Monday, March 1, 2021

General Platform for the SPD Election Cycle

 This morning, the Focus folks went and hyped up the election platform for the SPD (left-of-center) Party.

The key items?

1. Child tax 'allowance' is to terminate.  In its place, basic child benefits will appear.  

2.  Schools are to become an all-day deal (thus ending the 8 AM to 1 PM current situation).

3.  Free day-care.

4.  Free localized travel for all workers (meaning train and bus).

5.  Hartz IV (the welfare program) is changed into something called a "living wage benefit".

6.  Minimum wage across Germany goes to 12 Euro.

7.  “Climate-neutral Germany” will be emphasized.  

8.  130 kph speed limits mandated.

9.  Finally, some effort to reach 15 million electric cars to be on the road by 2030.  Currently, in terms of all vehicles....there are around 63 million vehicles registered in Germany.  

Attention getting or attracting more votes?  For young families, the day-care deal might attract some votes.  The localized free travel?  That will beg the question who will pay for that in the end?  

As for the 130 kph speed limits?  In some states, you might find it near 50-percent of the population that supports this.  But across all sixteen German states?  No....I would imagine in Bavaria alone....more than 80-percent of the public won't agree to the autobahn speed limits. 

Finally, for the climate-neutral Germany topic....some group will eventually ask if there is extra cost or new taxes involved, and that answer won't make people happy. 

No comments: