One quibble with the story here: Germany actually does not have "high tariff barriers to imports". They follow a free trade policy. The German strategy has been quite different: they focus on quality. That results in high exports, and eliminates the need for tariff barriers.

One thing that should be stressed about labor participation in the German economy: by law, unions have a representative on the board of directors for large companies. That means the workers can see the books, and understand exactly what kind of wage and benefit demands they can reasonably expect, without killing the golden goose. It makes management and labor partners, which is exactly what they should be.

The adversarial labor/management relationship is deeply ingrained in American business culture, but many of the newer smarter companies have moved beyond that. The future will no doubt be more cooperative and less confrontational, particularly for knowledge-based businesses, but the old dinosaurs of American industry will probably lumber to their doom in a straight line.

Of course, a legal change to bring labor into the boardroom might change that. It might make American industry much more competitive too. But since the USA is the greatest in every way, the idea of emulating a socialist system like Germany seems very unlikely. (The fact that a socialist system in Germany has resulted in more competitive business model is something that no conservative could comprehend without their head exploding!)

Unfortunately for us, the rapidly progressing corporate (e.g., ALEC) takeover of state governments as a path to controlling the U.S. government is not a conspiracy theory. That's probably why all the people who believe Bush bombed the Twin Towers and Obama was born in Kenya don't believe it, and have labeled it a "conspiracy theory." Unless they wake up, this will not end well.

Thom, I've been a Coal Miner and a Gold Miner for about 10 years, now retired.but i still pay attention to the industry. In the july 25th issue of High Country News there is an excellent story about how many Foreign Nations are mining our natural Resources throughout the West. My concern is that due to the 1872 mining law we ,as Americans, are being short-changed by giving away our resources at low prices. I've watched a Coal Company blantantly bury toxic Waste and get away with it. I spoke out and failed in my efforts to get the EPA or the DEQ of Wyoming to stop those contanimations of the Groundwater, and to know that so many Foreign Companies are getting away with it all across the West drives me nuts. XL Keystone is nothing compared to what has been going on since the mid 1980s. There is a strip of Coal Mines as well as Gas Wells in the Powder River Basin that run for about 80 miles and if the Mines other than AMAX are treating the Basin the same way we are screwed. It is above the Oglalla Aquifer. America needs to Strictly enforce the Laws against these Foreign Owned Companies since the History shows when they leave Americans are shafted with the bad water and clean up costs. Water should be viewed as a Necessity and not a Commodity, to be sold to Americans. Sincerely, Gary Owen Faas

Okay, why is my herring gull nice like a peaceful dog?

http://Miss-G-in-church-on-St.Francis-day.jpg

Because she lives in social security. Not communism! Social security. And this generates peaceful individuals in a peaceful society. I am sharing everything with Miss G and we trust each other.

We could change to a more peaceful and less stingy society, if we only wanted. We could be nicer.

Those birds taught it to me yesterday: there. (This link goes to my comment yesterday, here on Thom's blog.)

I voted NO, not because I agreed with the response stem but rather because people like money too much and it will take more than America is capable of doing to dislocate the decision.

LOL, you're pretty smart.

Only this: If you throw bread at herring gulls, they catch it like dogs. Anyway, those little birds are a much better and healthier nutrition for seagulls than pastries.

I don't know.... But go on, I like your zeal.

Though I still think you overdo your Obama and FDR critic. It has something hysteric.

___________________________

P.S.: Seagulls in Chicago? I'd rather say, those little black-headed gulls (not black in winter).

