Left to Far left parties to lead former East Germany state

[alhoon]

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/newth...newthread&f=19

" Leftist parties in Germany have agreed a historic coalition deal which will see the first far-left regional president since the fall of communism.
Bodo Ramelow of the socialist Die Linke (Left party) is set to become state premier of Thuringia next month. Die Linke, rooted in the old East German state Communist party, has never led a state government."

Well, as one I'm curious about this experiment of a far left coalition in the heart of an industrial and right wing nation. I hope it ends well and their ideological differences with Merkel won't be too much of a burden.
All reasonable voices are needed IMO. And while this coalition is said to be of the far left, I don't see radical communists in those faces.

Free kindergarden for the first year for example sounds good. Ban on Fracking sounds bad.

And if you are like me and don't know anything about Thuringia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thuringia

[Denny Crane!]

Ban on Nuclear, ban on fracking.

Dark times ahead for Germany.

[Thorn777]

Ban on Nuclear, ban on fracking.

Dark times ahead for Germany.

Ban on Russia would seal the deal. Untill then, who cares about fracking....

[alhoon]

Dark times ahead for Germany.

Dark as in "no electricity for street light"?

[Treize]

Where is Reagan when you need him?

[justicar5]

Where is Reagan when you need him?

he was never needed. The desolation he and Thatcher wrote is still haemorrhaging a generation later in the nations they wounded so badly.

The problem with our part of the world is the deep-rooted disease called socialism.

instead of capitalism, can you be a doner to the republican party without raping an Iraqi child to death yet? Or that a perk they hand out,? Give us 400k and get a war orphan to rape and murder? Could never tell if being a murderous, drug addicted war mongering rapist was a requirement or a joining bonus. Seriously what did you like about Reagan best?

[hellheaven1987]

How does banning of fracking has anything to do with Communism? That is clearly the Green Peace nuts' idea!!

[Sphere]

The ban on nuclear came from the good old CDU. And in an irony which isn't terribly surprising, Germany is having to burn a lot of coal and their CO2 emissions are going up.

Merkel’s Green Shift Backfires as German Pollution Jumps
Why Germany's Nuclear Phase Out is Leading to More Coal Burning

[alhoon]

The ban on nuclear came from the good old CDU. And in an irony which isn't terribly surprising, Germany is having to burn a lot of coal and their CO2 emissions are going up.

Merkel’s Green Shift Backfires as German Pollution Jumps
Why Germany's Nuclear Phase Out is Leading to More Coal Burning

Well, it's obvious that when you stop using nuclear power you have to use something else in its place. Solar power and wind power can go only so far in Germany. The power needs rise faster than renewable energy production there, so ... something has to be used to cover the missing nuclear power.

[hellheaven1987]

Well, it's obvious that when you stop using nuclear power you have to use something else in its place. Solar power and wind power can go only so far in Germany. The power needs rise faster than renewable energy production there, so ... something has to be used to cover the missing nuclear power.

Right, so why not natural gas?

[Mementomoridc]

Right, so why not natural gas?

cause Germany is trying to America Circa 1902.

[ShockBlast]

How is Die Linke lately ? Is the party really plagued by former communists ? Is the party following democratic socialism ?

[Aikanár]

Also, fracking isn't banned. It will be heavily restricted but it can be enforced by the Federal Government even against a discordant decision of the governments of any given Federal State.

[Sphere]

Right, so why not natural gas?

Brown coal is cheaper and is mined in East Germany. Gas is expensive and comes from Putin.

[hellheaven1987]

Brown coal is cheaper and is mined in East Germany. Gas is expensive and comes from Putin.

Except brown coal is very dirty; it is energy insufficient and often contains heavy metals, literally means you burn mercury into atmosphere.

Using coal is worst option, even worse than nuclear power.

[Sphere]

Except brown coal is very dirty; it is energy insufficient and often contains heavy metals, literally means you burn mercury into atmosphere.

Using coal is worst option, even worse than nuclear power.

Lignite mining & burning is a major part of the relatively poor East German economy. That makes it a major part of German politics. New lignite plants/mines were being built well before Fukushima. Ultimately politics trumps rationality in German energy policy.

[Hobbes]

Using coal is worst option, even worse than nuclear power.

You're saying it as if nuclear power is something very dangerous that should be avoided, much like coal.

[alhoon]

Right, so why not natural gas?

Because it's immensely more expensive.

Except brown coal is very dirty; it is energy insufficient and often contains heavy metals, literally means you burn mercury into atmosphere.

Using coal is worst option, even worse than nuclear power.

Brown coal is very dirty if you burn it in your stove. There are filters that can be used to capture most emissions of brown coal to the point that what you release is cleaner than using natural gas. And coal may contain some sulfur, not mercury.
Yes, coal has some problems but don't buy in the demonizing of coal that has happened the past 30 years.

Right wing nation? Since when is germany just right winged ? Merkel is centrist her predecessor was left winged . You have to go back to the 50's to have a right winged liberal .

Merkel is not centrist, she's right wing. Germany has a right wing coalition for government. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christi...ion_of_Germany "Christian democratic^[2][4][5] and liberal-conservative^[2] political party in Germany. It is the major catch-all party of the centre-right in German politics"
And the "center right" is applied liberally here. CDU is right wing to center right.

You're saying it as if nuclear power is something very dangerous that should be avoided, much like coal.

Coal is not dangerous. It's hazardous if you don't treat the power production right and don't use filters. What China does is a crime and doesn't mean that everyone that burns coal does it with such recklessness.

[hellheaven1987]

There are filters that can be used to capture most emissions of brown coal to the point that what you release is cleaner than using natural gas.

Blah, the "cleanest" product coal burning produces is still CO2, same as burning of natural gas; it is ridiculous to claim that is better.

And coal may contain some sulfur, not mercury.

Nope, in fact depending on the production location, coal can contain all sore of nasty stuffs from sulfur to even radiative particles.

[alhoon]

Blah, the "cleanest" product coal burning produces is still CO2, same as burning of natural gas; it is ridiculous to claim that is better.

No, with CaO filters, it doesn't produce CO2.

Cao+CO2 ---> CaCo3

Nope, in fact depending on the production location, coal can contain all sore of nasty stuffs from sulfur to even radiative particles.

Yes. But not mercury. And those particles can be captured and you can use desurfurization and get sulfur as a byproduct.

K, I'm sure all those dead miners share this sentiment.

Those dead miners are dead not because Coal mining is particularly dangerous but because their governments didn't make the narrow-minded companies that mine coal take the necessary precautions. We're not in the 1910s anymore to use canaries. Mining is one of the safest sectors in the Western world.