European Tribune - Comments - Beggar Thy Neighbour

Beggar Thy Neighbour | 30 comments (30 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

DIE LINKE: Finanzmarktkrise darf nicht zu einer neuen Runde der Umverteilung von unten nach oben werden		THE LEFT: financial crisis should not lead to a new round of redistribution from bottom to top
DIE LINKE bleibt bei ihrer Position. Es kann nicht pauschal um Senkung der Steuern gehen, sondern man muss sich genau anschauen, wo Steuern gesenkt werden und wo auch Steuern erhöht werden müssen. Ganz klar und eindeutig: Wir sind dafür, dass der ,,Mittelstandsbauch" wegkommt. Da sollen Steuern gesenkt werden. ...Der Kompromiss der zur Erbschaftssteuerreform gefunden worden ist, ist ein inakzeptabler Kompromiss. Wir wollen, dass das Aufkommen aus der Erbschaftssteuer um 8 Milliarden € erhöht wird. Wir fordern eine Millionärssteuer, die gerade angesichts der aktuellen Krise notwendig wäre und auch Geld in die öffentlichen Haushalte bringen würde...		THE LEFT maintains its position. [The policy] cannot just be a blanket one of tax cuts, instead, we need to look closely where taxes neeed to be reduced and where taxes need to be raised. Quite clearly and unequivocally: We support the elimination of the 'middle class belly'. There, taxes should be reduced. ... The compromise achieved over the inheritance tax reform is an unacceptable compromise. We want to increase the proceeds from the inheritance tax by €8 billion. We call for a millionaire tax, which would be necessary in particular in view of the current crisis, and would also funnel money into public budgets ...

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Tue Dec 2nd, 2008 at 06:10:36 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Beggar Thy Neighbour (none / 0)

I note quickly that I read a third on-topic stuff last night before going to sleep: "Red Oskar" issued a declaration that is almost the same as those parts of Münchau's which redstar liked; I'll bilingualise it once I have time.

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Wed Dec 3rd, 2008 at 04:04:11 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Beggar Thy Neighbour (4.00 / 3)

...so here is Oskar Lafontaine on the issue, with rhetoric not far from what redstar liked in Münchau's:

DIE LINKE: Gegen den Strom in die Rezession		LEFT PARTY: Against the tide into the recession
"Die CDU-Vorsitzende und Kanzlerin findet keine Antwort auf die Weltwirtschaftskrise. Schlimmer noch, sie sucht sie nicht einmal. Mit ihrer Politik der kalten Hand treibt sie Deutschland immer tiefer in die Rezession", kritisiert der Vorsitzende der Partei DIE LINKE, Oskar Lafontaine, den Auftritt von Angela Merkel beim CDU-Parteitag. Lafontaine weiter:		"The CDU chairman and chancellor has no answer to the global economic crisis. Worse still, she is not even looking for one. With her policy of the cold hand, Germany is driving ever deeper into recession," is how the chairman of the LEFT PARTY, Oskar Lafontaine, criticized the appearance of Angela Merkel at the CDU party conference. Lafontaine continues:
Merkels hinhaltender Widerstand gegen ein Konjunkturprogramm, das internationalen Vergleichen standhalten kann, ist unverantwortlich. Während reihum Konzerne Entlassungen in großem Maßstab ankündigen, spielt die Kanzlerin auf Zeit. Angela Merkel trägt damit direkt die Schuld für die zunehmende Arbeitslosigkeit im nächsten Jahr. Nach dem deutschen Sonderweg sinkender Reallöhne in den letzten Jahren droht die neuerliche Eigenbrötelei der CDU-Vorsitzenden Deutschland endgültig zu isolieren. Erst durften die anderen Industrieländer die deutschen Exportüberschüsse bezahlen, nun sollen sie mit ihren Konjunkturprogrammen dafür sorgen, dass der Exportmotor nicht allzu sehr ins Stottern kommt, während die Regierung Merkel eigene Anstrengungen weitgehend verweigert.		Merkel's delaying resistance to an economic program that can stand up to international comparison is irresponsible. While big corporations are announcing large-scale lay-offs one after the other, the Chancellor plays for time. For that reason, Angela Merkel can be directly blamed for the increasing unemployment in the next year. After the German exceptionalism of declining real wages in recent years, the solitarity-ism of the chairman of the CDU threatens to isolate Germany for good. The other industrialized countries were first allowed to pay for the German trade surplus, now, with their economic stimulus programs, they are to ensure that the export engine won't get into stuttering too much, while the Merkel government broadly refuses to make own efforts.
Unterlassene Hilfeleistung wird im Strafrecht geahndet. In der Politik müssen dies die Wählerinnen und Wähler tun. Angela Merkel verdient die rote Karte.		Failure to provide assistance is punished in the penal code. In politics, it's voters who have to do this. Angela Merkel deserves the red card.

I note his missive about a German exceptionalism of declining real wages is almost certainly a rhetorical hyperbole: he must be aware of parallel similar developments in many if not most developed countries. (I don't think that he is of truly high opinion about the actual stimulus packages of some Western countries, either.)

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Wed Dec 3rd, 2008 at 11:27:55 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Beggar Thy Neighbour | 30 comments (30 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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