Here Comes Merkel

Today’s polling data from Germany indicates that Angela Merkel and her coalition’s lead over the SPD is growing. Many of the German media have hyped the ever so slight dip in the CDU poll numbers of some sort of self-fulfilling prophecy of their own wishes.

Virtually all of the German media seems to have been trumpeting the collapse of the CDU coalition over the last several weeks. It now appears as though none of this wishful thinking, hopes and dreams is at all likely!

The left has been seeking to change the scope of the dialogue for the last month or so. First, it tried to create it’s own fictional bandwagon by creating the sense that the Merkel coalition was slipping in the polls. The attempt seemed quite clear: Lets create the perception, and watch the public jump on! When the facts did not support this assertion, it was on to Plan B, which was to float out the idea of a Grand Coalition. Problem is… both the SPD and the CDU have “publicly” denounced this option, rendering as much as impossible.

With today’s polling data by FORSA, the attempts by the left to camouflage the reality of the situation is becoming quite clear. With the CDU at 43%, SPD at 29%, Left at 9%, FDP at 8% and the Greens at 7%, I know of no natural coalition that the SPD can put together that would garner a majority. Public statements by Joscka Fischer and Herr Shroeder regarding Oskar LaFontaine may even preclude the Left alliance from joining any SPD group.

The scary reality of the present situation in Germany is the depth of the current malaise. The fact that nearly 40% of the German electorate is actually hoping for a grand coalition tends to prove this point. Is the public support for this Germany’s way of “giving up?” Would a grand coalition be able to convince the electorate that they must make huge sacrifices now for the good of their children and grandchildren? Or is it merely a matter that they don’t trust either the SPD or the CDU? And if so, how does it make any sense to put BOTH of the mistrusted parties into power?

Bolton to the UN

With summer baseball season and work commitments, it has been a while...

Predictably, President Bush has tendered John Bolton a recess appointment to the United Nations. The static coming from Europe is also predictable.

An article in der Spiegel sums up the German response.

Europeans still believe in the idea of the UN as an independent world
player, an institution that can and will act independently from the US, he said.
"For Europeans, the UN is a body that can function as an antagonist to the
United States. What Bush is saying is that is not true. He's saying the UN is
not a real power and cannot replace the power or influence of the US." He's also
showing his disdain for international diplomacy in general, Frank Unger
said.

This is just it; the Europeans see the UN as their stick of sorts to be used mainly for poking into the eye of the United States. Once again, Bush is not saying anything in particular about the UN other than it must be reformed. Who do Germans think should be the US ambassador to the UN? Of course the answer is somebody who is agreeable to the European point of view. I think it is the Europeans in this case that cannot seem to grasp the notion of agreeing to disagree. We just don't see the UN in the same light; plain and simple.

But others disagree, pointing out the UN's many scandals and its inability to
act quickly enough to stop the genocides of the 1990s in the Balkans and Rwanda.
The UN, they say, is in desperate need of serious reforms.

Who is "others?" Is there anyone on the face of the earth who looks at the performance of the UN as an organization in the last 15 years who thinks it is NOT in need of reform? One difference in style between America and Europe is that we are willing to call a spade a spade, and make difficult decisions aimed at fixes; not useless rhetoric.

"The reason why Bolton was nominated is because Bush needs a tough guy at the
UN, and wants bottom up reforms," said Jan-Friedrich Kallmorgen of the German
Council on Foreign Relations. "Bush is committed to reform, that'swhy he put
someone like that in there. I don't agree with some analysts who say it's a
punishment of the Senate or because he's anti-democratic or all that ... He
chose Bolton because he needs someone tough enough to take on the bureaucracy."

One who regularly reads der Spiegel can guess the headline of the story... "Some Europeans Angered by Bush's Summer Surprise." Given the above-referenced quote, would the title "Some Europeans Agree with Bush's Summer Surprise." be worthy of consideration? Of course we know that this is a rhetorical question, and that the latter headline would fail to sell newspapers.

Much of the transatlantic snivelling we hear sounds like a spoiled child throwing a tantrum because his parents did not offer him the proper amount of consultation about hiring a nanny. Well, perhaps daddy knows best!