Chatter

 Last night via Channel One (ARD, public TV), the weekly public forum show of Anne Will came on.  

Topic?  A basic open discussion over the environment and Corona policy. 

Guests?  Martin Machowecz (chief of the "Zeit" (newspaper) in Leipzig and editor-in-chief of "Zeit im Osten" (mostly unknown unless you read Zeit).  Ursula Münch, a political scientist.  Luisa Neubauer, " Fridays for Future" player, and probably one of the top three individuals of the youth movement.  Armin Laschet (CDU Party chief), currently Premier-President of North Rhine-Westphalia, and Chancellor Candidate.

For all intensive purposes....this was the moment where Laschet could 'shine' and show some character/brilliance/debate capability.  If you follow social media, and the general view of various news pieces....he failed (some might even use the term miserably).

Neubauer hammered Laschet on several occasions, and he just didn't have the comments to hammer back.  This is one of those weaknesses that you tend to see with Laschet....he's just not a 4-star debate person. There's probably a dozen CDU individuals who are more capable than him.  

Whether people want to believe it or not.....this September national election is mostly over three key themes (climate change, Corona ban-rules, and the economy).  

There's often now reports of various brands or companies entertaining the idea of bankruptcy because they've been so damaged by Covid-19 and the ban-rules.  There's a fair amount of downward trending to come for the 2nd half of 2021 in Germany, and probably going through all of 2022.  Jobs, economic stability, recession and inflation.....all likely to be major problems as 2022 arrives.

The theme by Neubauer and the 'Fridays' crowd....bringing change to influence the temperature drop by 1.5 degrees in the next decade or two?  At some point, if these changes are implemented....I see German industry, agricultural production and jobs exiting Germany....with hard decisions put upon hundreds of thousands of Germans....whether they stay here and 'wait' or venture upon a change in countries.  

As for this forum being a 'signal' to the CDU Party that Laschet was a poor choice?  Well....maybe.  One other comment made by viewers.....they felt this was a four on one deal (even the moderator was slamming Laschet.