Saturday, June 09, 2012

Is Germany About to Have a Tea Party?

The Melting Euro

The following German op-ed from Handelsblatt discusses the so-called “European Stabilization Mechanism”, a piece of fiscal legerdemain that would make even Ben Bernanke and Tim Geithner blush.

Many thanks to JLH for the translation:

Only the APO Can Stop the ESM Now!

June 4, 2012

by Hans Olaf Henker

The law for the European Stabilization Mechanism (ESM) undermines our democracy. Initiatives against it are neither “rightist populist” nor “anti-European.” Respectable citizens back them.

Skiers know that merely skiing outside the course can unleash an avalanche. The extra-parliamentary opposition (APO) that is now taking shape against the ESM could also become a veritable avalanche of protest to topple the four columns of the Reichstag and bring its glass dome crashing down.

The ESM will not only irretrievably introduce the transfer and debt union at the expense of German taxpayers. We are also talking about a scandalous financial authorization intended to undermine our democracy. Here are four examples:

1. Since the ESM can independently and at any time raise its capital, it essentially cancels the budget-making rights of the German Bundestag.
2. Since the ESM can decide on financial aid to Eurozone countries without supervision, it will become the EU’s secret financial Politburo.
3. Since its “governors” can determine their own salaries, on which they pay no taxes, and which they need not make public, the ESM will become a self-service store that would make any banana republic proud.
4. It is fitting in this context that the actors are given complete legal immunity. As everyone knows, even our federal president does not have that.

Actually, the German Bundestag will agree with a great majority to its own disenfranchisement, and the so-called elites find that good, with the media leading the way. Instead of being scandalized by the deficiencies of the ESM, almost all the papers are targeting its critics. Since economic arguments for a long time — and recently political arguments — have been failing them, they resort to vilification. The critics, they say, are “Europe critics” (as if the euro were identical with Europe), “populists” (as if the ESM were a popular subject) and, if all that fails “rightist populists.” Given the rising number of initiatives against the ESM, and the personalities driving them, that could become more and more difficult:

  • The “Alliance, Will of the Citizens” led by Bernd Luke has organized on the internet and is issuing invitations to protest actions on June 8 in Berlin and on June 16 in Karlsruhe.
  • Beatrix von Storch has entered entered into a “Civil Coalition” with hundreds of thousands of like-minded people and made possible direct contact with representatives of the Bundestag (“RepresentativeCheck”).
  • The initiative “More Democracy” is preparing a constitutional complaint which will be carried by, among others, a veritable ex-minister of justice, Hertha Däubler-Gmein.
  • Markus Kerber is leading a group supported by family businesses — “Europolis” — with the intention of stopping the ESM.

Finally, a break in the party landscape to report: The Free Voters (Bavaria) are the only democratic party represented in a state legislature who have determined to fight the ESM.

These and any other initiatives are neither “right populist” nor “anti-European.” Behind them stand respectable citizens who will not accept our democracy being put at risk to save the euro.


Heinz Olaf Henkel, of Henkel Straight-Up. Born in 1940 in Hamburg, he is an author, an honorary professor at the University of Mannheim, was best known as president of the federal organization of German industry (BDI).

11 comments:

Joe Daniels said...

This looks promising. The EU is a pan-European fascist power and needs a response in each country it oppresses.

Sol Ta Triane said...

Nice job Hans Henkel. Germans and Free Voters: don't let the international socialists scare you. Eventually you will absorbed not only financially, but culturally. Intelligent people in all Western countries respect your reticence in this regard. Don't be ashamed to protect yourself, it is a sign of health to say no to ESM.

To offer a suggestion, please bear with me, but I believe it makes some sense: I think it's time for Germany to cut back on the socialism and move towards free markets and smaller government.

International socialism is dangerous and its fascistic nature showing.

The EU is of no economic benefit,it's a power play, pure and simple.

When the EU fails what will you have to fall back on, wimpy socialists again? You do need a Tea Party.

The solution is the foundation of a solid economy in free markets. Government is always diminishing the freedom of markets, so beat it back and keep it small. The governments job is to stay out of the way.

Tea Party instincts:
>Individual freedoms and rights not to be overridden for any reason.
Group rights are a disaster!
>Free Markets

If there really was a German group like that, you would be able to work with Tea Party, USA. This would be proper international work.

Regards, You Knew

Tiedar said...

Thumbs up for German MSM and their political correctness! I haven't heard about these facts yet and IMO we need more parties who aren't afraid of "fighting" against such things like the ESM and are able to open the eyes and minds of the people.
Say no to the ESM!

Unknown said...

But how??!
By protests?
The powers that be will not budge because of one more protest demo, however big it may be, which remains to be seen, seeing the state of disinformation of european citizens..The Irish voted YES because the reasonable part of the population still thinks the ESM is only about solving the monetary crisis, and being willing to agree to pay your debts..!
So a medium sizes, very polite demo is all we can hope for, and that´s not going to cut it!
How can we still stop the iron curtain from slamming shut again??!
We are an unarmed population, and we have no power at all, not even our democratic power because there is no democratic movement on our side, and even if there were, our voting power has been made irrelevant!!
What are we to do?!