Unfortunately, there weren't a lot of the books printed but i'm trying to arrange an ebook reading. I almost said book on tape, man i gotta get with the times here. Dan didn't talk about it much. He just mentions it as the 911 of the times and moves on. I think the guys name was Tallesmann. He was a labor organizer. No need for them in a fascist state or even a country like Columbia for that matter. I had to put it down because i started really reading it right after 911 and the pages were turning in unison. Kinda spooked me out. We have copied every move with an american media refined flare. For far too many, it actually feels good. People here think they will hear the jackboots marching down the street sans night vision. History doesn't repeat itself but human nature does. They didn't have the kind of omni-pervasive technology that we have, because if they did, wir would nur be Deutch sprachen jetz. Nein? Sick of porno scanners, everyones socks, old lady terror groping? Well, now you can get feel copped at your local bus or train station. You never know when someone is going to throw thurmite from the train on a big tressel do you. I'm sure they've already prevented hundreds of Bus jackings. I mean when doesn't that happen?

Did the public have a say in this? I don't remember a big outcry from public transit passengers feeling all threatened by any diaper clad 90 year old who stormed the beaches in normandy, stopping periodically to help his buddies try to recover their body parts, only to go on dodging fate thru a hail of lead, kick ass, come home, build a country into the most powerful superpower the world has ever known, then be thanked by later generations with mistrust and public humilation. Who is running the show here?

The most bizarre thing about Obama is that he never says anything about whats going on. Or maybe i've just tuned him out.

Thank you Natanode for that web site! I had to just enter www.dancarlin.com because the link you gave gives a "not found". I have added Dan Carlin to my podcast subscriptions. That business about your uncle's dad sounds pretty interesting. Was that talked about on one of the Dan Carlin podcasts? I noticed, on wikipedia, the listing of topics Dan Carlin has addressed. Several possibilities but nothing specifically about the reichstag fire.
Question: If you are talking about Marinus van der Lubbe, the "framed" arsonist?...Wikipedia says that he was beheaded but then many years later...like in January of 2008, he was pardoned by the German state...gee...thanks a lot Germany...I'm sure van der Lubbe's rotting body appreciates that! I cannot find the book that you have mentioned...it is probably out of print.

Good one. Unfortunately, the greedy ones who are taking advantage of this ruling probably don't believe in dogs. Ha!

God bless Germany!

By the way, the Germans also have a minimum requirement for paid vacations.....it's 34 days per year. The United States minimum requirement is 0 days...that's right we are the only "rich modern nation" that has no minimum requirement, we still depend on the good will of our job creators, unless of course you have a union. Hell, we can't even get a public option!

I'm sure all of the anti govt. monkeys, "tea baggers," would have major cognitive dissonance hearing about the German system, it might be just the kind of intervention they need. I can hear Michelle Bachmann now....Thaaaaaat's Socialism....oh well......I say it's the pursuit of happiness working!

"The whole art art of government consists in the art of being honest"... TJ

I would think that some corporations who now will loose a competitive edged due to the stacking of the deck in our government might start fighting against Citizens United.

Nobody wants to live in a dog eat dog world.

America took a hard turn to the right. Those who call themselves "progressives" today are very much like the conservatives of the 1960s. The social policies promoted by Republican Presidents Eisenhower and Nixon are much too liberal/Socialist for today's progressives. Who would have thought that we would see a day when the richest pander to the bourgeoisie who spit in the faces of the poor? Adding to the absurdity of today's generation is the fact that so many middle classers ultimately choose the "poverty lifestyle" for themselves! Now how can one make sense out of such a strange people?

What will define this generation in history: At the same time that we ended basic poverty relief for Americans, we redistributed several trillion taxpayer dollars from the US Treasury into the bank accounts of the wealthiest few. Now we have a middle class pleading with government to help them AFTER they had insisted that this is not the role of government. Weird. Anyway, if any of those middle classers (to whom politicians and the media endlessly pander) are disatisfied with the conditions created/allowed by the middle class, remember what we told the poor: "Stop whining, get up every day, work hard and play by all the rules. Pull yourself up by your bootstraps. If one job doesn't pay enough, work two jobs, or three, and go to college in your spare time to become more employable. Helping people creates a culture of dependency, so You're On Your Own." Above all, remember what is written into the welfare reform policies that won such much approval from the middle class: There is NO acceptable reason for failing to be employed. Period. Take personal responsibility, and accept the consequences.