Endrich.News

September 2023 >>

„WE CAN DO IT“

The saying and the author are well known. The reason was the stream of refugees who suddenly came to Germany to find work and live in peace under the protection of a democratic state.

We know that this integration has not worked out until today and has failed, for example, because of the resistance of population groups that have strictly rejected mixing with refugees from Afghanistan, from Africa, for racist and other reasons. One of the most nonsensical arguments is that they take jobs away from Germans.

Funny, foreigners are very welcome in Bundesliga soccer clubs. At the same time, we have 2 million unfilled jobs today and no idea who to fill them with.

We have an aging population, the "baby boomers" are retiring, retirement at 64 is possible. There is a large exodus from the labor market. Who should / can fill these jobs? And then there is the idea of a four-day week? Where are the workers supposed to come from?

The opponents of immigration have no solution for this. Perhaps they also don't know that this could also become a very big problem for them, because companies that want to expand will inevitably have to relocate their manufacturing operations abroad, and this threatens layoffs in Germany in the long term, especially in the lower income brackets.

This means that companies are cutting staff and the prosperity of our country is declining. In addition, there is inflation, which was deliberately triggered by the Bundesbank and especially by the European Central Bank under Mr. Draghi in order to bring lending rates to zero and thus to cheaply finance the debt of the southern European countries (Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal). Fortunately, this has already succeeded in Greece.

Now, lending rates have begun to rise (at the beginning of August 23 the key interest rates were already at 4.25%) and has stifled the construction industry again and forced many home builders to give up their dreams of owning a home to give up for the time being.

Two years ago, German voters made a decision that ultimately led to a traffic light government. Ministerial posts were determined according to proportional representation and not according to expertise. Just think of the former defense minister.

I wonder if you no longer need experience to be a politician. Every master craftsman has to prove six years of training in his trade, and in the "Ländle" you are not certified as having the necessary maturity and expertise until your 40th birthday.

Some politicians now want to change the electoral law and allow 16-year-olds to vote, some of whom may never have read a newspaper, whose political knowledge is certainly not sound. I am not sure that all young people at 16 know that there is a Basic Law and a three-tier division of powers in the legislative, executive and judiciary!

Some of the salary increases in recent months have reached exorbitant levels, certainly with good reason, because employees and workers have lost considerable purchasing power as a result of inflation, but this will then be reflected conversely in unavoidable price increases and cannot be compensated for in the short term by rationalization measures of any kind.

We all know that we still have an energy gap and have managed to get through the winter reasonably well due to the mild weather. But energy prices have increased enormously and will certainly eat up the higher income.

Our traffic light government wants to appease and promises subsidies. There are massive problems with counter-financing and it is actually not feasible at all because we no longer know who is in need or not as a result of a lack of digitalization in our administration.

Now the tax offices could certainly provide these figures if every German citizen had only one number - the tax number - and computers could be used to determine in minutes who is or is not included in the circle of the needy. To return briefly to the lack of energy: We have energy surpluses due to the wind farms in the North Sea, but we have to export them because we cannot transmit the electric current to the processing industry there due to the lack of lines to the south.

Nuclear power plants were completely closed for ideological reasons, even though we had the safest in the world and all the countries around us - starting with France, through Poland, Belgium, Switzerland, Holland, Hungary, etc. - are currently building new nuclear power plants.

Among other things, because they do not want to bury the nuclear waste at a depth of 4,000 meters in a radiationproof manner. The question may be asked: Where do our neighboring countries put their nuclear waste? How about the moon?

For many years there has been great opposition to wind turbines for sometimes flimsy reasons. Then, when in some cases the population of the communities was given a share in the yield of the wind turbines, there was only unanimous approval.

So why not do the same for power lines, which urgently need to be built to the south?

In Berlin and Brussels, they are constantly producing laws, probably as a manifestation of the raison d'être and occupational therapy of the deputies, which, however, is now forcing medium-sized companies to hire additional employees who have to fulfill the companies' reporting obligations in accordance with the law.

The hopeful words of our Chancellor Scholz, that in the future everything would become better, seems to me under these points of view nevertheless rather doubtful. Voters are becoming increasingly critical and are no longer being lulled into silence!

It would be my heartfelt wish that the politicians in the individual parties would not struggle with their ideologies, but seriously consider how they can quickly and effectively solve the existing problems of our country.And explain more to the voter why one decides how, point out and justify connections.

