Ah, thank you - that does help clear things up. I suspect that Schroeder, like American presidents, is more of a cheerleader in economics than an actor. Germany is faced with an interesting set of problems (this is the perception on this side of the Atlantic, at least) - a stagnant GDP, a diffusion of resources in bringing the East up to the West's level, a lessening of control as the Bundesbank shifts policy influence to Brussels, and a stubborn rate of unemployment exacerbated by strict trade union policies. None of these are insurmountable, but put together they're a pretty imposing package. I do know that Schroeder's proposed budget was an attempt to address some of the latter, and I have read that many in Germany feel it does not go far enough.
But politics is, after all, the art of the possible. Whether some reform, even if inadequate, is better than none is a question I shall leave to people who know more about economics than I do. In any case I insist that Germany's infrastructure is the most solid in Europe and that this giant is being tied down by a myriad of lilliputians in terms of rules, controls, and bureaucracy. It will break free - it must, because if it dies it will take the entire economy of Europe with it.
i think germany has chosen its course..and this has been a disaster for my family, however, i cannot and will not forgive germany for their actions against the US.
Your analysis is quite right from what I have gathered so far (I live in the U.S. but talk to family and friends all the time back home and get German TV over here). Schroeders "cuts" were not NEARLY deep enough to get business going again but were "TO DEEP" for members of his own party. Keep in mind that the SPD is made up and supported by the hardcore union members. It's a Party for the People.. (Yeah, it does sound like the commies huh.? ). In this lies Schroeders main problem.. More cuts for business = less chances of getting reelected next time by his own base. Less cuts for Business = less chances of getting relected next time by the mainstream. So, what does he do..??? He pulls the Clinton... He points at the conservatives.. blames them for everything and then picks a topic that blur's the line somewhat and distracts from internal policies. This topic happens to be the U.S./Iraq conflict. The majority of Germans is Anti-War... (I defy anyone to say they are Pro-War)... BUT the way the left wing media helps him sells it to a lot of Germans publicly. At least that's what they make you believe.. In reality the elections in Lower Saxony and Hessen show different. The election was supposed to be close... Lower Saxony is Schroeders home state and has been tradionally by VERY RED (SPD). What happened is that they got killed and barely avoided having the CDU as outright majority. In Hessen they could not even avoid THAT.... The pressure on him is building drastically.... Schroeder is F***ED... and he knows it... Right now he does anything and everything to distract enough to survive... Which makes him very dangerous.... And hopefully people will NOT forget at the ballot box...