Tag Archives: Government

The bad part isn’t that Germany suddenly has no functioning government…

November 7, 2024 By in Hard Facts, Helplessness, Hideology Tags: , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

The bad part is that nobody can tell the difference.

German Stocks Lifted by Demise of Scholz’s Fractious Coalition – German stocks leapt on Thursday after the country’s unpopular coalition government started to unravel, sparking hopes that early elections next year will bring a much needed economic boost.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz, a Social Democrat, brought an end to his three-party alliance with the Greens and fiscally conservative Free Democrats late Wednesday when he sacked FDP Finance Minister Christian Lindner. Scholz called for the next scheduled election to be brought forward to March from September, but the opposition wants it sooner.

Breaking up is hard to do

October 30, 2024 By in Hard Facts, Helections, Hideology, Home Cooking, Hurt Feelings Tags: , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

But somebody has to do it.

Germany’s loveless coalition teeters on brink of break-up – Chancellor Olaf Scholz snubs partners, fuelling speculation of early elections in spring.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz held a much-vaunted “industrial summit” on Tuesday, sitting down with business leaders and union bosses to figure out how to pull Germany out its current malaise. Pointedly left off the guest list: his own finance and economy ministers.

Robert Habeck, the economy minister, responded by unveiling plans for a multibillion-euro, debt-financed investment fund — an idea not previously discussed with cabinet colleagues — while finance minister Christian Lindner simply scheduled his own, rival business summit on the same day…

Speculation is growing in Berlin that the alliance could soon collapse, pulled apart by its own internal contradictions. Several German media outlets have even named a possible date for snap elections — March 9, more than six months ahead of schedule.

Last one out turn off the lights

September 4, 2024 By in Hard Facts, Heconomy, Helplessness, Hideology, Home Cooking, Hurt Feelings Tags: , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Oh, sorry. Green energy already turned the lights off for you.

Germany in crisis: Intel and Volkswagen mull a multibillion-dollar withdrawal from the country.

For the first time in its 87-year history, Volkswagen is considering shutting down plants in Germany, where it employs around 300,000 people, as the company ramps up efforts to save €10 billion in costs…

Reuters reports that Intel will consider pausing or halting plans for its €30 billion ($33 billion) factory in the east German city of Magdeburg as the semiconductor manufacturer looks for cost savings. Germany had committed €9.9 billion ($10.9 billion) to the project when it was announced in June last year.

Yes, but we’re rebuilding it thoroughly

August 23, 2024 By in Habitudes, Hard Facts, Helplessness, Hideology, Home Cooking, Hurt Feelings Tags: , , , , , , , Leave a comment

We’re from the government and we’re here to help.

The rebuilding of Berlin’s Pergamon Museum is 40 years behind schedule – It’s yet another German construction debacle.

Almost 25 years ago, in October 1999, Gerhard Schröder, Germany’s then chancellor, attended a ceremony to mark the renovation of Berlin’s Old National Gallery, one of five world-class museums that constitute the Museumsinsel (Museum Island) in Berlin. Mr Schröder talked about the courage and vision needed to rebuild the rest of the quintet within ten years. “We will manage this,” he promised…

German of the day: Luftschloss

July 20, 2024 By in Habitudes, Hard Facts, Helplessness, Hideology, Home Cooking Tags: , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

That means a castle in the air.

You know, a pipe dream. Like Germany’s renewable “energy turnaround” pipe dream. Only now the money has stopped coming down the pipe. Reality always sticks up its ugly little head sooner or later.

Germany Plans to Cut Renewable Subsidies as State Costs Soar – Nation to cut all payments next year when prices turn negative.

Payments will also be based on investment rather than output.

“When the government makes loans or subsidies to business, what it does is to tax successful private business in order to support unsuccessful private business.”

– Henry Hazlitt

It’s in their blood

July 17, 2024 By in Habitudes, Helplessness, Hideology Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Not in their German blood. In their Leftist Brain blood.

Musk blasts German satirist over Trump assassination joke.

“Chancellor, what is this?” wrote Musk on X quoting a post by German climate change denier Naomi Seibt, in which she warns her followers about the German satirist Sebastian Hotz, also known as “El Hotzo”.

In his tweet, Musk questions why the German government employs Hotz, a claim made by right-wing Youtuber Naomi Seibt.

“I think it’s absolutely fantastic when fascists die.”

“The demand for fascists vastly outstrips the actual supply. The further fascism recedes into history the more self-proclaimed anti-fascists call people fascist who aren’t, a cost-free exercise bringing personal and political advantage.”

– Douglas Murray

And tax breaks for skilled German workers?

July 10, 2024 By in Hard Facts, Helplessness, Hideology, Home Cooking Tags: , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Out of the question.

Wir sind doch nicht blöd (we aren’t stupid). Somebody has to pay for this.

Germany debates tax breaks for skilled foreign workers – The German government wants to grant skilled foreign workers a tax rebate if they take up employment in Germany. But the idea has been met with resistance.

German of the day: Lahmlegen

January 7, 2024 By in Hard Facts, Helplessness, Home Cooking Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , 3 Comments

That means to paralyze.

For example: Bauernproteste legen Städte und Autobahnen lahm means farmers’ protests paralyze cities and freeways.

The week of rage – What’s in store for us tomorrow?

Starting tomorrow, farmers all over Germany will be taking to the barricades to demonstrate against the government’s (subvention-cutting) policy. Expected are highway blockades, rallies, protest camps and rallies all over the country. The farmers’ association expects “tens of thousands of tractors” to take part.

Your can hardly get any customers to visit your restaurant now?

December 28, 2023 By in Hard Facts, Heconomy, Helplessness, Hideology, Home Cooking Tags: , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

I know! We’ll increase the sales tax so nobody comes to your restaurant at all anymore.

No need to thank us. We’re from the government and we’re here to help.

German budget woes trigger disaster warnings for restaurants – Owners who oppose return to higher pre-pandemic VAT rate are dismissed as scaremongers by economists.

Kemal Üres, owner of a tapas bar in Hamburg, has spent the past year telling his social media followers that thousands of businesses like his will be destroyed by a planned tax increase.

The man who calls himself the “Gastroflüsterer”, or restaurant whisperer, is campaigning to make the pandemic-era cut in value added tax on restaurant meals permanent. Otherwise, the German government’s decision to raise VAT from the 7 per cent rate in place since 2020 back up to 19 per cent in January would lead to higher prices, job cuts and as many as 30,000 bankruptcies, he said.

Asking a government to “fund honestly?”

November 24, 2023 By in Habitudes, Hard Facts, Helplessness, Hideology, Home Cooking, Hurt Feelings, Hypocrisy Tags: , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

A government with Net Zero Honesty? Good luck with that.

The truth hurts too much.

Germany Faces the Green Fiscal Truth – The constitutional court rules Berlin will have to fund net zero honestly.

Things have gone from bad to worse in Germany this week after a court ruling that’s forcing the government to do something truly shocking: level with voters about how much the net-zero energy transition will cost. Please pass the smelling salts.