But this requires economic sense, respect, and not just the right party book, good connections, and ideological blindness.

Wolfgang Endrich

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endrich NEWS September 2023 EN

July 2023 >>

June 2023 >>

May 2023 >>

IDEOLOGY OR PRAGMATISM?

On Anne Will's television programme on the evening of 16 April, a group of experts had gathered and fiercely discussed the question of whether it made sense to shut down all nuclear power plants now or to allow them to continue running for safety's sake.

The fact is that the last three nuclear reactors went off the grid at midnight on 16 April. Was this sensible or should they have remained on the grid for safety reasons? After the great seaquake around Japan and the shutdown of the nuclear power plants in Fukushima, this is certainly understandable, but since the loss of gas supplies from Russia, it is an important reason to thoroughly reconsider the entire energy situation in Germany.

Nuclear power plants - yes or no - has always been an irritating topic for many in Germany, dividing Germany into two groups. The opponents of nuclear power discussed the great danger of these plants in the event of an accident, and the accidents in Chernobyl and in Fukushima had to give us food for thought. The issue of final storage has also not been resolved to this day.

On the other hand, German nuclear power plants have been the safest and best maintained power plants in the world - say the experts. Furthermore, several new nuclear power plants are being built around Germany, for example in France, Poland, Turkey, but also in Japan and the USA, which does not reduce the global threat of accidents on our globe. And Russia is playing "scoring goals" with the Zaporizhya power plant in Ukraine according to the motto "one missile will hit the target".

That is why the whole world, not only Germany, urgently needs an energy turnaround to counteract the dramatic climate changes. But MAKE - not just TALK!

The panel on Anne Will was not so sure whether we would succeed in the energy transition without risking disruptions in the energy supply. Unless we continue to accept lignite-fired power generation for many years to come. There are no other alternatives!

One has to ask oneself here whether ideology can really be allowed to triumph over prudence?

The fact is: in the future we will need more electricity for heat pumps, for e-cars, for the economy. And the hope of then getting nuclear power from France via the energy network? After all, many French nuclear power plants needed an urgent overhaul last year and could not have delivered at all. On the contrary, we delivered to France!

And solar plants and wind power stations? With the help of bureaucracy and citizens' objections, it takes up to six years.
Thanks to the liquefied gas deliveries from abroad, we just managed to turn the corner, but mainly because we had a mild winter.

No one knows what the future will look like. But one thing is certain: In Germany, the safest nuclear power plants are being closed and nuclear power is being purchased from France and other countries - is this the solution? From the point of view of danger certainly not, and our Chancellor's wish that the energy turnaround should now be tackled very energetically by expanding solar energy plants and wind power plants could also get caught in the undergrowth of the regulation jungle.

And then?

We have already fallen victim to the wishful thinking of a secure energy supply!

The energy transition must come - there is no doubt about that because climate change does not stop at our wishes, but a power blackout - even if only for hours - would also be a disaster.

But keeping the lignite-fired power plants running is also a disaster! The panel of experts around Anne Will was also sure that there is a residual risk that we have now accepted, which could have been avoided through more pragmatism, at least for Germany. And after that, nevertheless, another residual risk still remains: namely, defective power plants abroad.

And the glaciers will continue to melt for the time being, as will the polar ice. We will also have to get used to dry rivers, lakes and parched fields. Water could then also become a scarce commodity, and not just electrical energy.

Only our children and grandchildren will know what the right path would have been.

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endrich NEWS - May 2023

endrich NEWS - May 2023

April 2023 >>

ALLOW ME: I AM A COLLECTOR OR TRIPLE USER Wolfgang Endrich You read correctly – I am a collector. My grandfather was a government inspector, that is the highest rank in the lowest class, above there were the "studied", but by profession he was a surveyor, who after the war in the rural area around Stuttgart was significant in the land consolidation, which had the goal to bring the fields of the individual farms, which were fragmented by the succession of the last centuries, together again reasonably, so that the travel distances for the farmers were not longer than the field work.

From this said grandfather I inherited a box, which I still own today. In it are old, rusted nails, a horseshoe, screws, nuts and the like. And when I asked him what he wanted with this old junk, he said laconically: "You never know if you can use it again”.

