Interesting article on the ‘decline’ of China and Germany:
America remains top dog. That is good for Britain. The U.S. remains by far our most important ally. The economic, military, intelligence, personal and cultural ties that bind us are extensive and growing (just look at BAE’s multi-billion dollar acquisition this week of a major U.S. defence/space company). Our position in the world is bolstered if China is not going to replace America as the world’s premier superpower.
Germany is even considering banning a popularist, anti EU, political party:
The current German politics is very controversial and, according to the latest statistics, the AFD is supported by more and more Germans. Probably a protest vote, mainly because of the unpopular social-economic measures taken by the government.
The state media (which includes almost all the newspapers and TV channeles) has been boycotting the AFD for years, but despite the boycott, the AFD is still gaining some voters.
An old communist saying says that who is not with us is against us.
So instead of analyzing its mistakes & failures, the German government prefers to blame the AFD for its political views instead of changing the course of its own policy.
What people like the Eric Zemmour or Jordan Bardela may say on the French TV will never be possible in Germany or Austria.
That´s why banning the AFD would be a desperate measure taken to suppress critical voices.
I think I’ve read that there is a feeling among many Germans that the very structure of the EU leads to Germany subsidizing the southern poorer European countries. And apparently many of them are tired of it, while their own expenses keep rising, staples like electricity, beer, etc.
TARGET2 - an unpayable loan (zero interest rate) from countries like Germany to ‘Club Med’
Target2 has become a giant credit card for Eurozone members that import more than they export to other members. But with two differences compared with a normal credit card: the interest rate is zero and the loan never needs to be repaid.
Nearly all of these are smallish fringe parties. The Germans are now suffering economically and are waking up to the fact that they are subsidising much of the EU
These are six year old figures but they give you an idea:
The UK is now gone so who has filled the shortfall?
How about France where Marine Le Pen might finally become the next President? How about Giorgia Meloni in Italy?
Germany is the biggest member state, the dominant economy in the EU and also the largest net payer to the European budget. That´s how it´s always been. The EU has rules and all the member states contribute or get money from the budget according to clear criteria.
Critical voices say that the aid given by the EU to countries like Italy, Greece, Romania, Bulgaria, etc does not reach its goal.
But nothing has changed.
The reasons why I think the Germans would eventually vote for the AFD are the uncontrolled immigration, which in Germany has reached a record level, the substantial increase in crime, the inflation and the decrease in the standard of living.
Some of these things could be changed, but reducing the contribution to the EU budget is for sure not one of them.
The EU is going to supply side econ. The rest of this stuff is noise. The conservatives will recapitalize central Europe.
Note Conservative in the EU and UK are not defined like in the US as anti environment, killing SS or universal healthcare or killing education. Instead it is more nuanced about taxes, business rules not having to do with pollution but instead with financials, and the financial costs of business being reined in by commonsense. In other words the UK model for central Europe. The depletion of the middle class. The empowerment of those who control capital.
Isn’t “recapitalize”, aka “capital formation”, the holey grail (excuse) for “supply side economics”, a fancy (politically acceptable) way of saying concentrating all the loot in the hands of the few?
