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Message |
    
Scott
flint knapper
Username: Scott
Post Number: 1084
Registered: 5-2003
| | Posted on Monday, September 19, 2005 - 3:56 pm: |     |
Well, I know Canadians are idiots and can't decide on what sort of Government we want, but the Germans too?
What's the story? Do the German people want to continue to wallow in stagnation, like Japan did for 15 years? At least the people there finally decided they wanted reform.
What do the German people want? Or is this a problem of not having anyone to vote for, like we have here in Canada or I hear is the case in Australia?
I thought Angela had the election in the bag. It seemed hers to lose. What happened? Any insights?
Now what?
Scott
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Ces gens, Jondalar, ils sourient. Ils me sourient. - Ayla |
Kerensa
hunter
Username: Kerensa
Post Number: 380
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Monday, September 19, 2005 - 4:56 pm: | |
Scott, you beat me to it!
Here is a good article and tomorrow or later tonight I will translate something for you.
Mrs. Merkel was never like a Margarete Thatcher. The ex-Kanzler Kohl found her and called her "that girl" . She still is girlish and "hat keinen Pfeffer im Hintern". (No pepper in her bum)!
Schröder is an alltogether different kettle of fish.
http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/0,15 18,375330,00.html
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Kerensa
hunter
Username: Kerensa
Post Number: 381
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Monday, September 19, 2005 - 5:50 pm: | |
I am lucky, they just now translated this article. Saves me a lot of time 
Will Dresden Decide Germany's Next Chancellor?
The eastern city of Dresden could become a kingmaker in Germany's inconclusive election. On Oct. 2, 219,000 residents may decide who will sit in the chancellery and lead Europe's biggest economic power.
The greatest fear of many conservative Southern German politicians may now be a reality: the outcome of German elections may be decided in the East. Specifically, by one district in the city of Dresden. Here, 219,000 voters have yet to vote and could very well bring Chancellor Gerhard Schröder's Social Democrats (SPD) into a dead heat with the opposition. In Sunday's election, the SPD chalked up a mere three parliamentary seats less than their main rivals, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its Bavarian sister party the Christian Social Union (CSU). But so far all coalition possibilities have hit snags and it remains up in the air if Schröder or his challenger Angela Merkel will end up sitting in the chancellery.
The delayed vote is scheduled to take place on Oct. 2 and became necessary after a candidate running on the far-right National Democratic Party of Germany (NPD) ticket died suddenly of a stroke while campaigning. In order to give her replacement candidate time to campaign, the election was put off by two weeks. Now, with the results from the rest of the country resulting in a virtual stalemate, Dresden could make all the difference. The stage is set for a massive showdown, where candidates may go door to door in Dresden, battling for each crucial vote...
http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/0,15 18,375360,00.html |
Annie
storyteller
Username: Annie
Post Number: 1573
Registered: 5-2003
| | Posted on Monday, September 19, 2005 - 9:55 pm: | |
Thanks for the great links, Kerensa! 
Chess is the purest form of debate, unadulterated by a topic. |
Kerensa
hunter
Username: Kerensa
Post Number: 382
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 20, 2005 - 5:11 pm: | |
The best I can do is to send this link for now
MERKEL'S ELECTION FAILURE
How Germany's East Abandoned Angie
Nobody was surprised that the Left Party did well in former East Germany. But how did the Christian Democrats do so poorly? Their lead candidate Angela Merkel, after all, grew up in the formerly communist region. Now, the party of reunfication is just the third strongest in Germany's East.
After months of promising survey numbers, the Sunday general election results for Germany's newly-formed Left Party were hardly surprising. The party -- made-up of the post-communist Party of Democratic Socialism (PDS) and a number of left-leaning, western-German malcontents -- got 8.7 percent of the vote. With that, they will send 54 delegates to the Bundestag, Germany's lower house of parliament. As expected, the party did even better in the states of former East Germany. Fully 25.4 percent of eastern Germans cast their votes for the Left Party -- fully 8.5 percentage points better than in 2002.
