On Mon, 4 Oct 2004 12:30:20 -0400, Brice Yokem <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>Tim,
>
>it wasn't you calling names.
>
>The "problem" germany is facing is partly dated back to the re-unification.
>Back then Mr. Kohl from the CDU (christian democratic union, the other
>major political party in Germany) "promised" that we could bring the former
>east to the western standard at no extra costs.
>His oponent in the election year said the "truth". That we'd have to pay
>alot for a very long time.
>Kohl got elected, the eastern "industry" was sold to the highest/lowest
>bidder and for over 10 years there is an additonal 10% income-tax to pay
>for the cost of the re-unification.
>All of a sudden, Germany had 20million people with a different schooling
>system, none ever paid anything in the health-insurance, nothing into
>unemployment, nothing into retirement but Mr. Kohl made them all eligible
>for that. The worst that also happend was that the eastern money
>(worthless) was converted 1:1 into western money.
>That almost killed the German economy.
>
>Just compare that all of a sudden all of Mexico or Canada was eligible to
>draw welfare, health benefits and everything else from this country.
>See, how much it costs to rebuild Iraq.
>Soo far the former WestGermany has paid over 1 trillion EURO into the
>former East. Furthermore Germany is one of the highest payers into the EU.
>Try doing this.
>
>That's why Germany is and has be struggling so badly the last couple years.
>Also the people are used to the benefits and many expect the government to
>take care of them.
>Also alot of the managers are the same as Tracy describes them at HP.
>Good technicians or engineers but not managers.
>
>But look at the US decifit. How huge is that? What if China wants to
>collect its debt.
>
>Yeah, I agree and know that certain things have to change in Germany. But
>not all are Mr. Schroeders fault and as it looks none of his opponents has
>a solution either.
>It's just election-time for politicians. So each one tries to tell a bigger
>lie. Overthere as well as over here.
>
>Michael
>still a proud German
>
>------------------
>
>This is EXACTLY what has happened in California, and it is why CA is having
>similar problems to Germany.  What amazes me is you can see this in
>Germany, but do you see it in California?  Does John Kerry see it in
>California?  If he does, what is his positiion on it?  I am presuming
>GWB is mostly on the same page as Governor Schwartznegger.
>
>I do have a question to you.  Wasn't there a policy in West Germany to
>automatically grant citizenship to any East Germany who made it across
>the border?  And wasn't that the basis for the re-unitification?  And
>wasn't that a policy accepted by both parties?
>

Brice,

as much as I know (am not perfect at least not 100%) there was
automatically given and granted the citizenship.
However that wasn't the problem.
The problem was that they were 100% eligible for retirement, health and un-
employment.
They didn't pay 1 cent into any of this but all of a sudden they are
eligible.
As much as I recall none of the South or Middle Americans can come and
collect a retirement that they never paid for. In Germany, it was possible.
If somebody crosses the border at night and says that he was a doctor or
engineer, would ge get the unemployment and retirement values?
I had co-workers that came from Romania, there parents got full retirement,
they got language classes for all and job-training. They got low-interest
loans and within being 3-5yrs in Germany they were building 2-family houses
worth half-million.
Don't recall that ever happening in California.
BTW, Arnold does not support GWB on every issue but there is a big support
as they are in the same party and Arnold worked/helped Bush-senior.

Michael

* To join/leave the list, search archives, change list settings, *
* etc., please visit http://raven.utc.edu/archives/hp3000-l.html *