ALLIANCE FO§ DEMOCRACY

Medal of Freedom

Barack Obama recently awarded Angela Merkel the "Medal of Freedom'', the highest award that a civilian can be presented with in the USA. At the reception in the White House Obama said: "We want to pay tribute to an extraordinary leader who has inspired millions around the world, including me."
As the US President emphasised, Merkel received the Medal of Freedom not because she was unable to enjoy freedom in her own childhood, nor because she finally succeeded in achieving it, but for what she achieved when she gained this freedom. "Determined to finally have her say, she entered politics – rising to become the first East German to lead a united Germany, the first woman chancellor in German history, and an eloquent voice for human rights and dignity around the world." said Obama.
In her word of thanks, Merkel emphasised that she regarded the Medal of Freedom as a sym-bol of the outstanding German-American partnership. Both countries are dedicated to peace and freedom.

There can be no objection to peace and freedom, nor to the fact that people dedicate them-selves to these goals. But often it is not the politicians and heads of government who dedicate themselves to these goals. What is amazing is that Angela Merkel was honoured simply for having dreamt of freedom when the GDR still existed, as Barack Obama said in his speech. There were over 16 million GDR citizens who may have dreamt more or less of freedom and climbing over the wall. Was Angela Merkel amongst the refugees? Obama went on to say that Merkel had "crossed over" after the fall of the wall – according to which all those who rebuilt Germany brick by brick after 1945 could justifiably claim such an award. To what extent Merkel may be credited with peace and freedom in Germany cannot be measured at all. Rather Merkel and Co. are currently weakening Germany so much with a continually increasing national debt that it is only a question of time until Germany is bankrupt and people have been deprived of more and more buying power, and therefore their existen-tial freedom, which will lead to discord rather than peace. This is the political performance for which Dr. Angela Merkel has won her medal.

Before Merkel, Helmut Kohl became the first German to receive this award. And it may be ironic that Kohl only received the medal after his departure from politics in the year 1999. Merkel however is being honoured while still in office. The only question is how this recogni-tion should be assessed. The "Medal of Freedom" is awarded to people who have either been highly instrumental in the interests of the USA, or for peace and freedom in the world in gen-eral. In this respect one can justly ask exactly when Angela Merkel saved America or the world? In any event, she has led Germany to financial ruin, and has mastered this task su-perbly – this may not have been her goal, but she has managed it nevertheless – and it is not her fault that there is no award for outstanding failure.

It still remains to be seen when Barack Obama will be honoured in Germany for having saved his country from impending national bankruptcy, if this is possible at all. The USA is in effect bankrupt, and according to the information of the minister of finance insolvent from 1st August of this year. Salaries and pensions can no longer be paid, unless the Congress gives its ap-proval for an increase in the permissible debt level. This has already passed US$ 14.3 trillion (or € 14,300 billion); the budget deficit stands at US$ 1.43 trillion (or approx. 1,430 billion).
The Republicans in the Congress expect the cutting of social security payments and an in-crease in taxes in order to be able to agree to the increased debt. Obama however cannot agree to either of these measures.
With regard to the will of politics to survive, it can be assumed that irrespective of how an increase in the debt level might be possible, the USA will remain solvent, if only by means of further borrowing; this will require the implementation of strict savings measures. All the more so since their implementation will herald further recessions and crises.

Everybody knows the situation in Europe. One crisis will be followed by the next, with every further round of borrowing, with every further subsidiary liability, which only papers over the fact that debts will continue to be incurred despite the supposed limitation of the debt brake, in the same way as the European Stability Pact is being circumvented, in the same way as subsidiary liabilities continue to be assumed despite contrary state resolutions, since for the 2013 crisis fund they only demonstrate majority agreement for the outward preservation of democratic principles.

The fact is however that every country will agree, and the majority agreement to every in-crease in further rescue packages can be assumed to be a 'fait accompli', since the majority of countries which must agree depends on the support measures which the countries each intend for themselves, in order to ensure their continuing existence. This can only be limited however. The interesting fact however is that everything which is supposedly laid down in law, all the regulations of the governments themselves within the European Currency Union, are made only for the sake of appearance, and are simply by-passed as soon as the situation requires this.
The fate being shared by Greece, Ireland and Portugal will soon meet all the other countries of the European Currency Union, including Germany. It remains to be seen how Obama can then help his sister state, but if he can, that is certainly worth a medal.