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End of Europe? Berlin, Brussels' shock tactic on migrants
Reuters ^ | January 18th, 2016 | By Alastair Macdonald and Noah Barkin

Posted on 01/18/2016 3:19:52 PM PST by Mariner

Is this how "Europe" ends?

The Germans, founders and funders of the postwar union, shut their borders to refugees in a bid for political survival by the chancellor who let in a million migrants. And then -- why not? -- they decide to revive the Deutschmark while they're at it.

That is not the fantasy of diehard Eurosceptics but a real fear articulated at the highest levels in Berlin and Brussels.

Chancellor Angela Merkel, her ratings hit by crimes blamed on asylum seekers at New Year parties in Cologne, and EU chief executive Jean-Claude Juncker both said as much last week.

Juncker echoed Merkel in warning that the central economic achievements of the common market and the euro are at risk from incoherent, nationalistic reactions to migration and other crises. He renewed warnings that Europe is on its "last chance", even if he still hoped it was not "at the beginning of the end".

Merkel, facing trouble among her conservative supporters as much as from opponents, called Europe "vulnerable" and the fate of the euro "directly linked" to resolving the migration crisis -- highlighting the risk of at the very least serious economic turbulence if not a formal dismantling of EU institutions.

(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Germany; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: deathofthewest; globaljihad; hijrah; muslimworld; refugees
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To: TigerClaws
To satisfy their blood lust, Muslims then start killing each other for a variety of reasons.

This is an absolutely OUTSTANDING post. Thank you!!!

41 posted on 01/18/2016 4:48:46 PM PST by tntraveler (Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.)
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To: Mariner
Time to start taking certain items out of mothballs.


42 posted on 01/18/2016 4:49:43 PM PST by N. Theknow (Kennedys-Can't drive, can't ski, can't fly, can't skipper a boat-But they know what's best for you.)
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To: Gen.Blather

They don’t have anything close to a USA conservative in western Europe.

The entire region/area just bubbles in militant socialism, until they need rescued from themselves by outside forces.

I say this time, we sit it out.
Let the eastern Europeans deal with them this time.


43 posted on 01/18/2016 4:50:26 PM PST by sarasmom (TRUMP-Because there is no option to vote NONE OF THE ABOVE for the rest of them!)
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To: MinorityRepublican

Fine for the “women and orphans”. Send the boys back to fight for their own country.


44 posted on 01/18/2016 4:52:43 PM PST by Kudsman (Restore the Republic, repeal the 17th.)
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To: TigerClaws

this is one of the best posts I have seen here in years


45 posted on 01/18/2016 4:53:21 PM PST by usual suspect
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To: Mariner

The US will also follow Europe and break apart soon.


46 posted on 01/18/2016 5:13:06 PM PST by justa-hairyape (The user name is sarcastic. Although at times it may not appear that way.)
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To: usual suspect

I agree on this being one of the best and informative posts in a while.
You might like the article and especially the commnents, over on Zerohedge (9th (or so) article down on first page.) I’ve just spent the last hour reading all of them - a lot from people living in the current EU horror - eye opening to say the least.


47 posted on 01/18/2016 5:36:22 PM PST by bunster
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To: boop
It's a shame. I would have loved to see Europe 10 years ago.

I lived there for about a year, 25 years ago, when it was still Europe. Glad I got to experience it before it became Islam-o-fubar'ed.

Of course, our own nation was a different place 25 years ago. I recall that it seemed a whole lot more like America back then.

The entire western world is in the middle of colonization via immigration. Give it another twenty years at the current pace, and the Judeo-Christian countries of the west will all be gone.

This is why the candidate who can convince the American people that they really mean business about stopping (and reversing) the invasion will win in November. It's the one and ONLY issue that matters now.

