Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Strategies & Market Trends : ahhaha's ahs -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Elsewhere who wrote (2562)	6/28/2001 11:59:52 AM
From: Don Lloyd	Respond to of 24758

Jochen - In any case there are some signs of improvement in German economic policy. Taxes are lowered, old regulations dropped. It is a slow but steady process. In a few spots Germany is even ahead of the USA. Just one example: the German postal service is a public company traded at stock exchanges, the US one isn't. Frankfurt airport has also had its IPO recently. I wish I could share your optimism, but I see this as tinkering around the edges at best. It is human nature not to want to give up the illusion of the free lunch welfare state without a fight. No member of the Green Party, however named, will ever support the market economy. Few union members will ever allow the reform of the labor markets needed for healthy, wealth-creating companies on all size scales. Whereas in the US, there is a 50/50 chance that the wealth-destroying social security system can be voluntarily phased out before it collapses on its own, Germany has gone too far for a peaceful resolution. IMO, Germany has no chance to deliver on its social welfare promises based on internal wealth creation without returning to inflation to cheapen the promises. If Germany and France fail in their attempt to exploit the rest of Europe through political means, a more direct return to expansionary policies may be seen as necessary. There is nothing more destructive than bad ideas and the existence of champions to exploit them. Regards, Don

To: Elsewhere who wrote (2562)	6/28/2001 12:09:00 PM
From: M. Frank Greiffenstein	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 24758

Jochen, ethnic pride is distorting your view of the German economy <g>. You cite a few examples of free market forces being allowed into the eocnomy. But the fact remains that Germany (and its socilast brethern in Europe) have highly over regulated economies and labor unions that basically dictate policy. The German federal standards for construction of a pen comes in two volumes. And lets not even start talking about beer brewing standards. Over in Austria, anybody who wants to open a business needs the permission of their competitors, e.g., pharmacies. Doc Stone