Angela Merkel

[darkangelism]

She is the consrevative running agaisnt Shroeder in Germany for Chancelleor. She wants to rebuild good ties to the US. I want her to win.

[Vautrin]

I am no big Merkel fan, nor am I fan of the current German government. The only difference between the Social Democrats and the conservatives, is that the latter want to give more tax breaks, and less spending on social security, the environment et cetera.

You can say that the German social security model is outdated, but at the same time productivity per hour in Germany is much higher than in the UK or in the US. So the Germans can pay for that. But it is businesses who find it appalling that they have to pay a bit of taxes too.

And even in the 70's research has shown that the poor tax-payers are effectively subsidizing the rich. I don't see a reason why that trend should continue to exist, and even less why that should increase.

[darkangelism]

They have a really high unemployment rate and a stagnate econmic growth. Though im not sure if she can change that.

[Vautrin]

Yes, but most of the unemployment rate is caused by unemployment in the former East Germany. Don't forget that the average working hour in Germany is much more productive than the average working hour in the US. In the East there are simply but a few jobs.
In a lot of cases West-German companies bought their East-German counterparts with huge subsidies from the State, only to close the acquired companies down. Thus giving these companies billions of dollars in tax breaks and subsidies, which were subsequently pocketed by the shareholders, and companies themselves.

Part of the problem is of course the difference in mentality in West- and East-Germany. But no political party can change that, and the only thing that can offer hope to people in East-Germany is lasting employment, and industrial and service indrustry jobs.
You cannot realistically make a legal exception for employment rights in East-Germany and expect the people who get paid less (and that is what is happening) to be content with that. Nor can you make a drastic lowering in legal rights of employees in the whole of Germany and expecting people to be happy about it.

[darkangelism]

Yeah production per hour is higher, but our total production, GDP is much higher. But yeah you are right about a lot of it coming from east germany, i know some people from there that didnt have a phone until 1993.

[Merika]

Originally Posted by darkangelism

She wants to rebuild good ties to the US.

They all will. We are the only ones who will be willing to feed them when their economic glass house blows up in their face.

[darkangelism]

they dont exactly have a good economy right now, 11% unemployment is bad.