First Congressional Agenda
![Germany](http://www.erepublik.net/images/flags_png/S/Germany.png)
Justin Tyme
Elections are nearly over, and as expected the Social Democrats have taken congress. Now that we have an actual government, some issues need immediate addressing:
- The Tax Rates. Currently, there is a 90% VAT tax on food. This explains the high cost of food, and with a 35% income tax, food is nearly unaffordable for the lower dregs of society. Congress needs to immediately lower the VAT tax to under 10% at LEAST, and on top of that lower income taxes to something like 15%. By simply doing this, food prices can be reduced and poverty alleviated. Moving tickets are also heavily taxed; but that is not as high of a priority.
- Hospitals, Defense, and Job Creation. At the end of the war, all liberated regions lost their hospitals. If Germany ever enters a war, this will cripple national defense. There are a few options:
A. Provide loans to hospital companies that the companies will pay back in product., paying for all wages and resources. When the hospital is complete, the company will sell it back to Germany for .001 DM, thus repaying the loan.
B. Import hospitals
There's an opportunity here to kill two birds with one stone: Instead of importing hospitals, why not subsidize companies IN GERMANY, and create more low-skill jobs? Part of the reason unemployment is so high is because companies don't hire on low-skilled workers. If the government
encourages entrepreneurs by offering starting fee and operational loans, more jobs will be created.
The same goes for Defense Industries, however the party platform is nationalized defense, so a government entity will control the Q5 defense industry in charge of that. I'll elaborate on this defense plan in a day or so. But hospitals need wood; government can encourage wood industry if needed. Bavaria will be our wood capital- and wood companies can provide a good source of necessary jobs for the lower, unskilled classes of Germany. How this industry is developed will depend on the circumstances and how much initiative general managers take.
- Foreign Relations. We of course need to set up a line with Poland and reach a higher degree of mutual respect, as Poland will likely be a major neighbor of Germany. Another neighbor to the north, Sweden, also must be negotiated with. Sweden still holds German territory, and according to the original plans, all regions except for Schleswig-Holstein are to be turned over to Germany. I also feel that it would be in our best interests if Germany is to set up a MPP with Sweden, but that debate will come later with the new President.
If Congress can address these three issues, then it will have been a successful session. Of course other issues will arise that congress will need to attend to, but these three issues are currently the most pressing.
Comments
We need more jobs for level 0 skill. this is one on the reasons new citizens wont last long beacause of the higher food prices and no opportunity to get a job. There could also possibly be a government company like there are in Czech Republik ( where i used to live for my first month) which do food and grain for cheap
Most people are against nationalizing anything other than state defense; however, there will literally be no difference in what kind of work/pay people get other than who owns the means of production. It's the pockets of a few wealthy individuals versus the national treasury and well-being; which is better for Germany? A few rich CEOs, or a productive German state with cheap food and plenty of hospitals?
We can bring up the issue of nationalization in the future for a proper debate before we do any socializing outside of the defense industry.
Definitely we have to set up a MPP with Sweden, otherwise, we could be labeled like Finland. We have to show our intentions with facts, MPP with Sweden, and even with Poland, why not?.
I really hope that we can set up a new Germany, a strong and sociable eGermany.
Sorry need to work but I will write today about defense system (we already have a q5 defense system here in eGermany) first steps in my opinion:
1. minimum wages to 1 DEM
2. lower food taxes
I definitely agree that lowering food taxes should be one of the first steps. But, you also talk about high unemployment among low-skilled workers and thus I agree with DKN that minimum wages should be lowered immediately. One problem is that no one is willing to accept high prices. Most people here favour some sort of "cent economy" with very low prices.
This attitude made GMs look for high-skilled workers right from the beginning, especially at a minimum wage of 5 DEM, which they expect to be a rather high wage in the near future.
In my opinion we should try to get away from this "low wages - low prices" thinking.
Companies need supplies, and if congress grants a few start-up loans to needed businesses, we could get things going even faster. The plan mentioned could work, but another idea is to let Germany have a major stake in said company until either the loan is repaid (with interest), or the project the company was created for is completed.
It is the only way to restore the prestige of a New Holy Roman State