(By Ray D.)
Just last Wednesday, June 15, 2005, Gerhard Schroeder was the guest of honor and keynote speaker at the opening of IG Metall's enormous new headquarters in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Schroeder, whose Social Democratic party has long been a close ally of Germany's largest trade-union, gave a hearty handshake to IG Metall's First Chairman Juergen Peters and made a speech at the opening ceremony. Below are the photos:
Schroeder Speaks to Potential Voters: IG Metall Boss Juergen Peters Greets the Bundeskanzler
Remember: This is the same Juergen Peters and the same IG Metall that published this just last month in the official union magazine 'metall' (circulation 2 million):
The Magazine's Cover Reads: "US-Firms in Germany: The (Blood-) Suckers"
Of course Mr. Schroeder made absolutely no attempt to scold or criticize IG Metall for its over-the-top, anti-American racism despite the fact that he will be visiting the White House in a week. He was much too busy trying to win the union-members' votes and convince them about his government's reforms.
In fact, the General Secretary of Mr. Schroeder's SPD, Klaus Uwe Benneter, attacked FDP leaders' criticisms of the unions and the 'metall' cover as "near anti-democratic populism." And in the meantime, Schroeder's party Chairman, Franz Muentefering, (who has been a member of IG Metall since 1967,) has been busily attacking firms, most of them US-owned, as "capitalist locusts." But of course that is not populist or even "near anti-democratic populism" to the SPD. It is simply the party getting back to its Socialist roots.
Schroeder Wants to Have His Cake and Eat it Too
But none of that seems to bother the Chancellor in his attempts to pander to the American people. During his June 27 visit to Washington, DC, Schroeder will make a speech to the US Chamber of Commerce. He will have an entire captive audience of "capitalist locusts" to preach to on the virtues of buying German-export power-drills and luxury cars. And the Schroeder government has been running full page ads in US newspapers to convince Americans that he really does support the war on terror...REALLY:
Now that's convincing! The German government must be extremely confident that it is a good partner to the US if it feels the need to take out full-page ads in the Miami Herald...
Diplomacy at its Finest: The German-American "Friendship Bus" in DC
And if that doesn't convince Americans that Germany really is a good partner, they can be pandered to some more on German Ambassador Wolfgang Ischinger's German-American "Friendship Bus" down in Washington, DC. But let us give fair warning: Anyone wishing to board this bus should be sure to take along plenty of Dramamine, the ride might just make you sick to your stomach...
mehr schein als sein..
all schein no sein
Posted by: | June 20, 2005 at 06:43 PM
Niko,
I'm going to find that list and not do business with any of them ever again. I suspect quite a few Americans would join me, too.
Posted by: Gary | June 20, 2005 at 09:56 PM
indeed. I'm going to want that list too. to spread around
Posted by: Jewels (AKA Julian) | June 20, 2005 at 10:32 PM
Try howtobuyamerican.com
Posted by: Barbara W | June 21, 2005 at 06:18 AM
Gary,
right on! How dare those krauts invest in the US! Outrageous.
Posted by: fuchur | June 21, 2005 at 12:25 PM
So that's what the IGM is! I only see them at PDS rallies in town. I literally always figured it stood for "International Gesellschaft den Marxismus" or something.
Posted by: Ernie | June 21, 2005 at 01:20 PM
@ Ernie,
Guess again, they are probably the most powerful union in Germany along with ver.di Scary, isn't it?
Posted by: Ray D. | June 21, 2005 at 03:57 PM
"right on! How dare those krauts invest in the US! Outrageous."
Well, in fairness, it wouldn't do them much good to invest in Germany would it? Although there is an excess of workers there, and a shortage here, it seems easier to produce something here than in the socialist utopia of Germany. I understand that German business is moving a lot of operations to Poland too. Curious isn't it? Why move it out of Germany if the SPD is doing such a wonderful job?
I don't boycott Germany goods. There really isn't much point as there aren't a lot of them around anymore. But DB bought Chrysler! Well, Chrysler bought DeSoto, Packard, Rambler, and AMC. They also had dealings with Renault some time ago. What do all of them have in common? I wish DB well with their acquisition.
Settle down fucher and have a Pepsi. Maybe stop off at Pizza Hut and have a bite to eat. When you finally get a Walmart in your town maybe you can stop down there and shop your way to happiness.
Cheers.
Posted by: JustMe | June 21, 2005 at 07:37 PM
"Schroeder Casts for Votes at IG Metall Ceremony"
In all fairness hes not likely to be candidating for the CDU now is he? I would prefer him to ask for SPD votes than ask them to vote for the NPD.
Of course if the NPD started so openly suggesting that an elite of blood sucking vermin was destroying the German Volk with a secret plan then there would be outrage. In fact if the NPD openly published stuff like this then the very same Uncle Gerhard and the Fishy Fat Man would be calling for a ban and demanding people to make a stand against this populist anti-Semitism, calling them minority extremists and arguing that the mass of the Germans have learnt from the past. Whether NPD or IGM there is no excuse for this rubbish.
But he of course has to ask his "base" for support and pointing out the hypocrisy of this in terms of the adds in the USA and the visit next week is 100% correct. Shame on you Gerhard
Posted by: Doughnut Boy Andy | June 21, 2005 at 09:43 PM
One fact has been overseen: The IGM seems to "hate" Schroeder, they even support (inofficially) the leftist party called WASG.
Posted by: Jens | June 27, 2005 at 12:12 AM