48 posted on 01/18/2016 5:39:17 PM PST by Windflier (Pitchforks and torches ripen on the vine. Left too long, they become black rifles.)
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To: MinorityRepublican

Jordan already takes care of millions of refugees from Syria and around the area - Palestinians, Iraqis, etc. Their hosting capabilities are maxed out.


49 posted on 01/18/2016 5:41:34 PM PST by karnage
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To: karnage
Jordan already takes care of millions of refugees from Syria and around the area - Palestinians, Iraqis, etc. Their hosting capabilities are maxed out.

I recognize that and that's where the West can pitch in to build more refugee camps in Jordan. I rather pay extra 10 billion dollars a year to host refugees in Jordan than to accept 100,000 Syrian War refugees here in USA.

50 posted on 01/18/2016 6:04:42 PM PST by MinorityRepublican
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To: Mariner

One of the central arguments for immigration is that demographically Western populations are in decline & immigration will help maintain productivity.

Yet automation & robotics are predicted to displace 50% of workers in coming decades. That means fewer & fewer jobs for a population increasing by immigration.

That makes NO sense; & especially so as the latest batch of immigrants are largely uneducated & can’t speak the native language. They will be nothing but a welfare & criminal burden their entire lives, contributing nothing to their new country but more mouths to feed.

What makes more sense is to stop immigration & highly educate the declining population such that with growing automation each worker’s productivity greatly increases. The last few hundred years have shown large increases in productivity. There is no reason that can’t continue.


51 posted on 01/18/2016 7:41:10 PM PST by Mister Da (The mark of a wise man is not what he knows, but what he knows he doesn't know!)
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To: PROCON; Gen.Blather

There are roughly thirty-odd parties in existence in Germany....but only seven that really matter (they make up 95-percent of the vote). You have to go over the 5-percent point in a national election....to stand in Berlin’s gov’t.

CDU: Merkel’s party. Nationally, they have around 24-percent of the vote. Leans right. Rather split on the immigration issue but they’ve been pro-immigration up until the last three months. The Koln episode has made them open up and some of the big-time members discuss the problems in the open now. The Pfalz candidate for the March election has been hostile toward immigration for months now, and she’s got around 35-percent of that one state’s support.

CSU: Sister party of the CDU, but strictly for Bavaria. Leans further right than CDU. Nationally, they take about 10-percent of the vote, but it all comes from Bavaria. They are anti-immigration and really a thorn in Merkel’s side for past year. They want border controls, quicker exit for trouble-makers, more cops, etc. They are threatening to leave the coalition with CDU/SPD, and possibly unhooking themselves as a sister party. Their guy shows some charisma but he’s also burned out and near retirement. Someone new will step up for the 2017 race and replace him. They aren’t supposed to operate in the fifteen other German states....just Bavaria (some unwritten deal with the CDU).

SPD: Leans left. Coalition partner of CDU. Nationally, they have 28-to-30 percent of the vote. From the three states in March with elections....zero chance of them winning. Has been pumped up and pro-immigrant. Last six months...they’ve shown some backtracking and agreed to changes. I’d say a quarter of their typical voters are anti-immigrant and they’ve got issues. None of their top five political figures whip enthusiasm. These guys went out and hired some big-time Democrat strategist from the states to help in the plan for the national election in Nov 2017. They need a lot of help.

The Linke Party. Left-over communist party, which reformed into a middle-of-the-road socialist group. Nationally, they can pull 12-to-15 percent of the vote (mostly from old DDR territory). They have one ultra smart gal who is the ‘boss’ of the party, and does well in debates with her there. They are pro-immigrant...but the ‘boss’ gal came out last week with a slam on immigration and shocked a few of the hardcore members. She said there is a limit and numbers need to be established. In the March elections (3 states), there’s one state where they might pull 24-percent.

The FDP Part. Pro-business, less taxation theme. I’d call them the Republican-lite party. Maybe 5-percent of the nation favoring them. Up until the last month, they were pro-immigration. They adjusted their message and suggest some limits. No one nationally attracts more interest and they are a lesser player in politics.

