Wer ist verkommen: Deutschland oder Kalifornien? / Who's Rotten - Germany or California?

Have a look at this changed design of the SPIEGEL cover!

(German translation at end of post)

"California - The Rotten Paradise" is the title of the new edition of SPIEGEL, the German left-wing weekly.

Interesting to note that they choose Arnold Schwarzenegger as a symbol for decay - rather than governor Gray Davis, who's really to blame for California's problems. BTW: for August 2003, Germany's unemployment rate is well above a meager 10 %, while California's rate is a whopping 6.6 %!

Just wonder what the SPIEGEL's headline might be for Germany's economic situation: "Germany - The Exceptionally Rotten Paradise" comes to mind. Or, not a bad choice either: "Germany - The World's Teacher on Economic Policies Is Going Bankrupt".

Translation by Ray D.

German translation / Deutsche Übersetzung

"California - Das verkommene Paradies" ist der Titel der neuen Ausgabe des SPIEGEL.

Interessant ist, daß der SPIEGEL Arnold Schwarzenegger als Symbol des Niederganges wählte - statt Gouverneur Gray Davis, der für die Probleme Kaliforniens tatsächlich verantwortlich ist. Übrigens: im August 2003 betrug die deutsche Arbeitslosigkeit 10,4 %, während die kalifornische unglaublich hohe 6,6 % ausmachte.

Man fragt sich, welchen Titel der SPIEGEL für die deutsche Lage wählen würde: "Deutschland - Außerordentlich verkommenes Paradies" wäre möglich, oder (auch nicht schlecht): "Deutschland - der Oberlehrer der Welt für Wirtschaftspolitik geht bankrott".

Ray D. hat das SPIEGEL-Titelbild dieser Woche auf eine sehr originelle Weise verfremdet:

Comments

[Erik Eisel]

California is rotten to the core. Six years ago, we had a $12 billion budget surplus, now we have a $38 billion deficit. Some people are now estimating that the deficit is even higher. In addition, our energy costs have doubled. To cap it all off, businesses are leaving and people are leaving for neighboring states. In the last year, 600,000 people decided they'd rather live in the desert than near the Pacific Ocean. That's a big step. (Trust me, I live near the beach. It's not a decision I would make lightly.)
The question is why? And, the answer is obvious. Six years ago, Democrats took over every major office: governor, both senators, the assembly and the senate. They then embarked on a socialist experiment to make California more like Germany, with a tax rate approaching Germany's. Guess what happened? Well, you don't have to guess: if you live between the Rhein and the Oder, you've been living in the same socialist quagmire for quite a while.
Fortunately, the California Constitution permits the people of California to recall their governor. Which will happen in less than two days. Almost immediately, we will be rescued from this socialist quagmire. How long will it take Germany to rescue itself?

[Lucy]

Arnie is great! I think he has such a great life experience and knows
everything from to roots to the top and I think that he'll manage. I'm for him.
At last it will be fun to see him rules;)

[James Holland]

I can't help but wonder how much of his poll strength is a silent reaction to Davis having signed the illegal's driver's license bill into law. Victor Hanson says in several places that California in particular has the phenomenon of people expressing in the voting booth what they don't feel they can say out loud. I actually met Schwarzenegger once upon a time. Not a particularly earth-shaking event, but there's a note about it here: http://www.sovereignliege.com/archives/000059.html

I used to live in Germany myself and greatly appreciate this site.

[kid charlemagne]

Almost as annoying as the Spiegel's anti-Americanism is its utter lack of originality. Criticizing California as a decadent would-be paradise has been a common practice of (mostly American) writers and artists for several decades.

[kid charlemagne]

And by the way, isn't there something, well, rotten about the way the Spiegel looks?
That ugly, blocky Germanic type, the puky orange-red margins and the cheesy images they cobble together? Feels really gross to me, sleazy - you almost expect the pages to stick together.

Just another case of the pot calling the kettle black! America is the evil frontier. My students in Düsseldorf have spoken out against the "stupidity" they see happening in California. They can all repeat exactly what they read from the German media. They believe everything they read in this muck-raking periodical. They read this very poor example of printed journalism like it is the Holy Bible.

I applaud David for his stance against the trashy media here in Germany. I also wish to say that the state of modern journalism in the rest of the world isn't much better. It is high time that we, the consumers of the mass media, take a stance against the trash peddlers.

