Why I like Angela Merkel (and you should, too)
Why do I like Angela Merkel? There are many reasons. One important reason was epitomized yesterday when Gordon Brown, still (but not for long) the British Prime Minister, tried to stir up support for his $2 trillion (plus) “global New Deal.” Quoth Merkel:
“I will not let anyone tell me that we must spend more money.”
How’s that for a rallying cry, bumper sticker, campaign slogan? I’d like to see it on placards at the Tea Party convocations that (notwithstanding the silence of the legacy media) are sweeping the country.
Yesterday, I linked to a short but pungent commentary by Mark Steyn about that great wealth vaporizing duo, Barack Obama and Timothy Geithner. Let me quote Mark’s peroration again:
In their first two months, Obama and Geithner have done nothing but vaporize your wealth, and your children’s future. What began as an economic crisis is now principally a political usurpation. And, to return to the president’s “false choice,” that “chaotic and unforgiving capitalism” is exactly what we need right now. It’s the quickest, cheapest, fairest, most-efficient route to economic stabilization and renewal. A regimented and eternally forgiving global command economy with no moral hazard will destroy us all.
Angela Merkel seems to understand that. What can we do to make our masters in Washington understand it as well?
Merkel was the only German who didn’t gush over Obama in Berlin last year. I would describe her comments at the time as cordial and diplomatic–certainly not swooning like Steinmeier’s and she didn’t like the Brandenburg Gate game one bit. She also sees through Putin. She is currently getting a lot of flack in Germany from both left and right. The SPD leader, Franz Muntefering, is even taking about bringing Schroeder back.
I kind of have a secret crush on her. Of course I have a secret crush on Sarah as well, so I’m one of those fickle ones out there.
It seems as though there is a battle going on, between those people who are acting out of sensible principles and those who are abandoning their sensible principles so they can get a seat on a newly forming gravy train, now that the old one is dying. Most depressing are the old guards like Warren Buffet, who obviously disagree with Obama’s policies but publicly support him “100%” nevertheless, out of a political fear. Stand up!
Cheers to Merkel! (And Ron Paul, and Freedom Works, and Sarkoszy, and Rick Santelli and the traders at the NYSE – we fiscal libertarians are not in this alone.) And count me in on the Tea Parties in April in San Francisco! Berlin Tea Party, anyone?
But Merkel won’t go for tax cuts either, so my crush never had a chance…
She’s against spending any more government money, but also against taking less from the soaked German taxpayers. Not my kinda gal.
There are no masters in the United States of America.
In Washington there are elected officials & bureaucrats.
Some may be foolish enough to think of themselves as masters, but I would suggest that they not be referred to as such in print.
They serve, they do not command.
I suspect Ms. Merckel remembers this.
She’s East German so she lived under socialism – she’s seen empty rhetoric before.
Remember the “German Economic Miracle”, the rapid
recovery after WWII ?
The Military Government of the occupying powers
made it happen by suspending all the bureaucratic
rules which blocked the creation of new businesses.
I like her because she’s a physicist, not another damned lawyer-turned-politician.
Vaclav Klaus, Mirek Topolanek, Angela Merkel – it’s instructive to see that the words of common sense and credible leadership are coming from leaders of countries which not so long ago lived under systems of government by wise, benevolent political insiders and planners who knew better than anyone how to run an economy.
But The Awesome Obama has no learning in such history, and has devoted his life to grasping for leadership of a future society, in which, after a few eggs are broken, we shall all live in a ‘socially just’ omelet.
Those who have no knowlege of history are doomed to repeat it. But I’d rather that this media-revered popinjay shall not gain the power to drag me with him. Unfortunately, my ‘elected representatives’ do not have the common sense of Frau Merkel, and they’re kiyoodling after His Obamaness at the front of the pack.
Guard your remaining possessions, and ready the tar and feathers.
I like her because she’s not Obama.
Re Buffet, his recent appearances have been painful to watch – he begins with “Obama is very smart, definitely the right guy” – then proceeds to obliquely criticize everything he’s doing. Stop pretending!
Ever see the Japanese animated series Hellsing? Merkel reminds me of the leader of the Hellsing Organization, Integra Hellsing. In fact, that’s the kind of woman we could use in politics these days. Hillary Clinton looks like a wallflower by comparison and the intensity is entirely based on unwavering principle. I’d like someone like that who’d tire of yammer from some inane socialist rambler, tell them to shut up forcefully, and state plainly what needed to be done and that it would be and nothing was going to stop it. All the while with a look that could not only kill, but level small cities.
Merkel is wave riding the success of the former Chancellors actions. I laughed when she arrogantly snaped at a reporter a year and a half ago when he ask what she was going to do to help the US stay out of recession (like Sarkozy suggested all Euro countries do). Well now her citizens is paying, with wonderfully high unemployment and since she isnt pegging their monitary unit to the dollar, Im sure they will enjoy further unemployment as less people buy their #1 export. There is a reason China pegs to the dollar with its “basket currency” targeting. (They act like they dont peg the dollar.) Many Euros, in envy of American lifestyle laughed in their bloggs in 2007 at our problem; they simply forgot who is going to buy their exports. Well,now more then ever “when the US catches a cold, everyone else winds up in the hospital.” When I call back to those ignorant comments, I am met with personal insults. Well, Insult away, you will have plenty of time on your hands. Sarkozy, saw way beyond what most world “leaders” were seeing. He was right. Now many European countries (germany in particular)will enjoy the warm embrace of “undocumented citizens” fleeing their home country.
I agree that Merkel is benefitting from the reforms of Schröder, but she is first and foremost a German. She has no responsibility to keep the US out of recession.
And she is restrained by EU budgetary rules (thank God…who ever thought Brussles would come up with a good idea?) from becoming an Obama or G. Brown-like spendthrift…tossing euros about as if they were confetti.
Of course things are going to be bad in Germany, next year, most likely, as the automakers really start to feel the pinch. That’s exactly why Merkel is right in resisting throwing away money right now. She’s probably going to need it later.
Merkel’s boyfriend is at east, Putin the terrible !
Besides she represents the new german dream to head the EU liedership, we should all do what the Germans say ; I’m seeing some problems in a proxy future, with “Deutschland über Alle” remnet fantasy ; the mistake that the Europeans and that Reagan administration made was to reunify the two Germany