Tiedar said...

@ Paardestaart you can do a lot of research and write an article about this and try to email it to any newspaper or something like that or you know some famous writer (like Sarrazin) and by that you can wake up a few people and perhaps/hopefully the wave continues.

Sol Ta Triane said...

Paardestaart, re. your question...an answer particularly to Europeans:

It's good that the Baron mentioned the Tea Party. The Tea Party is effective far beyond what Europeans have been told. The Tea Party is powerful. You should use it as a model.

I've said this before (just before a pelting with tomatoes) and I'll say it again:

There needs to be a NEW international movement to counter and directly challenge the current totalitarian international one.

There's your answer, Paardestaart.

Just as the Tea Party helps protect the rights of individual Americans (and it does), an international group of anti-totalitarians could help protect the rights of nations to be free from meddling by totalitarian world movements.

The Tea Party, American's anti-totalitarian informal group includes tens of millions of Americans. I'm in it but I'm not even signed up. There is no place to sign up oficially, it's a real movement and there are hundreds of Tea Party websites and thousands who link to them.

The media has tried tried to destroy it and has failed miserably. As recent elections have shown. The Tea Party isn't a real party in the sense that it has it's own candidates. It just reminds people to return to their values.

So how about refuting my idea for some sort of international grass roots party, or if not, come up with a good name for a World Tea Party. Or for Europe's version of a Tea Party.

Also, the Tea Partiers will work with Europeans because we are concerned about jihad and problems with immigration.

Another repetition, excuse me:

Isn't Gates of Vienna a good example that people of many nations coming together, wishing the protection and integrity of each others homelands? Let's do it.

The people are out there, ready to go. Would someone please come up with a good name? European have to start it, because we Americans already have it going!! Get your end going then we can link together.

Now on picking a meme and name:

Equation:
The historical Tea Party is to America what Europe is to........

What is your answer?

Dymphna said...

@ You Knew-

Remember that the Tea Party was a spontaneous reaction to one reporter's angry words from the floor of the Stock Exchange (in Chicago, iirc). He got a round of cheers from those working the floor of the exchange and from there it took off - with an emphasis on TEA as in Taxed Enough Already, and a groundswell of popular opinion on April 15th that year.

People want lower taxes, a simpler code, smaller government, and accountable politicians.

This is a long slog, but they've had some successes, especially in Wisconsin, where they pushed and pushed and pushed against the Dems and union leadership who tried to unseat a number of political figures.

But they maintained the pushback and they won. Liberals will tell you it was Big Money from outsider EVIL consservatives but it was mainly shoe leather.

Obama was a wimp - never showed up to stump for the Dems there.Too busy raising money at lots of Hollywood fundraisers to bother.

Now union membership is optional (and had plummeted), localities are no longer close to bankruptcy from being forced to buy union health insurance, and Wisconsin has a budget surplus.

The MSM refused to cover the story for a long long time - not until it looked like the Dems *might* win. But they were soundly defeated - wasn't even close.

Can European politics field such an organization without being accused of breaking some law or other? Sovereignty there is a faded concept now with the EU taking up all the oxygen. I would love to see it happen but I fear the spirit is gone. As hard as the Sweden Democrats have fought, they're hemmed in on every side.

Perhaps some natural event, some continent-wide cataclysm, would break the spell in time.

Even here, Obama's defeat isn't a certainty. If he retains the Oval Office, the defeat for individual freedom may induce the same hopelessness among us.

Anonymous said...

OMG - please copy and paste foreign names. His name is Hans-Olaf Henkel, with an L at the end of his surname.

If you want to know what henker (with an R) means, then consult http://dict.leo.org/ . .)


Michael Laudahn

Anonymous said...

My apologies for the typo in the title.

To Unknown: If you had read to the end of the article, you would have found the name spelled correctly twice, and you could have pointed out a typo instead of OMG and a leap to the online dictionary.

Further, if you had googled a bit, you would have discovered a wealth of people with the surname you have just deplored.

jlh

Unknown said...

Well, in my country of course we have Geert Wilders´ party, which is a great luxury already compared to most of the other EU countries - where anti-eurocrats are not politically organized - but even so I despair at the sluggish pace of the resistance. I must say the PVV is not very vocal on the why of its standpoint against the European Union, although they did occasion an evaluation of the costs and effects of our leaving the union! - but as the msm doesn´t seem to be at all alarmed people seem very confused as to if and why they should resist further reinforcement of the institutional unification of our countries.
In the meantime the "good are wavering, while the worst prevail" so I´m very afraid that we will be too late and we will be locked in

And of course, Anonymous, I should try my utmost to stem the tide, but other than writing here and there, and making myself impossible in my own (former) circle of friends I would not know what to do..
As political resistance is effectively being neutralized if not eliminated or penalized I do understand why other loners like Breivik may decide to go it alone and make a big noise..

Anonymous said...

> jlh:

OMG - don't take it so serious. Are you german?

Still it makes generally good sense to copy and paste names, even in one's own language. I didn't, however, copy and paste your nom de plume. .)


Michael Laudahn