Unemployment in Germany is now lower than it was when the crisis began

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

As in, not Germans of a few decades ago.

Come on, now. Both my parents were born after WWII. So we had a dark episode in our history. There aren't many nations that didn't. Let it go already. I did.

[^_^ 5,021]

Let it go already.

No.

[luckytxn 2,265]

Probably helped Germany when they LOWERED the tax rate too and also started undoing their socialistic policies that were strangling the business climate.

[luckytxn 2,265]

Also the stimulus was about half of the U.S. to the GDP. Not even close to the damage the U.S. is doing to their economy.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Probably helped Germany when they LOWERED the tax rate too and also started undoing their socialistic policies that were strangling the business climate.

Funny you should bring that up because it was actually the left coalition of Social Democrats and the Green Party - the real socialists, you know - under Chancellor Schroeder that did the heavy lifting to make the Germany economy fit for the future. Boo!

And yes, they did indeed lower taxes - they did that where it matters and actually stimulates the economy in any meaningful way: on the bottom of the food chain. And it was the conservative / libertarian coalition to do that. Opposite to other parts of the world , the center-right of the German political spectrum actually understands basic economic truths and principles.

Measures to support household purchasing power.

The tax burden will be eased by €9bn from 1 July (amounting to €3bn in 2009 and €6bn in 2010 as the threshold for paying income tax is raised by €340 – €170 on 1 July and another €170 on 1 January 2010 – to €8,004 from the current €7,664.

The lowest tax rate will also be cut from 15% to 14%, amounting to a €400 cut in the tranche on 1 July and an additional €330 cut in January 2010).

An exceptional €100 bonus will also be awarded per child (estimated amount: nearly €2bn) while parenting assistance for families with children aged 6 to 13 receiving long-term unemployment benefit under the Hartz IV law will be raised by 10 pp (about €1bn).