Schröder pushed to break his tax pledge (HOLD MEIN BIER ALERT)

The Daily Telegraph ^ | September 28, 2002 | Hannah Cleaver

[MadIvan]

Less than a week after his narrow re-election, German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder is already under pressure to break a key campaign promise not to raise tax.

Tensions had been expected between the Social Democrats and their Green Party coalition partners who want to increase eco-taxes on fossil fuels but yesterday demands were coming from within Mr Schröder's party.

Edmund Stoiber, the defeated Conservative Social Union candidate, accused Mr Schröder and Hans Eichel, his finance minister, of damaging the trust between voters and all politicians.

"They have serious credibility problems now because, after the election, they have to admit what they knew before and what they tried to keep under wraps," he said.

"The Social Democrats have betrayed their voters," said Thomas Goppel, Christian Social Union secretary general, also referring to a statement made by Mr Schröder two months ago in which he ruled out tax increases.

The pressure to raise tax came after figures showed tax income from January to August was 3.9 per cent lower than for the same period last year. The government had predicted an increase of 2.1 per cent.

Mr Schröder was under further pressure from those in his own party such as Ulla Schmidt, health minister, who wants to increase tax on each cigarette by 3p. "I believe that people will understand this if it is a specific tax which would only be spent on health services," she said.

A group of Social Democrat state leaders joined her in the call for higher taxes led by Sigmar Gabriel, Lower Saxony state minister president.

Education reform should be funded by increases in inheritance and wealth taxes. "This is about our children's future, not tax increases," he said. Tax increases should not be aimed at small businesses.

Criticism also came from Horst Kohler, the head of the International Monetary Fund, who advised the government to cut taxes particularly in favour of the middle class to liven up the economy.

[MadIvan]

Yes, this is what you always do in a recession, raise taxes and take money away from people. Germany is truly in the grips of a Hold Mein Bier problem. This is utterly daft.

Regards, Ivan

[MadIvan]

Bump!

[MadIvan]

For your "hold muh beer" list. ;)

Best Regards, Ivan

[OldFriend]

schroeder and klinton.......two peas in a pod.

[MadIvan]

schroeder and klinton.......two peas in a pod.

Including a penchant for cigars and young girls, I might add.

Regards, Ivan

[nopardons]

They want Germany to return to the 1930's, I guess.

[agitator]

ping

[Lancey Howard]

LOFL!!!!
Schroeder and his liberal Social Democrats are the German version of our own scumbag socialist liberal Democrats.

Of course they lied. Duh.

[MadIvan]

Schroeder and his liberal Social Democrats are the German version of our own scumbag socialist liberal Democrats.

This is also very instructional about what happens if you give the Green Party any power - they're trying to tax everyone back to the Stone Age.

Regards, Ivan

[MadIvan]

They want Germany to return to the 1930's, I guess.

One of the reasons that it is given in my "Politically Incorrect Handbook" that it's perfectly acceptable to dislike the Germans is that, "They're dying to put the jackboots on again, you know they are". ;)

Best Regards, Ivan

[nopardons]

I seem to have stumbled onto the same wave length. :-)

[DB]

They chose, now they pay. That seems right to me…

[onedoug]

Uh...you mentioned something recently about Germany never giving up the free market? Well, I'd like to know that how, if it's taxed out of existence, it's still free.

Thanks.

[TheMole]

Education reform should be funded by increases in inheritance and wealth taxes. "This is about our children's future, not tax increases," he said.

Straight from the Clinton playbook. Saaaaaaave the children ...

[Happygal]

Less than a week after his narrow re-election, German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder is already under pressure to break a key campaign promise not to raise tax.

If you took out 'German Chancellor Gerhard Schroder' and inserted 'Irish Taoiseach Bertie Ahern' the statement would also ring true. I'm so SICK of lying, cheatin' duplicitous politicians. Aghhhhhhhhhh!

[Taxbilly]

Schauen Sie meinem Mund keine neuen Steuern zu.

[MadIvan]

If you took out 'German Chancellor Gerhard Schroder' and inserted 'Irish Taoiseach Bertie Ahern' the statement would also ring true. I'm so SICK of lying, cheatin' duplicitous politicians. Aghhhhhhhhhh!

I thought Bertie won in a landslide though? He certainly tried to bribe everyone.

Best Regards, Ivan

[Timesink]

You get what you vote for.

[Stultis]

This is also very instructional about what happens if you give the Green Party any power - they're trying to tax everyone back to the Stone Age.

Not only that, look what the Greens want to tax: Energy, the primary commodity in wealth production, and the rich, the primary producers and investors of capital. IOW let's not only raise taxes, but do it in such a way that we produce the maximum possible damage to the economy.

[Happygal]

Well Bertie didn't get the majority he expected...but yes, true it wasn't quite the fingernail finish that Schroeder had.
Still, when it comes to hiking up taxation, immediately after a general election when he had promised the electorate something quite different, is not just outrageous...it's downright criminal.

And unless he's embarrassed by a protest vote on the Nice Treaty...we're stuck with the slimebag for the next five years.