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So far the critisism of Steinbrueck and Merkel was about the capital market. I don't see why this would be inconsistent with their other opinions.

'Reform' always was focused strongly on the labour market and entitlements.
All losses of the current banking crisis in Germany were the result of securitisation products with their undelying assets in foreign countries. That is on what Merkel and Steinbrueck focus, and on what they have started to make suggestions, how to tackle that problem.

Gemach, gemach

by Martin (weiser.mensch(at)googlemail.com) on Mon Sep 29th, 2008 at 06:26:35 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Good point about the attempted separation of financial and labour market deregulation (which in truth are connected and came together). Though, I would apply this only to Steinbrück. Merkel said:

FTD.de - Nachrichten: Merkel will nach Wahldebakel Konsequenzen ziehen - Deutschland FTD.de - News: Merkel wants to draw consequences after electoral debacle - Germany
«Es geht in unserer Zeit vor allen Dingen darum, den Menschen in der Zeit der Globalisierung Halt zu geben», sagte die CDU-Vorsitzende am Montag vor einer Präsidiumssitzung in Berlin. Nötig sei, «eine Zukunftsperspektive für die Menschen zu geben». Merkel will die Schwerpunkte im Bundestagswahlkampf bei Wirtschaft, Arbeit, Bildung und Integration setzen."In our present age, what counts above all is to give people a footing in the age of globalisation", the CDU chairman said on Monday before an executive meeting in Berlin. It is necessary "to give a perspective on the future to the people". Merkel wants to focus on the economy, employment, education and integration in the federal elections campaign.


*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.
by DoDo on Tue Sep 30th, 2008 at 10:10:34 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Etheral bubbling.
From 'Menschen halt geben', you could perhaps conclude improvements in the social net, but not necessarily.
From 'eine Zukunftsperspektive für die Menschen', you can conclude the opposite, as this can mean removing burdens for employment.
Unlike Steinbrueck, who has made some concrete suggestions, your extract is mostly platitude talk.

Of course I think it is strongly off base, to focus the federal election campaign on education, as this should be solely an issue for lower level elections, but the CDU obviously has given up any resistance against the 'Gleichschaltung' of the children in this country.

Gemach, gemach

by Martin (weiser.mensch(at)googlemail.com) on Tue Sep 30th, 2008 at 12:22:23 PM EST
[ Parent ]
I wouldn't misuse that historically pre-loaded word in your place. (I normally hate when old Godwyn is used to crush debate, but this is really reaching too far IMO.)

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.
by DoDo on Tue Sep 30th, 2008 at 03:50:03 PM EST
[ Parent ]
The German wikipedia article about Gleichschaltung starts:
Unter Gleichschaltung wird die Einschränkung oder der Verlust der individuellen Persönlichkeit beziehungsweise der Unabhängigkeit, Mündigkeit und Freiheit eines Menschen durch Regeln und Gesetze sowie sonstige Maßnahmen der Gleichsetzung und Vereinheitlichung der Massen verstanden. Im Besonderen handelt es sich um ein Wort aus der nationalsozialistischen Terminologie, der

In the further text is mentioned, that in common speech it was casually used to describe the events in Soviet zone of influence, and in anti-Soviet propaganda literature.
So it is not exclusivly used to describe events during the Nazi time. Given the gazillion explicit Nazi comparisons in the web, and the literally match of the explaination, what it means, with what I intend to say, I think it is OK to use such a term in an internet blog comment.

Gemach, gemach

by Martin (weiser.mensch(at)googlemail.com) on Tue Sep 30th, 2008 at 05:06:57 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Martin, since you were writing in English, the choice of that internationally-known German word is bound to ring a certain bell in your readers' minds, isn't it? And, like DoDo, I think the bell in question isn't really necessary and adds nothing to your argument... but noise.

When locusts move on, they leave nothing behind
by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Tue Sep 30th, 2008 at 05:18:34 PM EST
[ Parent ]
I didn't know that word was well known in English. The dictionary I use just didn't give an English word which made any sense, when I tried it.

Of course it adds not to any argument, but is an expression of opinion. This opinion has only indirect something to do with the centralisation on the federal level, but more with the general direction of school politics in Germany.

Gemach, gemach

by Martin (weiser.mensch(at)googlemail.com) on Tue Sep 30th, 2008 at 05:41:16 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Martin, I don't want to further belabour this point -- instead, I invite you to write a diary on your real point, e.g. education reform in Germany and your conservative take on it, with more special focus than in your conservative manifesto diary.

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.
by DoDo on Tue Sep 30th, 2008 at 06:37:21 PM EST
[ Parent ]
The English word is "in lockstep". I actually caught myself using "Gleichschaltung" once or twice in reference to the US press after 9/11, not because of any intention to make such comparisons, but just because I couldn't think of a better word. If that happened to me (in my native language) because the German word is used so much more frequently than the English equivalent, I can certainly understand your problem.
by gk (g k quattro due due sette "at" gmail.com) on Wed Oct 1st, 2008 at 04:26:04 AM EST
[ Parent ]
It's well known in English only as a term relating to the Nazi takeover of German society. So, known to those who have some knowledge of history. Using it in English inevitably suggests the Nazi parallel. I'm glad that wasn't what you meant to do.

When locusts move on, they leave nothing behind
by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Wed Oct 1st, 2008 at 05:06:19 PM EST
[ Parent ]
So it is not exclusivly used to describe events during the Nazi time.

It is, in (academic?) English.

A vivid image of what should exist acts as a surrogate for reality. Pursuit of the image then prevents pursuit of the reality -- John K. Galbraith

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Tue Sep 30th, 2008 at 06:24:16 PM EST
[ Parent ]
On the content.

Yes, I agree it's very vague, but that's Merkel 's art. But given the context: her blocking the calls for more conservatism and marketism at the executive body meeting, I don't think it is as meaningless/meaning-what-the-listener-wants as you imply.

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

by DoDo on Tue Sep 30th, 2008 at 04:09:04 PM EST
[ Parent ]
What's more, something more concrete:

CDU nach der Landtagswahl in Bayern: Auf der Suche nach Halt - Wahl in Bayern - Politik - FAZ.NET The CDU after the regional elections in Bavaria: The search for a footing - Elections in Bavaria - Politics - FAZ.NET
Scheitere die Erbschaftssteuereform, sei das ,,machtpolitisch verheerend", warnt sie das eigene Präsidium. Zwischen Arm und Reich klaffe eine Lücke, die nicht noch größer werden dürfe.Should the inheritance tax reform fail, that would be "devastating from a power politics view", she warns her own party executive body. There is a yawning gap between rich and poor that should not be allowed to get even bigger.

Huh!

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

by DoDo on Tue Sep 30th, 2008 at 04:15:55 PM EST
[ Parent ]
I had not read the article, but you are right.

I find it very disappointing, that the CDU is willing to sell out its core constituency seemingly on nearly all issues.
But for staying in power, it is obviously the best thing for them. Losing freedom voters to the FDP won't change that the CDU will get more votes than the SPD, and for a black-yellow coalition the votes would not be lost.

Gemach, gemach

by Martin (weiser.mensch(at)googlemail.com) on Tue Sep 30th, 2008 at 04:30:46 PM EST
[ Parent ]
I find it very disappointing, that the CDU is willing to sell out its core constituency seemingly on nearly all issues.

I of course have very different feelings about this, but I agree this is a selling-out of the core constituency paralleling what the SPD did under Schröder.

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

by DoDo on Tue Sep 30th, 2008 at 06:31:59 PM EST
[ Parent ]

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