The Saving-the-World Coaltion

The talks continue between the CDU/CSU folks with the German Green Party and the FDP Party.  To build a coalition after this election, it's a bit of a long stretch to involve the Green Party into this type of agreement.  Focus carried a brief story over this situation. 

So it came up from an interview with one of the top FDP political figures.....Wolfgang Kubicki....discussed the talks so far and the problems associated with this 'mess'.

About a week ago, before the talks started up....he made it clear in his opinion that there was only a 50-percent chance of this working out. 

In his commentary yesterday....he pointed out that one of the big points in the CSU participation in this coalition....is that full-time detention centers will be established for immigrants coming into the country.  Then he pointed out....the Green Party will do everything possible to prevent this for humanitarian reasons. 

Then he made this key comment: "They really believe they are called to save the world. If you approach certain things with such a sense of conscience, then pragmatism, which is embodied by the Free Democrats, for example, is a completely different world."

A decade ago, I would have laughed over the 'saving-the-world' comment.  Today?  In an average week, you will see at least a dozen interviews or slanted-news-pieces where 'saving-the-world' is hyped up and gives you some sense of pleasure (at least the journalist or politician thinks you feel this way).  For a number of months, the hyped-up chat over bio-foods was pro-saving-the-world.  In the last year, some food experts have pushed back and said that it's not exactly saving-the-world.

The wind energy business?  That was saving-the-world for a while, and then they counted up the dead bird population from hitting the blades.  Now, wind energy is not so much saving-the-world.

I would take a guess that approximately five percent of the German population are currently on some kick to save-the-world.  Saving immigrants could be saving-the-world....setting speed limits could be saving-the-world....mandating carbon taxes when you buy airline tickets could be saving-the-world-world....making you bring your own bags into the grocery to carry out your groceries could be saving-the-world.

Putting a government together to save-the-world?  You just kinda shake your head and wonder.  This might be an indication in six weeks that it can't be put together, and you end up with another election by February.