[TETENAL]

In Germany thousands of people die of deseases caused by carcinogenic fine dust each year. This year the European Union has legal limits for fine dust levels that must not be overstepped more than 35 times in one year. The German cities Munich and Stuttgart have already overstepped the legal limit more often (and it is only March!)

Fine dust is mainly caused by traffic – in particular Diesel engines. The green party and the conservative Union parties demand a driving ban on sunday for short term relieve as well as a particle filter for Diesel engines. German chancellor Schröder – who calls himself "The Car Chancellor" – wants to do: nothing! He claims the German government "did its homework" (unspecified).

The problem is known for a long time and since 1999 it has been known that the EU will impose a limit for fine dust particles. The French car industry builds particle filters into Diesel cars since years. The German car industry on the other hand is fiercely fighting a legal obligation for particle filters – above all the Volkswagen group.

Volkswagen is majority owned by the federal state Lower-Saxony. German chancellor Gerhard Schröder is the former prime minister of Lower-Saxony.

[zizban]

The only constant in the universe is the politician's mindset.

[TETENAL]

So do you agree with that mindset? Do you think the economic interests of corporations should prevail over the health of the general population? I think not.

In particular since I don't see how a particle filter in Diesel cars would hurt the car industry at all when all cars have it. Maybe the German cars have a minimal advantage now since the French sell their cars with particle filters voluntarily, but it's not ethical to exploit this.

[SimeyTheLimey]

Schroeder's term is up next year, is that right? I know the election is a long way off, but what is your feeling about the likely outcome?

[TETENAL]

Originally posted by SimeyTheLimey:
Schroeder's term is up next year, is that right? I know the election is a long way off, but what is your feeling about the likely outcome?

A German chancellor can be re-elected more than once.

Schröder lost touch with the ground. He is no longer communicating his decisions ("We did our homework" - Huh?) apparently not even with his own party any more as in the China arms issue ("Foreign policy is done by the chancellor."). Fischer is being dismantled by his own office. The social-democratic/green coalition is pretty much finished.

The conservative Union is not really showing any strengths either. it will probably depend a lot on their candidate. I have the feeling that if we had an election now, a Stoiber would easily win; a Merkel would have it harder.

[SimeyTheLimey]

Originally posted by TETENAL:
A German chancellor can be re-elected more than once.

Yes, I know. AFAIK, Adenauer and Kohl have the records, don't they?

Thanks for the long range prediction and analysis, much appreciated.

[TETENAL]

Originally posted by SimeyTheLimey:
Yes, I know. AFAIK, Adenauer and Kohl have the records, don't they?

Kohl holds the record alone with 16 years (and he wanted another term – shudder). Adenauer had 14.

Comparing my predictions with todays poll results it looks even worse:

http://www.infratest-dimap.de/sonntagsfrage/default.htm

SPD (social-democrats) 29%
CDU (christian-democrats) 45%
Grüne (greens) 9%
FDP (liberal-democrats) 7%
PDS (democratic-socialists) 5%


(if you're American swap red and blue colors of this graph when viewing)

I still think this all means nothing as long as the conservatives don't have a candidate.