To all those who find article of interest keep up the great work. Put the pressure on!

[TN]

clever, how well this cover plays into the america picture of our average politically conscious and correct german (and average spiegel reader) and serves almost every prejudice possible in order to increase this week's magazine sales. throw in a sleazy action hero, mickey mouse, pam anderson's silicon tits, body builders, cowboys, and the golden gate bridge -- et voilà! THIS is california, america, or is it not?. dude, it's that easy...

imagine time magazine would feature a similar story about germany with an equally silly cover depicting feisty dirndl girls, lederhosen-dancers, sausages and sauerkraut, a black turtleneck "techno" acolyte, schloss neuschwanstein, a mercedes luxury sedan, and maybe the brandenburg gate -- wouldn't the first spiegel-reader who came across such a cover go like: "those stupid americans -- they just don't know shit about anything"

[Erik Eisel]

Arnold came to my town today, Huntington Beach, CA. I couldn't miss the opportunity to see him. I shook his hand as he walked by. (Germany should be so lucky to have a leader like him.) The most interesting development in the last couple of days is the backlash against the reporting in the American media (i.e. Los Angeles Times) about Arnold's campaign. The obvious bias, the irresponsible attack journalism, and the downright lies told in the Los Angeles Times will be up for vote tomorrow. If Arnold wins, it will be a referendum against biased reporting in the media. Germany should have such an opportunity to retaliate against Der Spiegel by voting against it.

[Susan]

I think that a lot of the European elite would be very contemptuous of someone like Arnold. They put his picture on the cover to symbolize what to them is the most horrifying aspect of the recall -- a state where a nobody body-builder can become wealthy, influential and even aspire to the top political job is obviously a "rotten" place. Who's his family? What university did he attend? What degrees does he have? What NGOs has he worked for? These are the questions most important to them.

Whereas Americans don't really care about those things that much. They care about whether or not somebody can do the job, period.

[Seb]

"BTW: for August 2003, Germany's unemployment rate is well above a meager 10 %, while California's rate is a whopping 6.6 %!"

If you want to compare unemployment rates, it would at least make sense to use rates compiled using the same methods. The ILO-definition unemployment in Germany is 9.4% -- the German government's statistics include people who are not counted in US numbers. (Though that stil leaves a big gap between Germany and CA of course.)

[Klaus Kirchhoff]

I agree with most of what the other 'posters' have stated. I am truly sad to see the Germans so brainwashed by the liberal media and I firmly believe that it is this LIBERAL element that has turned Germany into a country of cynical and misinformed people. I also believe that it is this LIBERALISM that is Germany's true internal enemy and until Germans recognize this, they will be sliding down further and further into a morass of self-pity and become more and more irrelevant among the peoples of the world.

[KlausKirchhoff]

How can I sign up with this website? Please help.

[mustard]

Germany's problem is exceeding the proper limits in rightihng a wrong.
Nazi and communist past left them no force to fight the lefties.

[David]

Klaus: to receive notice of new postings just send your e-mail-address to
[email protected]

[erp]

"Who's Rotten - Germany or California?" Is this a trick question?

[Danny]

You'd think the germans would have more to worry about, than the affairs of California.
germany sucks.

[Stefan Baldewein]

I just wanted to point out, that the meaning of the word "liberal" in Germany/Europe and the US is totally different. The word "liberalism" in Europe is connected to the political movement based on principles like personal freedom, individual rights, lean governments, free and fair trade, human rights and so on. This is probably closer to the American mindset than any other political movement in Germany. In the US, as far as I know, "liberal" refers to political opinions (mostly of left-wing democrats) that tend to be more socialist. This mindset would be called "socialdemocratic" in Germany.

[Former Belgian]

Susan: Ahnuld does have an MBA from U. of Wisconsin (normally considered a good school).

Otherwise point well taken.

And at least the Belgians have little reason to scoff at California electing actors (two already, one who became POTUS) as governor (or Minnesota electing a professional wrestler). EVery party list has its "bekende Vlamingen" ("famous Flemings" --- no, we're not talking Renaissance or Baroque painting, or even Renaissance music), you know, your typical has-been actors, media anchors, professional judokas, etc...