ALLIANCE FO§ DEMOCRACY

Kohl’s Ghost

Whoever achieves no meaningful results is forced to rely on their predecessors, in order to bathe a little in their reflected glory. The CDU must have thought this or something like it when it made a media event out of a simple date: the memory of the beginning of the career of Helmut Kohl as Chancellor 30 years ago.
The 30 years alone are shocking enough. And it is even more frightening for any Democrat who knows that Kohl continued to govern for 16 years by simply sitting it out.
An outstanding performance, it must be admitted; but it must also be said: German democracy was too long in the hands of one man, and such a one-man band is detrimental to any democracy, as we have seen in the East and in other illegitimate states.
The bottom line became apparent in the time of the Regent, when the leadership of the German Democratic Republic led East Germany to national bankruptcy and agreed to reunification. Kohl was pretty harmless in himself, and taught the world that Germany is not a serious state any more, but is still important as an economic partner. Perhaps this is the real job of a head of state, and at least big business is sure to agree to that.
The West Germans would have rejoiced in freedom of the press, which Kohl restricted, via a Regent who was not embarrassed by someone if he somewhere traipsed around on red carpets, giving the impression that he would turn to the left or the right, if he was not led on down the straight and narrow. The former Chancellor has lost none of this charm to the present day - at least this is the impression left by the images of the celebrations. It is however questionable whether the CDU/CSU really enjoys much of the splendour of the old master, because German national bankruptcy, the crisis of the Euro and the idea of a Europe united by the Euro, that haunts the balance sheets as if in a nightmare, are nothing for which anyone could claim any credit or adulation.
To be sure, whitewashing the CDU/CSU performance, cover up the national bankruptcy and dragging out national insolvency is all part of the day-to-day business, and also flourished under the Regents of other parties, provided that they could make it to the top posts in the country. And the fact that everything is so, is also due to Mr. Kohl. And from this we can see: Whoever believes for 20 years that they have something to say, and then says nothing, also leaves behind nothing at all. Just like Kohl and his consorts; just as the parties do anyway, because they can do nothing else.
The Alliance for democracy is therefore now making an effort to find out whether the celebrations were charged to party funds or to the national purse. After all, taxpayers should not have to pay for company celebrations. We will report further!
And when Angela has reached such an age, and is being pushed around in a wheelchair in front of the camera, we will ask for a press-free day – and that will make it a beautiful day.