Economic Stimulus Package... German Style

Change... doesn't seem to come easily for Germans. Gerhard Schroeder never missed an opportunity to poke a finger into the eye of the "Anglo-Saxon Economic System" by extolling the superiority of the German Social System. Of course all the while he was making these claims, he was failing miserably at convincing the majority of Germans of the virtures of Hartz IV or his 2010 Economic Reforms. What made the former Chancellor so disingenuous is that he fully realized that these reform packages modeled more after the Anglo system than the German one. The reality is that the reforms of Hartz and 2010 are greatly needed in Germany. Most in Germany realize this, but they lack the confidence to make the necessary concessions.

It's a never-ending circle, really. High unemployment leads to low tax rolls (no matter what the tax rate is - even with our "permanent" tax cuts, the US tax rolls, i.e. total tax collected, has risen in each of the last 4 quarters). High unemployment, combined with an excessive social welfare system results in large deficits.

...But here's the punchline. The new German Finance Minister recently unveiled a plan to use US Marshall Fund proceeds to reduce the Federal deficit of Germany. Um... Come again? Why should American taxpayer funds be used to assist a "superior" economic and social model? Apparently, US government approval would be required for such a transfer of funds. Not only should the US swiftly reject such a manuever, but perhaps it's time that balance of the Marshall Fund be returned.