The Greens. Strictly pro-environment, pro-immigration. Nationally, they can take 12-to-14 percent of the vote. In Baden-Wurttemberg (the state), because of anti-Stuttgart-21 project...they soared way up and dissolved the bulk of SPD voters. Just in Baden-Wurttemberg, they can take 30-percent of the vote. In east German states, they rarely get above 8-percent.

The AfD Party. They were the anti-EU party when created in 2012. With that theme, they could take 6-to-8 percent of the vote. Last year, they fired the head guy...refocused the party on anti-immigration, and now have a solid 10-percent of the national vote. Some think in the March election (3 states) that they might get up around 16-to-18 percent of the vote....mostly from frustrated voters. Their big issues are one single four-star person at the national level, a bunch of Nazi-like enthusiasts tagging along, no other platforms other than anti-immigration talk. There is some fear that the AfD might swing around and be anti-NATO if they were a major player in the government. Zero chance of being invited as a partner to anyone who might win, in terms of a coalition government.

All of this leads to a very complicated path. Germans have options on voting. It doesn’t really help much. National election occurs every four years (Nov 2017 is the next one). State elections occur every five years, and usually don’t have much meaning. This March election is different because it’s a sign of agreement/disagreement with Merkel’s policy. A lot of people who were CDU and FDP voters are angry and frustrated...with talk of flipping votes for the March election. The question of how many ‘flippers’ exist and if they possibly include SPD voters is what the news media can’t really predict.

The cherry on this cake is that 60-plus percent of the nation doesn’t trust the news media anymore and pin part of the current problem on them.

The whole immigration program has become complicated and difficult for the average German to understand, or to grasp the actual cost. They want someone to fix this but no one can say what the real fix should be in the end.

Note, I didn’t mention the NPD Party (the Nazi-stance party). Nationally, they might pull 1 to 2 percent of the votes. Naturally, they are anti-immigration. The SPD has tried to get the court system to remove them from public activity. The AfD guys benefit from unhappy NPD voters, and thus take a fair number of their voters away.


52 posted on 01/18/2016 9:32:49 PM PST by pepsionice
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To: Mariner

Merkel will never, ever, ever, ever close the border or do anything concrete to stop the Rapefugee horde.

They know they’ve only got a small window in which to destroy western civilization before the next election cycle. No time to waste.


53 posted on 01/18/2016 9:48:52 PM PST by Helvan
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To: pepsionice
Thanks for the backgrounder on Deutsche political parties. A big help in understanding the situation going forward.
54 posted on 01/18/2016 9:51:53 PM PST by okie01 (The Mainstream Media: IGNORANCE ON PARADE)
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To: pepsionice; PROCON

Thank you so much for your response. I’d guess hardly any Freepers have a more complete view of German politics. May I suggest you post this as a vanity? It would be greatly appreciated.


55 posted on 01/19/2016 2:16:19 AM PST by Gen.Blather
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To: pepsionice

Thanks again. BTW, do you have a blog named Schnitzel Republic?


56 posted on 01/19/2016 6:12:59 AM PST by PROCON (Proud CRUZader!)
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To: PROCON

Yep, that’s me.


57 posted on 01/19/2016 6:20:47 AM PST by pepsionice
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To: pepsionice
I enjoy reading it. I loved my 3 tours of duty in Germany and my relationships with the German people I met.

It's been over 30 years since I lived there so your blog keeps me up to date on happenings there.

You staying there long term?

58 posted on 01/19/2016 6:29:07 AM PST by PROCON (Proud CRUZader!)
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To: PROCON

I am in retirement....more or less. I needed a “hobby” (so my wife says) so this fell into my lap....along with historical reading and travel. About ten years ago, an associate suggested write a blog because I could simplify a complex story and write ‘Mark Twainish’.


59 posted on 01/19/2016 6:41:17 AM PST by pepsionice
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