Random political thought thread.

[Red Herring]

According to the ministry for culture 30.7% of all firstgraders at elementary schools in the state of Bavaria do not speak German as their first language. In Munich it is 53.7%.

 

[Coriolis]

According to the ministry for culture 30.7% of all firstgraders at elementary schools in the state of Bavaria do not speak German as their first language. In Munich it is 53.7%.

What languages do they speak?

 

[Red Herring]

What languages do they speak?

Turks are (and have been for half a century) the largest ethnic minority, followed by Russians that came here in the 90s, but these two groups are relatively well integrated and usually bilingual from the start. I'd have to look up the numbers, but my guess would be that Arabic, Ukrainian/Russian and Pashto/Dari would be the most widespread languages among recent migrants.

EDIT: I apparently forgot Poland which is actually the second largest group after Turkey and before Russia. They don't really stick out And I am not aware of any issues language related or otherwise. And if you add Russia and Kazachstan (and a few former members of the Soviet Union) together that is actually the largest group. There are also some Southern European former migrant workers from the 50s-70s that morphed into the general population pretty quickly. There are quite a lot of recent arrivals from Afghanistan, Syria and Ukraine, but also quite a few refugees from all over the African continent that all came here during the last ten or twenty years but often have a complicated legal status and might be sent back to their country of origin after a few years.

As you can see this is a very mixed bag. Some might have highly educated parents and others parents that are illiterate (I talked with an Afghan lady a few months ago who told me how her husband who couldn't read or write in his native language had a hard time learning a new one let alone help his kids with it - she herself had enjoyed a formal education, spoke some English and was actively working in her German). Some are third or fourth generation and some just got here. Some have war trauma and some might hope to soon return and thus see no point in integrating while others want to start a new life here. Some think female teachers carry no authority and boys don't have to listen to them. Some think this entire place is rigged and see any kind of institution as the enemy. Others idealize it. Recent migrants applying for asylum are not legally allowed to work and of course there is discrimination, so migration correlates with poverty (in addition, many recent refugees from Afghanistan or the Middle East are young males which is the most vulnerable demographic for crimes and misdemeanors) which leads to mistrust in the system which can lead to poor educational performance which leads to more poverty.

Germany also suffers from a severe shortage of teachers. And there is a housing crises. So the situation can be a little tense.

I am generally pro-migration. Definitely when it is qualified people wanting to work, we need those urgently. And we should continue to take in war refugees (preferably within a fair European distribution system). Primarily because that is a humanitarian obligation and while it might cost money and cause problems short term, we'd even benefit longterm. They need language classes and social housing and dedicated social workers and a lot more publically funded help through to successfully set foot here. People fleeing from poverty are a bit more complicated, since we don't really have a regulated system for people who have no skills and no education to contribute and are not in immediate danger at home. Maybe a Quota system? really don't know.

 

[Red Herring]

P.S.: Eastern Europeans are usually very well integrated and well accepted in mainstream society. The only issue I have with some of them is that as a demographic Russian or Kazach migrants tend to vote far-right and often support Putin.

 

[Virtual ghost]

 

[SensEye]

That video is a bit of a misnomer. By 'overtaking' I think he means Biden 'caught up' to Trump in the polls. I think the anti-abortion crazy is starting to tell. Even Trump is moderating his stance. Trump has some savvy in sensing which way the wind is blowing.

I'm not buying that Trump's legal issues or campaign funding has much to do with it but who knows. Much as I have zero respect for Biden, Trump is a greater evil, so I hope the Dems pull it out.

 

[The Cat]

 

[Red Herring]

P.S.: Eastern Europeans are usually very well integrated and well accepted in mainstream society. The only issue I have with some of them is that as a demographic Russian or Kazach migrants tend to vote far-right and often support Putin.

Aaaand today's breaking news involves two Russian-Germans arrested for military espionage and planned acts of sabotage.

 

[Virtual ghost]

2024 House Election Map

New consensus map is out.