But with such a clear winner, there had to be an equally clear loser. The Social Democrats (SPD) under Chancellor Gerhard Schröder made a good case for that dubious title. With 30.5 percent of the votes in the East, the party lost over 9 percentage points against 2002. But the SPD managed to remain the strongest party in the region -- after years of cutting unemployment benefits in a region suffering extremely high unemployment.
The clear loser, in fact, was Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Union (CDU). The party that brought East Germany into the economic wonderland of West Germany in 1990, under Helmut Kohl, only managed 25.3 percent of the vote in the East this year, making it the third-largest party in the region. And that with a chancellor candidate who herself called East Germany home for much of her life.
This historic failure must be one of the biggest shocks of Sunday's vote...
http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/spie gel/0,1518,375608,00.html
Scott:Well, I know Canadians are idiots and can't decide on what sort of Government we want, but the Germans too?
What's the story? Do the German people want to continue to wallow in stagnation, like Japan did for 15 years? At least the people there finally decided they wanted reform.
What do the German people want? Or is this a problem of not having anyone to vote for, like we have here in Canada or I hear is the case in Australia?
I thought Angela had the election in the bag. It seemed hers to lose. What happened? Any insights?
Now what?
Germans don’t like change, they find it very difficult to adjust at first but after some time they get it! Just watch!
The Germans want to have their peace, their work, their cars and enough money to have two holidays a year and a good health insurance. They will vote for the politicians they think will provide all this. Of course people think very different and vote very different. And now we have a big mess.
But there are also funny occurrences.
For example the talk of a Jamaica Coalition. You might know by now that the CDU/CSU is called “black” the FDP is called “yellow” and The Greens are “green”. That’s the Flag of Jamaica.
The ambassador of Jamaica in Berlin gave his thanks to the politicians for making his country known to everybody. He said if the Jamaica Coalition will happen, he will send the politicians to his country for a holiday!
There was a pictures in the paper.
It shows Mrs.Merkel outside the fence around the Bundestag crying: "I want to get in!" – Schröder is inside, holding his elbows and with a wide grin he growls: "I am not coming out!"
This goes back to Schröder who as a young SPD-Member rattled the fence and cried: "I want to get in here!" - Well, he did. Let's see for how long.
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Scott
flint knapper
Username: Scott
Post Number: 1085
Registered: 5-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 21, 2005 - 5:19 am: | |
Thanks for the analysis Kerensa. But I don't understand why the East didn't support her there, especially since Schroeder has been cutting benefits in the east and it was, afterall, the CDU that brought the East into the federation. Schroeder has had two terms and things have gotten worse - and people still vote for him? Not that the CDU is all pure and clean but...
The Greens with the CDU? That would take a leap of faith...!
Scott
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Ces gens, Jondalar, ils sourient. Ils me sourient. - Ayla |
Kerensa
hunter
Username: Kerensa
Post Number: 383
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, September 22, 2005 - 6:22 pm: | |
Scott: ...and it was, afterall, the CDU that brought the East into the federation."
It was our Kanzler Willy Brandt SPD who first opened the borders to the east. My mother who had Family in Poland is still thankful and keeps voting for the SPD. And many others do so as well.
Kanzler Kohl CDU finished what Willy Brandt started. And at the next election the people in the east of Germany voted for him because they were thankful. But that changed when Kohl did not fulfull his promises.
And don't forget, Mrs.Merkel was always "Kohl's Girl", she was for the war in Irak and she sent a letter to Bush apologizing for the German Government not going to the war. She did it without permission from Kanzler Schröder.
People are not stupid and don't forget grave mistakes.
This is about Mrs.Merkel and her colleagues. We never call her Angela!
The Death of German Conservatism
By Charles Hawley
Amid the post-election noise in Germany, one salient fact has been getting little play. German voters don't trust political parties to the right of the center. It's been a long time coming, but its time to write the obituary of German
conservatism.
http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/0,15 18,376015,00.html
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Kerensa
hunter
Username: Kerensa
Post Number: 384
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Friday, September 23, 2005 - 5:35 pm: | |
Schröder seems to be open for an "Israel Version". The first two years Schröder and the next two years Mrs.Merkel could be Chancellor. |
Scott
flint knapper
Username: Scott
Post Number: 1087
Registered: 5-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, September 25, 2005 - 6:03 am: | |
Thanks Kerensa. but without Kohl, I doubt the Germanys would have been reunited even now.
