<p>I’m curious about what some of our internationals think.</p>
<p>Don’t really qualify as an International, but…</p>
<p>H said yesterday that his coworkers were discussing the fact that they don’t see a lot of difference between Merkel and Schroeder. Another friend says she likes Merkel, but is afraid she isn’t gutsy enough. The bit I’ve learned about her, I think I like. I admit I’m only casually interested. I don’t like Schroeder, and am hoping he’ll be replaced. I think he’s been a pawn of the (former) East German press. I was concerned because Merkel is also from the former East Germany, but was happy to hear that she was a less-than-stellar citizen then – watched by SS, denied her first job because of dissident activity, father was a minister who worked against the government, etc. I also think she’s made some tough but correct decisions in her political career.</p>
<p>She was way ahead of Schroeder in the polls, but he seems to be catching up. Not sure what will happen, but he needs to go. IMHO.</p>
<p>Anybody interested in the German election might like to look at this. It’s a fairly good summary of what happened. It will be interesting to see how it all sorts out.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.opinionjournal.com/diary/?id=110007280[/url]”>http://www.opinionjournal.com/diary/?id=110007280</a></p>
<p>A coworker of H’s said yesterday that it’s what you get when 70% of the voters get their political info from the “Bild” – a German paper similar to National Inquirer.</p>
<p>For all the complaints about our system, which has a strong “forcing function” towards two parties, I look at most multiparty systems and see chaos or disaster.</p>