Still occupied by Miguel's wish list for the US presidency.
In his blog the long term strategy for the war on terror is discussed.
I was never convinced that the US had the right strategy in this struggle. But believe me, I don't flatter myself in trying to give an easy solution.
Concerning the war on terror strategy persued by the US some points remain unclear for me. I can't quite get them. I'd like to share them with you here.
Well, what is the long term plan for the war on terror? Can you basically sum it up to bringing democracy by the sword and scare the hell out of any potential opponent with the threat of invasion? Will potential terrorists be hunted down and killed all over the world?
Will other countries have to be invaded? If so, which will be likely? Iran? Syria? What about Saudi Arabia? North Korea? Will the people in these countries hail the incoming troops as liberators or side with their fellow countrymen?
Is the war on terror a Last-Man-Standing battle of good vs. evil? Is it likely to win it? Is there a possibility to lose it?
When will the Bush administration begin to feel safe and ready to stop fighting? After all terrorists are gone? Will they ever?
Will a decade (Miguel mentions that time frame) of terrorist attacks and retaliation/preemptive strikes lead to peace, liberty, tolerance and democracy?
Why does this sound like Utopia?
Edit: I watched parts of an interview with G. W. Bush today. It was from his campaign bus.
He said that the war on terror could not be won but that we could make it harder for the terrorists. I agree here.
Monday, August 30, 2004
Sunday, August 29, 2004
Social security: An issue for the state or the individual?
Inspired by Miguel's wish list for what kind of candidate he would vote in the upcoming US election I want to say something about one of the issues he mentioned: social security.
I am not a fan of the German social security system (anymore). It is just too expensive. We are in the middle of a painful reform process.
Some people think we should abandon a federal system of social security altogether. Maybe we should leave it to the individual citizen to take care of building up his retirement funds, choosing med insurance, doctors, hospitals, schools,... whatever. I think, however that this is not as fair as it sounds.
Of course, I don't like the idea that a hard working tax payer finances a 24/7 vacation of others.
But being able to choose in the social security sector is a good thing only if you have equally good options to choose from.
I don't think that is the case in any country in the world. Therefore I think that some sort of government spending is required to ensure the constitutional rights, especially equal opportunities. The old German system was too expensive, had some loopholes, needed reform. I doubt that the new German system will be perfect, I hope it will be better than the old one but I am not sure.
But I am sure that a social security system that is not based on solidarity in the broadest sense violates the principles of democracy and can eventually lead to its downfall. It doesn't even need a revolution for that. Social peace is important to make sure that the state is supported by its people. Government systems that don't have the support of its people become powerless and will eventually vanish.
I am convinced that a solidarity-based social security system is a prerequisite for social peace. And social peace is a prerequisite for a democracy.
I am not a fan of the German social security system (anymore). It is just too expensive. We are in the middle of a painful reform process.
Some people think we should abandon a federal system of social security altogether. Maybe we should leave it to the individual citizen to take care of building up his retirement funds, choosing med insurance, doctors, hospitals, schools,... whatever. I think, however that this is not as fair as it sounds.
Of course, I don't like the idea that a hard working tax payer finances a 24/7 vacation of others.
But being able to choose in the social security sector is a good thing only if you have equally good options to choose from.
I don't think that is the case in any country in the world. Therefore I think that some sort of government spending is required to ensure the constitutional rights, especially equal opportunities. The old German system was too expensive, had some loopholes, needed reform. I doubt that the new German system will be perfect, I hope it will be better than the old one but I am not sure.
But I am sure that a social security system that is not based on solidarity in the broadest sense violates the principles of democracy and can eventually lead to its downfall. It doesn't even need a revolution for that. Social peace is important to make sure that the state is supported by its people. Government systems that don't have the support of its people become powerless and will eventually vanish.
I am convinced that a solidarity-based social security system is a prerequisite for social peace. And social peace is a prerequisite for a democracy.
Wednesday, August 25, 2004
A few movies to watch
After recommending some books I would like to draw your attention to some movies that I consider worth watching.
Let's start with a classic: Billy Wilder's One Two Three. Set in Berlin July 1961 (one month before the Berlin Wall was erected) it tells the story of a CocaCola representative being troubled by the daughter of his boss, who ...
***Spoiler*** (mark the text to read the spoiler)
runs off to East Berlin and marries an East German Communist.
*** End of Spoiler***
It is a very fast paced comedy. You 'll have to watch the movie like 10 times to get all jokes.
Back in the 60s it flopped, probably due to bad timing of the release. With the wall up noone seemed to like a comedy about East and West Berlin.
Another movie set in Berlin is Good Bye Lenin. I mentioned it at the bottom of an earlier post. It is a serious comedy that brings us back to the next most significant point of Berlin history: The fall of the wall in 1989.
***Spoiler***
a young man is at a forbidden rally in East Berlin when his socialist mother sees him being arrested. She falls into a coma and awakes miraculously months later. But everything had changed. The wall was gone. Western products in the shelves...
