Retiree Tough Talk

 This past week, Chancellor Scholz went over to Mannheim for  'Q-and-A' session with the public.  Merkel had done this a few times and these are not organized in the manner that you'd expect in the US.  The German Q-and-A sessions can have some rough things said.

So there's a older guy (I assume in his 70s)...fairly sharp and quick-witted...in the front row.  He gets a chance to ask 2 questions.

Over the Cum-Ex scandal brewing in Hamburg....which Scholz is a central figure in the investigation still....the question was: “Your role in the Cum-Ex committee; I'm worried that you're very forgetful. It is already being commented on abroad that 'you have a chancellor of forgetfulness' - and I am really worried about what you will take away from today's meeting here. How can we trust you not to be so forgetful?” 

If you watch the video....there's a couple of seconds there where Scholz is caught off-guard and trying to think of an answer.  So he says....what's the second question?

Well...it doesn't get any better.

The old guy says:  “Germany has the stupidest government in the world.” 

Then he rattles off about Habeck now really grasping what bankruptcy means, and notes that Baerbock (Foreign Minister) has committed a number of blunders. 

Then the old guy says: “It's not just the comedians who say Germany has the stupidest government in the world. That's a bad expression. I don't think it's the stupidest government. But you have so many members in your cabinet who can't do anything. There are so many things that worry you and I wanted to ask you, don't you have any influence on it." 

Then he says something to the effect: '....you need to give them tutoring'. 

Finally the old guy sums it up...."In any case, you have to do something if you don’t want to be the stupid German abroad.”

Yeah, there was a fair amount of clapping from the audience from the two comments.

Political position of the retired German guy?  Unknown.  I doubt that he's a SPD or Green Party guy....just my humble view.

Blunt nature of this encounter?  That's the thing about it...you see more and more Germans who want to comment and dish out some harsh commentary over things that the government is involved in and trying to force a national policy.  I'd say there are definitely more disenchanted Germans existing today....than a decade ago.

On Scholz's 'amnesia' for the Cum-Ex stuff?  After a while, the answer doesn't work.  But to be honest, if you quizzed a hundred German politicians about events in their life from five to twenty years ago....most will cite amnesia occurring. It's like they got kicked in the head by a horse, and they lost some sense of time and reality.

As for doing something about dumb actions by the cabinet officials....I would imagine Scholz lectures them at least once a week....don't be stupid, and the crew just grins through the tough talk.