Posted on 08/25/2005 8:10:53 AM PDT by lowbuck
The longer the German campaign goes on, the more painful it becomes to watch as it descends into inanity. If you're waiting for a serious discussion of issues, forget it. Plus, Europe battles against raging flood waters as more damage is caused and the death toll rises.
It ain't happening. Instead, the German electorate, which is admittedly not terribly interested in the campaign pitting Social Democrat (SPD) Chancellor Gerhard Schröder against Christian Democrat (CDU) Angela Merkel, has been treated to a steady diet of inane predictions as to the shape of the future ruling coalition. The occasional insult fired off from Bavarian political heavyweight and Merkel ally Edmund Stoiber in the general direction of eastern Germany has hardly done much to raise the bar of the debate.
And there's not a campaign issue in sight. Internationally, of course, it looked like Schröder's categoric refusal to take part in a military strike on Iran -- a strike that nobody is seriously contemplating -- would be an attempt to pull the re-election rabbit out of the depressingly deep election-poll top hat. But Schröder's party refused to jump above 30 percent leaving it 14 percentage points behind Merkel's CDU.
The most recent potential political hay maker for Schröder has likewise proven to be a distraction from what should be the real business at hand. The floods in southern Germany, as devastating as they may be, have given Germany's leadership yet another excuse to avoid talking about tax systems, social benefits, unemployment and economic growth. Schröder and his minions are now busy blaming Bavaria for not doing enough for flood preparedness in a last ditch effort to benefit from Mother Nature's fickleness.
But the fact remains, everyone in Germany, its politicians included, are just holding their collective breath until September 18 when the electorate will trudge to the polls to do their democratic duty -- and send Schröder into retirement. There will be no miracles. There will be no contest. And Germany will wake up on Monday, September 19 with the first woman chancellor in its history.
Perhaps, after all, German political wonks should continue concentrating all their mental musings on which party Merkel will have to rule with after the vote. It is the only moderately far-reaching question raised by this campaign.
OK by me!
Also the link allows you to view a picture gallary of the recents floods in Southern Europe.
Isn't she a conservative too? At least by German standards?
Schroeder is happy. He's yet again getting natural disasters right before election time to help him win. The Dresden floods of the last election were half of what let him win.
The other half was playing off Bush's war in Iraq. Unfortunately for him, that card seems to have been played out.
More or less. Her proposed reforms do not sound like much, but, I believe they are a start.
Of interest, she recently introduced as a possible finance minister a fellow who advocates massive tax simplification.
"German Election Campaign Slides Into Inanity"
We baby-sat western Europe against the Soviets, and now that we're gone they haven't grown out of their national adolsence.
(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)
Note to President Bush: Please do not attack or make threats to attack anyone else until the German election is over, unless you want that idiot to remain in power.
Yea, by German standards.
I also read she's a protestant and came from east Germany
What a missed opportunity. I don't like this senority system they use in Parliamentary systems. I prefer our primary contest that tests leaders ability to propose and defend a platform and campaign on it.
She is not from the east.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4572387.stm
She IS from East Germany, according to the link you provided. Thanks for reading! :-)
And I prefer our system. It ensures, that Chancellors always have a majority in parliament. What would you do with a Republican President and a Democratic Congress (both chambers)?? Governing with vetos ain´t too brilliant.
"Also the link allows you to view a picture gallary of the recents floods in Southern Europe."
Who's being blamed for that flood?
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