Posted on 03/12/2006 10:21:10 PM PST by MinorityRepublican
When i go outside just for a moment, i slip into some wooden shoes :) But only than i swear!
The biggest problem Germany faces are the results of negative demographics.
Already the pension system is almost bankrupt. It will get worse. What will follow?
Either: Increase pension contributions drastically, Lower receipts, increase general taxes and pay pensions out of the Government coffers, you take your pick.
Results: Young educated people leaving the country for better opportunities because of the heavy tax burden, Streiks for higher wages, which will make Germany as a whole less competitive in the global marketplace. It doesn't look at all pretty and the trend lines are already appparent.
Maybe the German government should take a look at the many pension systems available and functioning here in America? Of course, we have had several decades of a head start on this. Many retirees (not only wealthy ones) retire as millionaires, something unheard of in Germany.
Of course that doesn't fit into the socialist mindset where Government needs to be in control
.
I was also thinking over this possibility 15 years ago. :-)
I agree to the fullest with your post. The American pension plan system would be a wonderful solution to replace the current "Rentensystem" that eats most of the money that was payed by those who had to contribute (you must pay since a law forces you to do so). In America nobody would understand to get much less money out compared to the usually huge sum that was payed in. Interest? Not possible.
BTW - This socialist monster of "Rentenversicherung" is a heritage of the staunch conservative Otto von Bismarck who wanted to appease the (socialist) workers in 1887. We see - appeasement has never a benefit.
We also have "Rentenversicherung. I am retired, leaving my company at age 55 and getting a nice company pension. At age 62, I started receiving Social security which is tax free. At 65 everyone has to change their health insurance to medicare which has been finaced during your working years at 1.9% x2 (employer contributions) That is to make sure the maximum liquidity is provided. My company pension is of course taxable, but no social contributions are taken out.
I paid less into my social security than under the German system and get a hell of a lot more out of it.
Sort of dcries the "Amerikanischen Verhaeltnisse"?
BuHuHaHa!
Although we are quite liberal with sexual attitudes in old Europe it is for sure that homosexuality doesn't play a role in our demographics. I am quite sure that we have proportionate not more fags than you have.
I agree that abortion and euthenasia are criminal acts just like Johannes Paul and Benedict see it, but I also doubt that they have any influence on demographics.
By the way, it doesn't have to replace it, it can complement it just like here. But give people choices and opportunity to take care of themselves.
Do you know Goethe? He already said 200 years ago:
"Amerika Du hast es besser". (America you have it better)...
Bttt
Actually 1.85 compared to 2.08 here; and still under replacement level!
The counter trend stimulated by all that income redistribution is that somebody has to pay for those programs, which results in part with unemployment in the double digits and underemployment huge (well over a fifth combined). Who's going to want to have a lot of kids when good jobs are hard to get and State Pensions and other income programs are set to go BUST in less than a generation ?
Or lied about saying no, rumor has it.
Soon it will be Estados Unidos. Lucky for me, I do like tacos and corona.
"It won't even ask you why an elephant's nose is so long."
Smart move.
Many sources, but naturally most in German. If you can not understand a certain passage I can help you:
The most important one (German Gouvernment): http://www.integrationsbeauftragte.de/download/Modul_1_Migrationsgeschehen.pdf
It says that the 768.975 people, who came in 2003 to Germany came proportionally from the following countries: 36% not specified; 17% EU-15; 14% Poland; 9% Russia; 6% Turkey; 4% Kasachstan; 3% USA; 3% Romania; 3% Serbia; 3% Ukraine; 2% China.
Furthermore they say that 626.330 people left Germany in 2003. 6% of them were Turks.
Look on page 37: http://www.handbuch-deutschland.de/pdf/handbuch_fuer_deutschland_de-tu.pdf
It says that the main recent immigration wave into Germany during 1990 - 2000 came from Russia with a total of 2.000.000 people. Furthermore in the Moment there are 800.000 people/year who come into Germany and 700.000 who leave the country.
The roundabout 38.000 Turks who left to Germany in 2003 were replaced by 46.000 who came into the country. That means that there is a surplus of 8.000 Turks who immigrated into Germany. This is not very impressing concerning the German population of 82.000.000 people. The American "Eurarabia" hype is a cheap propaganda soap bubble from the German point of view. It seems that there are many people in the US who search something to whine about Europe.
Nevertheless it is true that the low reproduction rate in western Europe is something that is frightening and alarming. But... ...the result of this is rather a social problem than a religious one.
There are lots of good jobs in France and Germany - but not in the low skilled sector. I.e. the factories around my home here in southern Germany are searching desperately for skilled metal workers (and pay good money for them). The problem is, that through the undeveloped European services sector many people can not find or do not want to find work, that would have a job in the US. I.e. Europe and Germany in particular is a complete service desert. Imagine that you are handicapped and rich. It will be impossible to find somebody in Germany that is carrying your shopping bags to your car. You will die first before somebody of the staff is doing such an "extra-job" for you, since the social prestige of this work is below zero. Most people prefer to be unemployed before they do this kind of work. The problem is that many people are simply not able to do other work. I can not use everybody in my engineering office i.e.. You need to be qualified for the things we are doing.
This is one of the mental problems that we Europeans have to overcome. To me it is more honorable to clean someone's shoes than living on welfare.
nmh, you seriously need to enroll in an english literature class. Pay close attention to the sarcasm lectures. Honestly.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.