Green Chatter

There's a round-up of sorts over on Focus (the German news magazine) today, which talks about the big Green Party meeting to be held in about five weeks. 

There are several elements being discussed.....which will be part of their path head, to include the election cycle of 2021.

Things they are talking about?

1.  They want the C02 emission assessment  to be a good bit higher than people currently talk about.  The current chatter by the Merkel coalition is that the proposed 'per ton' cost if 40 Euro.  The Greens are suggesting 60 Euro by 2021 should be the aim.

2.  Oil heating in houses?  They want to implement a cease-plan where you have no choice, you'd have to dump it (even if new). 

3.  They want a plan where gas/diesel cars disappear entirely by 2030.     We aren't talking about just new gas/diesel car sales.....but all of these vehicle entirely. 

4.  By 2025, stop expansion of all German federal roads, and concentrate all funding upon railway usage....encouraging Germans to use mass transit.  The 365-Euro yearly ticket?  It's routinely discussed and being used in some minor ways (mostly German students) already. 

5. Agricultural goals?  Produce less meat (pork and beef).  The Greens want a more proactive stance by the government to encourage and promote vegan lifestyles. 

6.  Reorganizing companies to allow employees to pick their work schedules and hours....with time varying between thirty and forty hours.  Redefining the word 'full-time'?  More or less.  Minimum wage to rise?  Their discussion is to bring it from the current 9.19 Euro level to 12 Euro. 

How many of these ideas will be adapted at the November meeting?  Unknown.

It is obvious that the Greens are divided, with a fair number going to the extreme.  It is also obvious that a fair portion are Green-lite....meaning they can support some policies like mass transit and cleaner air, but they don't want any serious changes by the government over commerce or business operations.  The same is true with this anti-meat attitude, and trying to entice people to group under the vegan lifestyle.

A couple of years ago, a survey group went out and asked about German diet habits, and came to suggest that almost half the nation (82-million) are flexitarians.  The term flexitarian?  It means that you live based off plants mostly, with some occasional meat added.  It'd be like adding that you seven dinners a week, and only three of them have chicken, turkey, pork, fish, or pork included. 

Pure German vegans?  It's around one-million in the country with this diet.

While we are at this discussion....let's admit this as well.  Half of the Green Party support of today....are really ex-SPD voters, and they became so disenchanted with the SPD Party, that this was the only logical place to 'hang their hat'.

As for the emphasis here, and the 2021 election?  There is some belief that the Greta-kids and the C02 business will hype up this election and possibly bring the Green Party near 30-percent of the national vote, and there's this possibility that Robert Habeck (the Green Party chief) will become the next Chancellor.