| Submit your comments on this article |
| Home Front Economy |
| Step 1: Go on German dole. Step 2: Surrender your car? |
| 2006-10-10 |
| Jobless Germans could be forced to surrender anything but the cheapest of cars to keep their benefit payments flowing, if a plan by conservative politicians goes ahead. The latest bid to make drawing Germany's traditionally generous social benefits less attractive would see the long-term unemployed forced to shun high-end "Vorsprung Durch Technik" Audi convertibles, BMWs and Mercedes S Class cars for distinctly lesser models. The Christian Democrat MPs' plans, leaked this week to a German news magazine, would put a limit of €10,000 (£6,750) on the value of cars owned by the unemployed - and restrict car ownership to one per (unemployed) household. Anything ritzier would have to be sold. |
| Posted by:Seafarious |
| #5 Having lived in Germany for three years, courtesy of Uncle Sugar, I know that the Germans love their cars as much as Americans, but not necessarily the same way as Americans. So will this be met with a shrug or rioting in the streets? Beats me. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2006-10-10 13:52 |
| #4 Solution: "sell" your Audio Roadster to a friend or family member, and then "borrow" it whenever you feel like stepping out in style. |
| Posted by: Elmimp Ulolush3893 2006-10-10 07:45 |
| #3 Gonna run on Russian natural gas and wind power. Better hope the meteorological and political winds keep blowing in the right direction. |
| Posted by: phil_b 2006-10-10 02:52 |
| #2 Germany, or at least the German Govt., also allegedly/reportedly wants to close down all of its domestic nuke energy plants by Year 2015 - does this mean the German/Euro-Lefties want Germany to begin using those oil, gas, and coal, etc. natural resources Terra Firma is supposed to be running out of??? |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2006-10-10 02:36 |
| #1 HHHHMMMMMMM, the Chicoms are allegedly/reportedly moving towards private ownership of Western-style automobiles - meanwhile, the Germans move from cars towards BICYCLES. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2006-10-10 02:32 |