 

[Virtual ghost]

2024 Senate Election Map

New consensus map.

 

[The Cat]

 

[The Cat]

 

[The Cat]

Bonza​

 

[ceecee]

Here in Michigan, they ousted the totally insane, black female (DEI hire obviously) GOP chair and got an oldie but a goodie, regular white, Dutch Reformed, far right winger (with his own far right non-profit thinktank) to run the party. He said there is nothing for GOP campaigns, nothing for staff, zero money. Oh and they also owe a lot of money to various banks. I lol at the idea of him having to cut Trump a 5% check. I mean, Trump did make him ambassador the Hague and in his first week in The Netherlands, pissed off the media, the Muslims and the King. That has to be a record.

US ambassador to The Hague apologizes for making Muslim remarks after denial

Pete Hoekstra says statements about Muslim migrants in the Netherlands were ‘simply wrong’ after last month telling a TV interviewer they were ‘fake news’

www.theguardian.com

 

[The Cat]

Here in Michigan, they ousted the totally insane, black female (DEI hire obviously) GOP chair and got an oldie but a goodie, regular white, Dutch Reformed, far right winger (with his own far right non-profit thinktank) to run the party. He said there is nothing for GOP campaigns, nothing for staff, zero money. Oh and they also owe a lot of money to various banks. I lol at the idea of him having to cut Trump a 5% check. I mean, Trump did make him ambassador the Hague and in his first week in The Netherlands, pissed off the media, the Muslims and the King. That has to be a record.

US ambassador to The Hague apologizes for making Muslim remarks after denial

Pete Hoekstra says statements about Muslim migrants in the Netherlands were ‘simply wrong’ after last month telling a TV interviewer they were ‘fake news’

www.theguardian.com

None of those words make sense when you string them together like that. It's like saying "Honest Billionare" or "Non greedy Corporation", "Flat earthers" and "Disney Adult."

 

[Virtual ghost]

As you know I am not a Trump fan. However here I just have to disagree and that means that I actually think this is good idea in the terms of campaign organization. In the case that he is looking for 30% that could cause problems. However 5% really shouldn't make that much of a hole. Especially because if Trump is doing well that will surely have down ballot effect and that 5% should more than pay itself off. Therefore this video was evidently made by a man who believes that "we are all individuals", or something among those lines. However this game can be played differently while still getting job done. The goal is evidently to take higher offices first and later will be enough time take local level ones. After all it is evident that Republican transformation of the country is designed to have top-down structure. Not the other way around. Therefore in that sense this makes perfect sense. You first take the hill and from there you shell targets with clarity.


I know that this is "devil's advocate" post but I think that this had to be said. In the case that collectivism doesn't work we would now be living in a pretty different world than the one we are living.

 

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

Here in Michigan, they ousted the totally insane, black female (DEI hire obviously) GOP chair and got an oldie but a goodie, regular white, Dutch Reformed, far right winger (with his own far right non-profit thinktank) to run the party. He said there is nothing for GOP campaigns, nothing for staff, zero money. Oh and they also owe a lot of money to various banks. I lol at the idea of him having to cut Trump a 5% check. I mean, Trump did make him ambassador the Hague and in his first week in The Netherlands, pissed off the media, the Muslims and the King. That has to be a record.

US ambassador to The Hague apologizes for making Muslim remarks after denial

Pete Hoekstra says statements about Muslim migrants in the Netherlands were ‘simply wrong’ after last month telling a TV interviewer they were ‘fake news’

www.theguardian.com

His ambassador to Denmark was in a movie called Deathstalker and the Warriors from Hell.

Carla Sands - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[The Cat]

His ambassador to Denmark was in a movie called Deathstalker and the Warriors from Hell.

Carla Sands - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Oh Yeah! Wild.

 

[Virtual ghost]

4 House primaries to watch in Pennsylvania

 

[Virtual ghost]

California talks universal health care … again