Mark if you're not intelligent enough for this debate go practice rolling your eyes somewhere.

Mark if you're not intelligent enough for this debate go practice rolling your eyes somewhere.

 

You're not debating anything - you're just spouting off like a communist publicity machine.:rolleyes:

Mark the grown ups are talking, leave us be.

My core reactor is hotter than your's.

Mark the grown ups are talking

 

Obviously not, because you are involved in the discussion.:smug:

question to the germans (since none of the young people seems to be happy about the result, not only here, but I noticed that in studvz as well...):

 

Which alternative would you have preferred?

 

I can't say that I am shocked about the result since I did not see a super good alternative...we are never happy anyways....there is just one thing that is getting on my nerves already: Westerwelle:sick:

his behaviour towards this BBC journalist was a shame "We are in Germany, so we talk german here!" oh come on....:dozey:

there is just one thing that is getting on my nerves already: Westerwelle:sick:

his behaviour towards this BBC journalist was a shame "We are in Germany, so we talk german here!" oh come on....:dozey:

 

Yes, that has been a big talking point in my classes this week. How can he be up for the post of "foreign minister" with an attitude like that?:stunned:

Yes, that has been a big talking point in my classes this week. How can he be up for the post of "foreign minister" with an attitude like that?:stunned:

 

I don't know....even if his english is bad he could have asked for a translator...but saying that if you are in Germany you have to talk german is super stupid....I wonder how many languages he will learn now since he is the foreign minister he was to go to many different countries...pf

 

and even if that was a german conference on sunday I still think that his behaviour is totally ignorant....soem might not give a damn, but it's a bad start as the foreign minister imo..

I don't know....even if his english is bad he could have asked for a translator...but saying that if you are in Germany you have to talk german is super stupid....I wonder how many languages he will learn now since he is the foreign minister he was to go to many different countries...pf

 

and even if that was a german conference on sunday I still think that his behaviour is totally ignorant....soem might not give a damn, but it's a bad start as the foreign minister imo..

 

Exactly. Not very good PR, is it?:dozey:

Does that mean he will refuse to speak English the next time Barack visits Germany?:rolleyes:

Not very good PR, is it?:dozey:

Does that mean he will refuse to speak English the next time Barack visits Germany?:rolleyes:

:laugh3:

 

Quote: "saying that if you are in Germany you have to talk German is super stupid....I wonder how many languages he will learn now since he is the foreign minister he was to go to many different countries...pf :laugh3:

and even if that was a german conference on sunday I still think that his behaviour is totally ignorant...

 

My reaction: I am shocked that this man is going to be the next German Minister of Foreign Affairs. He does not seem to be a good German representative. I doubt that he would dare to say the same thing to President Obama when Obama visits Germany: "You are in Germany, so you have to talk German".

 

I heard him speak English - his accent was not too bad, but I really did not get the meaning of what he wanted to say - it was just sentences without meaning to me. Bad PR for Germany.

 

The German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, on the other hand is much respected throughout the world (at least among the establishment) as being a woman who is able to reach the goals set. Even BONO has praised her.

:laugh3:

 

Quote: "saying that if you are in Germany you have to talk German is super stupid....I wonder how many languages he will learn now since he is the foreign minister he was to go to many different countries...pf :laugh3:

and even if that was a german conference on sunday I still think that his behaviour is totally ignorant...

 

My reaction: I am shocked that this man is going to be the next German Minister of Foreign Affairs. He does not seem to be a good German representative. I doubt that he would dare to say the same thing to President Obama when Obama visits Germany: "You are in Germany, so you have to talk German".

 

I heard him speak English - his accent was not too bad, but I really did not get the meaning of what he wanted to say - it was just sentences without meaning to me. Bad PR for Germany.

 

The German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, on the other hand is much respected throughout the world (at least among the establishment) as being a woman who is able to reach the goals set. Even BONO has praised her.

 

 

I don't really know how serious he was when he said this...he was probably just nervous or something like that...I mean it was his first speech after the elections....but still it's quite stupid to say something like that in publicity...

I heard him speak English - his accent was not too bad, but I really did not get the meaning of what he wanted to say - it was just sentences without meaning to me.

 

That's normal for him, he doesn't make any sense when he speaks German, either ;)

question to the germans (since none of the young people seems to be happy about the result, not only here, but I noticed that in studvz as well...):

 

Which alternative would you have preferred?

 

Good question ... SPD and CDU have become all but indistinguishable from each other anyway. At least now the SPD has some time to think about itself and where it went wrong.

question to the germans (since none of the young people seems to be happy about the result, not only here, but I noticed that in studvz as well...):

 

Which alternative would you have preferred?

 

I was content with the current government of the CDU and SPD party. They weren't as bad as everyone says I think, especially if you compare them with politicians of other countries. Now with the FDP we have the worst case scenario IMO.

 

there is just one thing that is getting on my nerves already: Westerwelle:sick:

his behaviour towards this BBC journalist was a shame "We are in Germany, so we talk german here!" oh come on....:dozey:

 

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4OpJUeLOBc]YouTube - Westerwelle: Man spricht Deutsch....[/ame]

 

It's not what you say, but how you say it. Insisting on speaking German is one thing, the way how you do it is another. I think Westerwelle's behaviour towards the BBC journalist was very disrespectful. Typical for a demagogue though...

 

 

That's normal for him, he doesn't make any sense when he speaks German, either ;)

 

I completely agree.

I was content with the current government of the CDU and SPD party. They weren't as bad as everyone says I think, especially if you compare them with politicians of other countries. Now with the FDP we have the worst case scenario IMO.