Sorry, our media here call her Angela. They have even got the pronunciation right, which surprised me.
Schroeder should step down. He himself said it would be a disgrace if unemployment didn't go down while he was Chancellor. It went up by two million! Leave already. Not that I am conservative by any stretch of the imagination, but Schroeder and company have done nothing but fight, dither and break promises. The German economy needs to be radically reformed. The CDU has said that they will. Let them do it then, if you aren't. The SPD has grand words, but does nothing.
Was I German, I would have most likely voted Green anyway. They had better get things worked out. A grand coalition won't be much better (probably worse) than the last two SPD terms.
Too bad IMO.
Scott
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Ces gens, Jondalar, ils sourient. Ils me sourient. - Ayla |
Kerensa
hunter
Username: Kerensa
Post Number: 385
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, September 25, 2005 - 4:01 pm: | |
Scott, you can call her Angy or Angela. Her friends and colleagues do so. But not the press.
The only two politician our press called by their first name was Willy Brandt and now it is Joschka Fischer.
They say Gerhard Schröder or Schröder.
In Bavaria (south) there is the CSU with Stoiber as they call him. He acts like a king! But he is very good and in Bavaria there is the least unemployment.
And it is more or less Stoibers fault that the East didn't vote for Mrs.Merkel. They say he is envious because he did not become Chancellor at the last election.
He said he can't accept "that again the East will be able to decide who will be Chancellor in Germany. It should not be allowed that the frustrated decide about the Fate of Germany"
To make things worse Angela Merkel in her speech used several phrases from Ronald Reagan's speeches. People did not like it. I am sorry, I can't find the speech.
quote:The German economy needs to be radically reformed. The CDU has said that they will. Let them do it then, if you aren't
What makes you think the CDU/CSU will do what they say?
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Thalion
flint knapper
Username: Thalion
Post Number: 1782
Registered: 5-2003
| | Posted on Monday, September 26, 2005 - 12:55 pm: | |
Scott, I'm sorry, but your analysis made me laugh so hard I had to cry...
The CDU had 16 years to reform anything and they (under Kohl's leadership) led the country to the stagnant point we're at right now. The reforms came far too late and the red/green government of Schroeder could only do it half-heartedly. Firstly, because they aren't really that different (all four major parties differ less than one would believe) and just as prone to lobbyism as the other side, and more importantly, because they can decide what they want in the "Bundestag" on the country level - if the "Bundesrat" on the federal state level doesn't agree with it, nothing goes. And the 'Bunderat' has a firm conservative majority, the last election threw the last social democratic stronghold which led to the early elections in the first place. Schroeder should go, but the coalition of the two big parties is a good thing.
In the past seven years, people have seen Angela and her cronies block good suggestions just out of spite. They have seen the CDU throw out their talented people and promote the ass-kissers. Nothing new there. They have seen a red/green government agree to join the forces in Afghanistan after 9/11 and have the opposition vote no just for spite. With the Iraq war it was reversed. Very consistent, if you ask me.
The CDU/FDP doesn't have a better business plan than the red/greens. The current government made severe cutbacks in social security - people are afraid of what the less socially inclined conservative front would do to follow that up. Angela has already anounced an increased GST.
Angela Merkel is a very intelligent woman, but sadly she learned too fast and too well how to blow hot air and utter empty phrases. She's really good at demoting the opposing party, but she lacks political instinct and can't get her ideas over very well.
I for one am very pleased by the outcome of this election. It gave me my faith in the people back. The people aren't as stupid as politicians think them to be. The people don't forget as much as politicians would want them to.
Everybody sees that Schroeder didn't suceed, but people also see that there isn't a real good concept coming from the other side. So now what happens is what I actually wanted to happen (and a lot of other people, too) - both big parties will be forced to work together and that will be the only way to get around the blockade. They got the message, too, finally. And all this bickering about who is going to be chancellor is just that, bickering. I suspect that particular issue will be resolved within a week or two.
It's a good chance that things will finally start to move. About time, too.
Finally, the whole thing has great entertainment value. The declaration of all these 'winners' of these elections last Sunday were priceless. You don't need satire when you live here, you get it in real life.
