Quote:To be clear, our aid project most likely will be the budget surplus project of my Administration and the last Leesburg Administration.  It was worth doing so we did it And glad we did.
 
So by no stretch of the imagination are we are looking around for new ways to spend revenue at present.  Fortunately many years of economic growth and prudent budgeting means there are funds in the normal budget for continuing some existing initiatives.
 
There are funds for a new nuclear energy power plant which is quite likely, funds for incentivizing electrical and biofuel vehicle use, and funds for reviewing government participation in the diamond industry.

Quote:Not now.  We are running on our record, our long held values and our loyalty to our albeit somewhat narrow constituency with those in place.  After the next election, win or lose, NDZP will see some new leadership emerging. DSDP felt they needed it now; our plans are different.

5639 Election: DSDP and NDZP Tied, TLD Surges and Becomes Kingmaker
September 5639

The Electoral Results. OOC: due to a rounding error, JSU is mistakenly shown at 2.6%, but it is at 2.5%

Quote:I think there are two parts to an answer to that.  Where does DRF actually stand on war is one.  All of us oppose the Bundesrepublik entering or supporting a war of aggression.  All of us.  How about a defensive war or a Defence Ministry budget to make defending the Bundesrepublik possible? Some oppose even that but a majority of which I am a part  favor those steps.
 
What about increases in military budget. As indicated some oppose there being one at all but most of us favor there being one which the vast majority believe is at least adequate and maybe could use some trimming.
 
So what are we doing in government.  As former Chancellor Kleinfelder pointed out, the Extean  defensive military support was expensive.  One way to get the economy back to normal is cut government benefits for individuals. Very tempting to many in politics. Very tempting.  As one notable conservative once said, “If you had any gumption at all, you would go out and inherit a department store.”
 
That’s what DRF campaigned on, not cutting individual benefits. Not cutting any. DRF decided as a minority party, growing but minority, we could have more influence on the actual course of the legislation as part of a center left government than we would have continuing as a voice crying wolf in the wilderness.
 
And in a fluke, personally I am serving as Defence Minister. And doing so entirely within the parameters of the DRF majority thinking concerning war and defense therefrom.

DSDP Wins Federal Election
October 5643

DSDP Supporters in Dunburg last night.

1. DSDP: 28,3% and 180 seats
   
2. NDZP: 26,8% and 171 seats
   
3. TLD: 16,7% and 104 seats
   
4. GPP: 13,2% and 81 seats
   
5. DRF: 12,7% and 78 seats
   
6. JSU: 2,3% and 16 seats (remember JSU contests the election only in Julstoch, where it got 35,5%)
   

Juliane Offenbach Elected Federal President
April 5644

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Juliane Offenbach at the start of the new Bundestag session, last November.

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Quote:Several things actually.  We have long had some differences developing within the DRF.  All of us are Metzists.  Some have always wanted to be a party of advocates of the Metzist vision including takeover of the state. In the Bundesrepublik, this faction has grown weary of compromise, wants advocacy of state ownership of all the means of production including all the military contractors and all the diamond industry and wants trade only with Metzist nations and disarmament.  And they are tired of the pragmatists. Very tired.
 
And as the Defense Minister I am the primary pragmatist target of the purists.  But not the only one. Discussions were frank and involved much criticism – self criticism as well as clarification of where we all really stood.
 
Two decisions were made.  Karl-Heinrich Muller, currently the Grosvic party secretary, will lead the DRF  into the next election as a pure Metzist party which not be part of  any government that includes parties antithetical to socialist principles.
 
Those of who are considered pragmatists will not stand for election as DRF.  We may well form a Metzist party that wants to work within a parliamentary framework for democracy and emphasizes securing decent statutory benefits for all citizens, sexual freedom and a much greener Terra. Much greener than the DRF has ever officially suggested. Much.
 
Be that as it may, Ursula Hoepner is drafting documents necessary to form a new party should the withdrawing pragmatists actually want to stand for seats in the Bundestag.

Quote:We do have things in common. We both support traditional social values, religious freedom, balanced budgets, free trade, an effective and modern defense force, and respect for national sovereignty.
 
We both started in the same position; we many years ago; they much more recently.  Pro business, pro church, traditional values.  The fundamental difference at the outset was they are pro business and particularly big business while we are pro religion and the traditional community.
 
So at some point we found the needs and well being of the parishioners of our churches diverging from the needs of large corporate complexes.  Most noticeably in our decision to protect the safety net even if that meant taxes including corporate taxes could not be cut.  Also TLD is really serious about less and less regulation of commerce and industry while NDZP feels the citizenry should be protected from predatory commercial and financial assaults on their earnings, from unsafe working conditions and environmentally destructive practices.
 
Also, there is the pragmatic consideration of the actual economy of the Bundesrepublik.  Both TLD and NDZP favor private ownership over public ownership of the means  of production.  For TLD, this is an absolute. NDZP recognizes that over rather short periods of time the actual lawful practice in our nation has been abrupt and disruptive  and accordingly believes both should be permitted and abrupt changes avoided.  NDZP believes its steadfast adherence to this position in conjunction with other parties of like mind has helped stabilize our economy and promoted growth.
 
So we are not going to merge.  But since we do have much in common we will support each other’s presidential candidates and as first choice see if after an election we can together form a governing center right coalition recognizing this may often not be the case and recognizing that is the practice among the center and center left parties.
 
But think it is fair to say we have renewed our friendship and our respect for each other’s viewpoint.
 
Karlotte Teitelbaum, who was our most recent presidential candidate, will lead NDZP into the next election.