 

 

 

YouTube - Westerwelle: Man spricht Deutsch....

 

It's not what you say, but how you say it. Insisting on speaking German is one thing, the way how you do it is another. I think Westerwelle's behaviour towards the BBC journalist was very disrespectful. Typical for a demagogue though...

 

 

 

 

I just watched that! What a complete a*hole!!:stunned:

In Britain we have bucketloads of terrible politicians, including the current Prime Minister, but I don't remember there being anyone as pompous as that!!:dozey:

What disgraceful behaviour!

If he had said: "Sorry, my English isn't very good" it would have been acceptable, but not this!!:rolleyes:

"The Merkelator"

 

I just watched the video with the coming German Minister of Foreign Affairs.

 

I am still shocked. I saw the clip where he answered a British journalist in the most arrogant manner. Something like "In England they only speak English at the press conferences, this is Germany, so we'll only speak German as you will understand that this is a German press conference. - I almost heard him say: "Dies ist Deutschland - Deutschland für Deutsche"! Alles anderes als deutsch ist durchaus unakzeptabel!!" :(

 

I also saw him speak English: He mentioned the unemployment rates which he did not find ambitious enough. He said more words and sentences, but it was difficult to get any meaning. And then he ended something like - "So this is the conclusion". That the unemployment rates were not ambitious enough? Was that what he meant? If not, I'm really afraid that this man will cause a lot of missunderstandings in the future when he is abroad representing Germany. He is not a worthy representative of Germany. I understand your concern - your concern is my concern.

 

I must say that I am totally shocked and ashamed on part of Germany. :(

 

And to Larry: I had the impression that the collaboration between the SPD and CDU (and CSU) was not the best one - and that could be the reason why Angela Merkel worked for a change of government. I really could not see a continuation of the retiring government, but I am not impressed with the alternative - the coming government.

 

The only acceptable thing to me is that Angela Merkel is still the Chancellor as she has an impressive image abroad as a politician who can get things done! Even BONO has praised her.

 

But I really don't like the coming German Minister of Foreign Affairs and the politics of the FDP (payment of fees for studying, privatisation of hospitals etc.). I can really follow your concern, Larry as to the politics of the coming government.

From what I've seen, I like her. There was a reason Germany wasn't hit as hard in this global depression. Germany's economy overall seems a lot better than most of western Europe.

From what I've seen, I like her. There was a reason Germany wasn't hit as hard in this global depression. Germany's economy overall seems a lot better than most of western Europe.

 

I bet you fancy her too!:lol:

Merkel herself isn't that bad. Can't say I care much for the rest of her party, though.

 

I just watched that! What a complete a*hole!!:stunned:

In Britain we have bucketloads of terrible politicians, including the current Prime Minister, but I don't remember there being anyone as pompous as that!!:dozey:

What disgraceful behaviour!

If he had said: "Sorry, my English isn't very good" it would have been acceptable, but not this!!:rolleyes:

 

Couldn't agree more. What a w*nker :rolleyes:

Merkel herself isn't that bad. Can't say I care much for the rest of her party, though.

 

 

 

 

same here. I didn't really like Steinmeier, but care more for the SPD than for CDU

Politics | 19.01.2010

 

Two governing parties hit by donations scandal

 

 

Two partners in Germany's ruling coalition have been accused of accepting large donations from the hotel industry in return for tax breaks.

 

 

Germany's business-friendly Free Democratic Party (FDP) and the conservative Christian Social Union (CSU) came under fire on Monday for accepting large donations from the hotel industry, which critics say is linked to political support for major tax breaks.

 

The opposition Social Democratic Party (SPD) say there is a connection between a 1.1 million euro ($1.6 million) contribution from a hotel company and a major tax break for hotel accommodation which was pushed through by the FDP. The value-added tax (VAT) on room charges was slashed this month from 19 to 7 per cent.

 

Substantia, a company run by Finck family member August Baron von Finck, made the donation to the FDP between 2008 and 2009. The magazine Der Spiegel reported it was the largest donation in the party's history.

SPD party leader Sigmar Gabriel said Substantia's donations to the FDP showed why Chancellor Angela Merkel's ruling coalition was so eager to offer a "tax handout" to the hotel industry.

 

Senior Green party member Renate Kuenast agreed with the SPD's allegations that there was a link between the tax break and the party donations.

"On the one hand, VAT for hotels is reduced. On the other, the FDP receives a million-euro donation from the hotel sector," she said.

In addition, the SPD says the CSU received 820,000 euros in donations from two other companies owned by the Finck family. CSU party chief Horst Seehofer has denied the allegations, saying that no donations were received from any of the family's businesses.

 

 

'Absurd'

 

FDP foreign minister Guido Westerwelle dismissed the allegations, calling them "absurd accusations."

 

The FDP also said there was no direct relationship between the lowered tax for hotels and donations from the hotel industry, since the party had been supportive of a hotel tax break plan since 2007, before the donations in question.

The hotel industry had welcomed the tax cut, saying it would help strengthen growth. However, surveys done by news agencies suggest many hotels have held their tax-inclusive room rates steady, keeping the tax benefits for themselves.

Companies run by the prominent Finck family are said to have donated large sums of money to both the CSU and FDP. The family has a stake in 14 Moevenpick luxury hotels in Germany.

 

The allegations the donation scandal surfaced on the same day that that trial began of Karlheinz Schreiber, a lobbyist and arms dealer who was allegedly involved in a secret donations scandal in the 1990s.

 

 

mk/dpa/AFP/AP

Editor: Kyle James

 

http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,5140071,00.html

 

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And that's why I hate the crappy new government. Purchased policy at its best! :nice: