a brief economics lesson: Shouldn't it be obvious that this "consumer protection" is just a way of protecting local jobs from competition?