Doctors say that the sudden shock of this could kill her. So her son sets up a show for her pretending that the GDR (East Germany) still existed in order to save her life.
***End of Spoiler***
This movie is about a loving son-mother relationship, about hanging on to things that are bound to change, about loss of things you know and about new beginnings.
It won several international awards, really worth watching... Not many good movies come from Germany these days, but this is one of them.
For now this must be enough. I will continue some other time with movies not connected to Berlin.
Let's start with a classic: Billy Wilder's One Two Three. Set in Berlin July 1961 (one month before the Berlin Wall was erected) it tells the story of a CocaCola representative being troubled by the daughter of his boss, who ...
***Spoiler*** (mark the text to read the spoiler)
runs off to East Berlin and marries an East German Communist.
*** End of Spoiler***
It is a very fast paced comedy. You 'll have to watch the movie like 10 times to get all jokes.
Back in the 60s it flopped, probably due to bad timing of the release. With the wall up noone seemed to like a comedy about East and West Berlin.
Another movie set in Berlin is Good Bye Lenin. I mentioned it at the bottom of an earlier post. It is a serious comedy that brings us back to the next most significant point of Berlin history: The fall of the wall in 1989.
***Spoiler***
a young man is at a forbidden rally in East Berlin when his socialist mother sees him being arrested. She falls into a coma and awakes miraculously months later. But everything had changed. The wall was gone. Western products in the shelves...
Doctors say that the sudden shock of this could kill her. So her son sets up a show for her pretending that the GDR (East Germany) still existed in order to save her life.
***End of Spoiler***
This movie is about a loving son-mother relationship, about hanging on to things that are bound to change, about loss of things you know and about new beginnings.
It won several international awards, really worth watching... Not many good movies come from Germany these days, but this is one of them.
For now this must be enough. I will continue some other time with movies not connected to Berlin.
Tuesday, August 24, 2004
A few books to read (Part One)
Hi, in my previous post I recommended Les Liaisons Dangereuses. It really is a good yet shocking book.
But I have decided to let you in on a few other literary works that I recommend reading.
Die Abenteuer des Werner Holt by Dieter Noll:
This is about an adolescent during World War II who goes through a process from naively believing nazi propaganda to disillusion and resistance.
One could argue that it is for WW2 what Remaque's All Quiet on the Western Front is for WW1.
Werner Holt is not available in English as far as I know, so read Remarque, if you haven't already. It is stunning.
If you are interested in ancient Rome and like crime stories read John Maddox Robert's SPQR series. These books are very well researched and a lot of fun to read. All the most important characters and events of the late Roman Republic are described from the point of view of a fictinous son of one of the most important arisocratic families of that time, the Metelli. This guy, Decius, meets Crassus, Pompeius, Cicero, Cato, Catilina, Coldius, Milo, Caesar and even Cleopatra.
The first book of the series is called The King's Gambit. The second book is about the Catiline conspiracy. It is my favourite from the series.
The author works his way from 70BC (book no. 1) to 49BC (book no. 9) I am sure he will cover Caesar's death eventually.
The series is full of suspense yet funny and very educational as well.
Speaking of Rome: For the early Empire (1st century AD) I recommend Robert Graves' fictional autobiography of the Emperor Claudius which comes in two parts.
There is a great BBC mini series available on DVD which is believed to be the best mini series ever put on film. Playing time about 12 hours. Have food and drinks close to the couch because you 'll get hooked easily.
To be continued...
But I have decided to let you in on a few other literary works that I recommend reading.
Die Abenteuer des Werner Holt by Dieter Noll:
This is about an adolescent during World War II who goes through a process from naively believing nazi propaganda to disillusion and resistance.
One could argue that it is for WW2 what Remaque's All Quiet on the Western Front is for WW1.
Werner Holt is not available in English as far as I know, so read Remarque, if you haven't already. It is stunning.
If you are interested in ancient Rome and like crime stories read John Maddox Robert's SPQR series. These books are very well researched and a lot of fun to read. All the most important characters and events of the late Roman Republic are described from the point of view of a fictinous son of one of the most important arisocratic families of that time, the Metelli. This guy, Decius, meets Crassus, Pompeius, Cicero, Cato, Catilina, Coldius, Milo, Caesar and even Cleopatra.
The first book of the series is called The King's Gambit. The second book is about the Catiline conspiracy. It is my favourite from the series.
The author works his way from 70BC (book no. 1) to 49BC (book no. 9) I am sure he will cover Caesar's death eventually.
The series is full of suspense yet funny and very educational as well.
Speaking of Rome: For the early Empire (1st century AD) I recommend Robert Graves' fictional autobiography of the Emperor Claudius which comes in two parts.
There is a great BBC mini series available on DVD which is believed to be the best mini series ever put on film. Playing time about 12 hours. Have food and drinks close to the couch because you 'll get hooked easily.
To be continued...
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