Full Election Coverage at Davids Medienkritik

We will have full and comprehensive election coverage starting at 6 PM Berlin time, 12 Noon EST. Stay tuned...and if you are German (or Afghani), don't forget to VOTE!

Voting: It's a Beautiful Thing!

Democracy: Introduced to Germany by the United States and Allied nations after unimaginable strife, destruction, chaos and loss. Today Germans in both the east and west exercise their fundamental right. (photo source)

Be sure to read Davids final word on the pre-election situation.

Comments

[LouMinatti]

I have a suspicion that the SPD will win this. But then what? Do Germans really want more of the same?

[joe]

Lou,

I said that earlier. I am going to collect a lot of beers. In fact, I expect to get one from Pamela when I am DC at the end of October... hehe.

If the red greens win, it will be the choice of the german people. They want more of the same. They like it.

[joe]

Lou,
I just read the below. Think it is a pretty good summary. Would be interested in your perspective.

“As the campaign in the run-up to this weekend’s German general election confirmed beyond peradventure, most Germans are too comfortable and have too much of a stake in the status quo to embrace radical change and risk an end to their pampered lifestyles; their political institutions are too defective to meet the huge economic, social and demographic challenges facing the country with the revolutionary solutions they require; and their politicians lack the vision, authority and honesty to convince voters that radical change is essential. The most recent polls on the eve of election suggest that Mrs Merkel and her centre-right allies remain the favourites and have enjoyed a slight boost during the final days after fighting a lacklustre campaign which saw the left claw back the centre-right’s huge lead. The chances of a strong centre-right majority, however, are slim; and there is now the nightmarish prospect of a so-called “grand” left-right coalition. That would rule out radical reform and condemn Germany to stasis and continuing decline.”

Link: http://www.thebusinessonline.com/Stories.aspx?StoryID=FB63ADBA-3B89-4CB9-8AD5-A20DE664DCB4&SectionID=F200D393-0200-421B-894F-33C0717ACBD6

[Vilmos]

> Democracy: Introduced to Germany by the United States and Allied nations after
> unimaginable strife, destruction, chaos and loss. Today Germans in both the east
> and west exercise their fundamental right.

Democracy: Introduced to Afghanistan by the United States and Allied nations after
unimaginable strife, destruction, chaos and loss. Today Afghans in both men
and women exercise their fundamental right.

[LouMinatti]

Joe, if Germans embrace the status quo and continue to blame America for their problems, our remaining military needs to leave. Completely. Immediately. We shouldn't make a big deal of it, just quietly pack up and go. No melodrama. That's about all we can and should do.

This is a very important juncture for Germany, and I hope Germans understand how important this is. Germany faces serious challenges, not from America but from places like China and Eastern Europe. But I don't think Germans do understand this. For most Germans, America is the problem. We're just blood-sucking cowboys who want to destroy things. I'm tired of my country being Europe's scapegoat.

[joe]

Lou,

I agree.

But no one has had the courage to tell the truth or the german people have refused to believe it. It really does not matter which of those are true. The result is the same.

There will be no manidate for real change resulting from this election. So this cycle of decline will continue. How long will really depend on public honesty in debate and a realization that life as it was in the 80's is no longer possible. Until that time, I feel America will hold a special place in german discoure.

germans want to avoid reality as much and for as long as possible and this is only going to make the pain and suffering worse and longer. Think what it must be like to in your mid 20's, 30's 40's 50's and have to confront this reality. It has to be awaful.

This is not good. It is not good for germans, germany, or anyone else, lease of all the US.

[Dan Kauffman]

I hope this is the beginning of something new, it is too depressing to think otherwise.

I used to think Hawks and Doves
then I thought Hawks and Ostriches (hide the head in the sand and just don't look at reality)
Now I have decided it's

Hawks and Dodos.

Poor little Dodos, no one ever told them there were things in the world that not only could but would hurt them.

Then one day some strange animal came up and hit them over the heads with a stick and they were extinct.

Isolation of the Dodo
http://www.angelfire.com/ky/kentuckydan/CommitteesofCorrespondence/index.blog?entry_id=1084083

[PacRim Jim]

Free people from bondage of any sort and they will realize that they were unable to free themselves. Rather than gratitude, expect volcanic anger arising from deep self-loathing.

[Markus]

I have allready voted...and I voted YES for the right way and for the German-American friendship!!!

[tebox]

sorry for being pedantic, but:
democracy was re-introduced to germany by the united states and their allies

the first try with democracy started 9.11.1918 with the resignation of the german kaiser in the so called "novemberrevolution" or "german revolution"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/November_Revolution

the us and their allies had their part in this (they defeated germany in the first world war and paved the way to the novemberrevolution) but they didn't "introduce" democracy to germany.

[amiexpat]

@tebox..
point taken..
but the US had to leave troops the second time to make sure it worked!!!
sound familiar?
IRAQ?

[Tyranno]

I will keep my fingers crossed and hope for the best, because I love Germany. Personally though, I don't think they have hit bottom hard enough yet for them to be open to the necessary changes.
The parallel is perhaps the U.S.A. in the 1970s with a stagnant economy, high interest rates, rampant inflation, low GDP, being over run by better quality Japanese cars and a superior business models, utter lack of leadership(Carter)
. . . when it seemed like things couldn't get much worse, we accepted the short term pain of change that has resulted in a long term solution; an economy that is still, 30+ years later, the locomotive of the world's economies.

Just like the predictions of America's death proved much too premature . . . I hope and believe so shall it be for Germany as well.

Tyranno