German Economy Growing at a 12-year high. Boston or Berlin?

[MookieBaylock]

http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/breaki ... king26.htm

So, lads, amid a global credit crunch, the collapse of the dollar, the collapse of our own economy. weakening sterling etc. etc..... the German's are motoring along posting their highest figures since 1996 when the re-unification costs started to bite.

As I have previously posted here, there is no economic panic in the bars of Berlin - just fine weather and optimism. The German papers keep saying that they believe the 'Anglo-Saxon' economic model is falling apart and their strict lending laws and steady as she goes growth is the ideal.

In faireness, the German recesssion (long as it was) was what the Brits and Yanks would call a 'blip', there were no forced evictions, homelessness did not increase, the only thing that happened is that most people tightened their belts a little and perhaps didn't change the family car or took two holidays instead of three.

Mary Harney's little strop a few years ago will, in the fullness of time, become Ireland's most famous Political error in my opinion and will be remembered as a great laugh twenty years hence.

The figures also explain why the Euro is rising so strongly against the dollar and sterling..


So, Boston or Berlin?

[MookieBaylock]

probably should have placed this in economy - sorry mod's..

[The OD]

probably should have placed this in economy - sorry mod's..

Berlin all the way. An example is the way you will be treated in Germany if ill and underpriviledged, another is as stated above, the lack of increase in evictions and homelessness. Perhaps the opportunities to become super rich are not as likely in Germany as in the US, but at the end of the day, the myth of America being a 'land of opportunity' is only realised by a tiny, tiny percentage of the population.

[MookieBaylock]

Could not agree more..

I was in West Hollywood for 3 weeks this year and I was amazed at the poverty levels in such a gilded place.. you couldn't buy a newspaper for being hassled for a few quarters.

Also, everybody I met there seems to be broke.. yes, they have a car and a decent house but ask them to go for a jar and it's "I'm broke trying to pay back my credit card"..

if u get sick, go sing..

One thing I admire about your country is the NHS, but I think you should look at embracing some other forms of German-style government like lending restrictions and rent controls as well...

[Sidewinder]

From 1875!

[Pauli]

probably should have placed this in economy - sorry mod's..

Berlin all the way. An example is the way you will be treated in Germany if ill and underpriviledged, another is as stated above, the lack of increase in evictions and homelessness. Perhaps the opportunities to become super rich are not as likely in Germany as in the US, but at the end of the day, the myth of America being a 'land of opportunity' is only realised by a tiny, tiny percentage of the population.

Absolutely correct OD. For the reasons you outlined. The Anglo-Saxon model is finished in its current form and unfettered, unregulated markets created the sub-prime mess in the US. But sub-prime is only a part of it. Harney's Boston or Berlin comment was fatuous horse************************ at the time she said it and she should always be reminded of it. She may be closer to Boston than berlin. I never was and never will be.

[MookieBaylock]

Love the cartoon Sidewinder.

This presents a great opportunity for FG and Labour to embrace the German model of economy and draw a clear line in the sand between themselves and the current government...

They can use Harney's speech as the poster slogan!!

[farnaby]

Good news for Germany and hopefully Europe. Note the widening trade surplus- export growth completely outstripping import growth. My only quibble with the positive picture in Germany is around employment mobility - I worked with guys there who were desperate to leave their current jobs - and their employers weren't so keen on them staying - but Germany's tight labour laws made it difficult to be either fired or hired elsewhere so a stagnant status quo, albeit with job security prevailed. Otherwise, it's Berlin for me too.

[MookieBaylock]

At least they have a bleeding job!

Look what is happening here for all our 'mobility'!!! and the only new jobs are 'yellow-pack'

[just_society]

That speech ushered in Tory style Euroscepticism in Ireland. The we don't need them, we're smarter than Johnny Foreigner attitude.

Having visited Germany a number of times, the streets are clean, with good public transport, and most Germans are friendly, helpful people. Very little evidence of poverty, homelessness, bad planning or poor public transport and planning. Which I've seen plenty of in southern Los Angelus, which must be the most godforsaken place to live in the Western world.

I'm with the Germans on this, and I was when the Harney speech was made also.