I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they pass by - Douglas Adams |
Scott
flint knapper
Username: Scott
Post Number: 1093
Registered: 5-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, September 29, 2005 - 5:46 am: | |
I agree, that the CDU had a chance, but the system wasn't out of room, there wasn't enough stress. The same happened with Canada, until we finally did something about it. Japan is just entering that phase. I suspect the CDU knows it has to reform or die. The SPD has had two terms. Schroeder himself said that he should be judged on stuff like unemployment. That 3.5 million was appalling and he would deserve to be elected if it stayed there. What is it now? Over 5 million? He should step down.
No, I didn't much like Kohl either. But the CDU did embark on actual unification, the first step.
I simply think that the time is right, that if Germans elect a government based on reform, that government will have no choice but to do what it says. Maybe not though.
I think that if you have a coalition, nothing will get done. Precisely because the consiervative have a majority in the Bundesrat.
Angela did announce an increased GST. You need it. You have an overblown budgetary deficit. That's, in part how Canada got out of our terrible mess. The CDU seems to be promoting a much harder reform line. The SPD simply is recycling old ideas that they never got through, for whatever reason.
And when Germany reforms, perhaps France and Italy will get off their asses.
Too bad the Greens couldn't get into power. We have about a 5% vote level for the Greens here. I hope they don't stall, like they seem to have done in Europe.
Scott
PS: Glad I could at least make you laugh! That's part of my job description around here I think! 
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Ces gens, Jondalar, ils sourient. Ils me sourient. - Ayla |
Kerensa
hunter
Username: Kerensa
Post Number: 386
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, October 02, 2005 - 7:14 pm: | |
This is an interview with my favourite politician, now ex-politician Joschka Fischer, ex-Secretary of State and Vice Chancellor (Greens).
He speaks about the election as well, of course.
Scott, he will probably answer all your questions about the election!
I can't mail the article because it looks like a mess if I do. All the answers and question are not marked anymore.
The last rock 'n' roller of German politics
http://www.signandsight.com/features/380.html |
Scott
flint knapper
Username: Scott
Post Number: 1096
Registered: 5-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 04, 2005 - 3:43 am: | |
Great web site Kerensa. Thanks! I like Fischer too - he is a say-it-like-it-is type of guy. He would make a great Chancellor, and if he doesn't want to serve our his newly elected term, send him to Canada, we could use some real talk for a change.
I see now that the SPD, having watched the CDU gain another seat in Dresden is reverting to the stupidity that they are still the largest party. It is a common fact that the CDU/CSU are one block - let Merkel become Chancellor and then the onus will be on her to make her reforms work.
If the SPD is so reform minded, they shouldn't have a problem supporting the CDU's plans.
Scott
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Ces gens, Jondalar, ils sourient. Ils me sourient. - Ayla |
Thalion
flint knapper
Username: Thalion
Post Number: 1785
Registered: 5-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 04, 2005 - 9:22 am: | |
The show Schroeder has been giving since the election is disgusting and it is time that he goes. He has hinted at giving in at last, hooray for that. It was very clear for some time now that he is more concerned with personal vanities than the good of the country.
Eh? You mean that's true for all politicians? Damn, yet another one of my illusions gone...
The black-red coalition will not be blocked by the Bundesrat to the same extent as the red-green coalition was, simply because the majority in the Bundesrat is now in the same party as one half of the government. They'd get slapped by Angela if they did.
And what on earth gave you the idea that our politics (electors and electees alike) are smarter than yours? We know how to make fools of ourselves, we don't need other nations to show us.
Anyway, Joshka is wise in stepping back, though I only see this as a temporary step. He's far too feisty to keep quiet for long. And that's a good thing. He thinks the green party has become too 'establishment', too adapted and he's right - but that's the price you pay for being accepted by the big dogs and getting into government. I predict that he'll be active in some other arena within a year or so. Maybe European.
I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they pass by - Douglas Adams |
Scott
flint knapper
Username: Scott
Post Number: 1099
Registered: 5-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, October 06, 2005 - 5:13 am: | |
I agree Thalion. I hope you are right about Joshka - he is far too fun to be kept in the dark for long!
Does Angela have the power to push CDU member in the Bundesrat? Do they owe allegiance to the party? In our Senate, which is useless, they tend to thumb their noses at the real politicians.
Scott
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Ces gens, Jondalar, ils sourient. Ils me sourient. - Ayla |
Kerensa
hunter
Username: Kerensa
Post Number: 388
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Monday, October 10, 2005 - 9:35 am: | |
It looks like Angela Merkel is our new Chancellor.
She is not the first one in Europe but after all we have a female Chancellor. How do we call her now? Chancellor is male.
In German it is easy. Kanzler for male and Kanzlerin for female.
Gerhard Schröder might give up politics. |
Scott
flint knapper
Username: Scott
Post Number: 1105
Registered: 5-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 11, 2005 - 5:20 am: | |
The CDU gave up too much. I am glad the SPD has Foreign Affairs and the Environment, but not Finance. Merkel needs that. I hope Schroeder goes.
Just use the English Kerensa, it is neuter.
Germany is in a lot of trouble and will need a great deal of strength and discipline to succeed. Where is Bismarck when you need him!
Scott
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Ces gens, Jondalar, ils sourient. Ils me sourient. - Ayla |
Kerensa
hunter
Username: Kerensa
Post Number: 391
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 16, 2005 - 8:02 am: | |
We all wonder what exactly Angela Merkel will do.
The World According to Angie
By David Crossland
Washington won't be shedding any tears at the departure of Gerhard Schröder. His successor as German leader, Angela Merkel, is promising to repair the damage he did to US-German relations. But hopes of a big shift in German foreign policy are likely to go unfulfilled. Changes will likely be more in style rather than substance.
More:
http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/0,15 18,384910,00.html
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Kerensa
hunter
Username: Kerensa
Post Number: 392
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 22, 2005 - 10:13 am: | |
Since a few minutes Angela Merkel is the first female Chancellor of Germany!
Gerhard Schröder was the first to congratulate her.
Now let's see what Angela Merkel will do different. |
Kerensa
hunter
Username: Kerensa
Post Number: 393
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 22, 2005 - 12:58 pm: | |
"MR. PRESIDENT, I ACCEPT"
Angela Merkel Elected as Germany's First Woman Chancellor
After a vote of parliament on Tuesday, Angela Merkel of the conservative Christian Democratic Union is formally elected as Germany's eighth leader since World War II and its first female chancellor.
On Tuesday morning, Angela Merkel cleared the final hurdle to becoming chancellor after the German parliament voted overwhelmingly to elevate her to the country's highest political office. After she is sworn in later in the afternoon, Merkel will begin her new job as Germany's first-ever woman leader.
At 10:53 CET, the president of the Bundestag announced the result of the parliamentary vote, which favored Merkel by 397-202. After the announcement of the results, Merkel, grinning from cheek to cheek, said: "Mr. President, I accept."
Over the weekend, both parties expressed concern over renegade voters within the coalition who might oppose Merkel when it came down to the vote. A total of 202 parliamentarians cast votes against Merkel on Tuesday -- and news agencies reported that some of those votes came from the left-leaning Social Democratic Party (SPD), the junior partner in the new grand coalition government.
SPIEGEL Online will be reporting throughout the day on the swearing in of Merkel, the new government and the first meeting of the new parliament this evening."
If you scroll down you can click on pictures.
http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/0,15 18,386286,00.html |
Kerensa
hunter
Username: Kerensa
Post Number: 394
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 22, 2005 - 4:29 pm: | |
Ok, here is the next article about Angela Merkel
The Passion of Merkel
By Marc Young in Berlin
Angela Merkel made history on Tuesday, as the German parliament elected her as the country's first-ever female chancellor. But she will need plenty of determination and a healthy dose of passion if she is to make her government a success.
...
http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/0,15 18,386337,00.html |
Scott
flint knapper
Username: Scott
Post Number: 1121
Registered: 5-2003
| | Posted on Friday, November 25, 2005 - 8:28 am: | |
And congrats to her and to all the German's on the board - at least you guys have someone running the country now!
Scott
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Ces gens, Jondalar, ils sourient. Ils me sourient. - Ayla |
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