947b4da4   
   XPost: alt.autos.toyota, rec.autos.driving, alt.society.liberalism   
   XPost: alt.fan.michael-moore   
   From: josegoldberg@yahoo.com   
      
   On Oct 28, 7:36 pm, Dänk 42Ø  wrote:   
   > TibetanMonkey, the Beach Cruiser Philosopher wrote:   
   >   
   > > If you apply this lesson the hope of the world lies in the bicycle   
   > > mechanic. Say we can employ 10% of the population in the bicycle   
   > > industry and the rest in other high tech stuff. Let's make solar   
   > > panels and windmills... Quixotic? Germany has 1% of the global   
   > > workforce but exports 10% of the world's exports. More than America   
   > > actually.   
   >   
   > > And they have made healthcare and bike facilities a reality for all.   
   >   
   > This month's issue of Scientific American has an article about Germany's   
   > strong manufacturing sector.  The German experience contrasts the   
   > American one: When cheap foreign labor put German textile companies out   
   > of business, instead of a bailout the Germans began manufacturing   
   > high-tech textile machines to sell to the foreign companies.   
   >   
   > Another reason Germany is so wealthy is because it refused to let itself   
   > go into debt.  The massive debt and hyperinflation of the Weimar era led   
   > to the rise of the Nazis, so Germans abhor debt.  In fact, the 500-euro   
   > note is commonly described as the "German note," because Germany   
   > demanded such a high denomination.  Unlike Americans and Greeks, Germans   
   > hate debt and pay for as much as possible with cash.   
   >   
   > Since I mentioned Greece, consider how Germans must feel about that   
   > country.  Imagine you are a German automotive factory worker, working   
   > hard to earn your wage, a portion of which is taken as taxes.  You pay   
   > for your groceries with cash and your electric bill by check.  Then you   
   > look at your Greek counterpart at an unprofitable but subsidized goat   
   > cheese factory, and notice that he gets paid the same euro-denominated   
   > wage, but unlike you he also gets food and electric assistance from the   
   > Greek government.  Now that government is broke and begging Germany for   
   > a bailout, but it refuses to cut the freebies that Germans don't get.  I   
   > imagine you would be pretty pissed off.   
   >   
   > Unfortunately, it is in Germany's interest to give Greece a bailout,   
   > because its economy relies so heavily on exports.  If the euro   
   > collapsed, the new German mark would strengthen considerably, hurting   
   > exports.  Though Greece is a deadbeat, it is worth keeping it in the   
   > euro because it weakens that currency, thus boosting German exports and   
   > keeping German factory workers employed.   
      
   What's made the krauts successful is they have not gone wild with   
   diversity.  they still allow too many immigrants in but not like   
   france or america or uk.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)