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applegrove

(118,021 posts)
Wed Jun 19, 2013, 06:42 PM Jun 2013

"America Can Take a Lesson From Germany"

America Can Take a Lesson From Germany

By Scott N. Paul at Real Clear Politics

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2013/06/19/america_can_take_a_lesson_from_germany_118869.html

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Its transformation was no miracle, though. By carefully following a national industrial strategy, Germany has been demonstrating President Obama’s first-term observation that a healthy economy successfully emphasizes both consumption and production.

Unfortunately, U.S. industrial policy has been adrift for the past decade and has overlooked Germany’s vital example. Instead, there are frequent pronouncements that regulatory red tape, expensive labor, and a restrictive energy policy are serious impediments to growth.

It should be incredibly instructive, however, that manufacturing is absolutely thriving in regulation-thick Germany. Despite strong unionization and a focus on green energy, manufacturing accounts for 23 percent of that nation’s GDP -- far more than the 12 percent share American manufacturing represents -- and German workers earn an average of $47 an hour, far eclipsing the $36 per hour of U.S. manufacturing counterparts.

With encouragement from its political leaders and financial institutions, the American economy has spent the last 15 years consuming and paying its way on credit. In sharp contrast, Germany has invested heavily in its ability to produce. It reworked its education system to guarantee manufacturers access to a skilled workforce through trade apprenticeship programs. It funded dozens of applied science research institutes that nurture advanced manufacturing projects. It assured access to funding for many small- and medium-sized manufacturing firms via municipal banks. And the German government works with its powerful national unions to identify smart capital investments and resolve workforce issues.


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"America Can Take a Lesson From Germany" (Original Post) applegrove Jun 2013 OP
only its not despite the unions, but because of strong unions, unions are not a dirty word there Monkie Jun 2013 #1
Yes We Scan Politicalboi Jun 2013 #2
America won't be taking any lessons from Germany because it has no interest in learning Nay Jun 2013 #3
 

Monkie

(1,301 posts)
1. only its not despite the unions, but because of strong unions, unions are not a dirty word there
Wed Jun 19, 2013, 06:52 PM
Jun 2013

good article though.
i think what is relevant in germany is the belief in the social contract stil exists, something that is under attack by the megacorps with the threat of outsourcing.
companies need happy workers, healthy workers, happy workers are productive workers.

Nay

(12,051 posts)
3. America won't be taking any lessons from Germany because it has no interest in learning
Wed Jun 19, 2013, 07:23 PM
Jun 2013

how to develop a truly successful economy or society -- it is only interested in how to hoover up more money into the 1% of rich assholes' pockets.

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