And when I now see beautiful bottles or jars with caps in the supermarket, filled with food or ready meals, of course, I am heartily sorry to just throw them in the trash - much to the amazement of those around me.

Why I mention this: today we have completely lost the feeling of reusing articles of daily use, a throwaway mentality of "ex and hop" prevails.

Our highly industrialized society today wants beautiful, attractively packaged products, e.g. beverages or food, but they have only one purpose, to attract the customer and make him buy.

But exactly this should lead today in our generation to a change of mind, because one could change so much immediately, if one only wanted. E.g. collect the plastic parts or cardboard / paper, aluminium cans and glass consistently, possibly provide with a deposit and reuse. The same applies to all electronic waste from televisions, radios, cell phones, etc. This could successfully prevent the pollution of the world's oceans with plastic parts or thus waste dumps.

The sad thing is that the awareness of the value of these products has been lost in our generation. Yet tricky solutions could contribute a great deal to waste prevention.

To name just a few examples: a general deposit requirement for all packaging containing glass or metal. A few decades ago, there were very imaginative solutions, e.g. numbering the crown corks of bottles for which prizes of some kind were offered, i.e. a lottery.

But you could print information on the inside of cardboard packaging, which is not printed anyway, for example for older people, e.g. puzzles of any kind or instructions for use or cooking recipes, explanations on how to operate or program your TV or cell phone properly. This is already done on Norwegian AQUAVIT bottles.

Decades ago, there were booklets, albums, comics or books on and about various topics that were eagerly collected. And today - as I said - ex and hop. TIKTOK, YouTube, Instagram send their regards.

I understand, of course, that our mass society is dependent on generating mass consumption, because otherwise the required turnover with corresponding profits would not be feasible or labour would be released. But - we also have to stop pollution and the consumption of resources!

Why is it not possible to develop a feeling for resource conservation in our schools, but unfortunately also among many adults?

Ideas are needed now to get us consumers to change our thinking in general.

I believe that only if it costs something, it does have some value for the consumer; admonitions are pretty ineffective. But resource conservation must now become the goal of our society. Clever ideas are needed!

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endrich NEWS - April 2023 en

March 2023 >>

Don't talk, but act!

Yes, we managed to make three liquefied gas terminals on our coasts ready for service within the shortest possible time. The speed was spectacular. Despite laws, regulations and concerns. The impossible became reality. But what about the many laws and regulations that makes our daily lives almost unbearable? We constantly get reports on TV about new unnecessary laws and regulations. For example, think of the whistleblower law, which is now on hold for the moment, the supply chain law, the dispute over whether to support highways or rather federal railroads, the problems with applications for new solar and wind energy parks, which make investors almost hopeless due to a wall of possible lawsuits, and then the processing times until approval. In Berlin, they say, it takes months before you can get married!

Our politicians, including the previous government, had promised to clear this jungle of laws. Unfortunately, nothing has been done until today. Or another example: If an investor has two buildings and the roof of one building is covered with solar power cells, the opposite building, which is only separated by a road, is not allowed to be supplied with the same solar power, or if one wants to install a floating solar power system on a small pond, this is also not approved because there is no experience yet how the fish underneath would take it! Ha, ha! Kidding? No, sadly true.

You cannot avoid a good thermal insulation in a new building, even though you would have the damage anyway due to higher energy costs. Or the speed limits on the highways, forgetting that we are now supposed to switch to electric cars, which do not produce any CO2. Where is the motivation then, with all that horsepower? The sense of logic is missing here.

The social problems are also there. Yes, we have many citizens who are living in a poverty situation. We can't target them and support them because there is no database about them. Or, for example, our tax numbers. We all have at least two numbers. Why is it not possible to harmonize this and streamline administration through a digital process? We don't know which student doesn't need help because he has rich parents and which one can't study because he doesn't have the money, or the apartment rents are too high.

We have plenty of ministries. The question you have to ask yourself is: what are these people doing? What is shameful is that the German armed forces procurement office would really deserve another name: that is, order-preventing-institution. Because of this, we are missing clothing, weapons, and even warm socks and bulletproof clothing for our soldiers.

Every CEO would be fired if his company were in such chaos as our administration.

Nothing against our civil servants, who hardly dare to make their own decisions because they might be punished for it. They prefer certificates drawn up on the lines of protection, which cost the taxpayers billions.

In fact, only the consulting firms and lobbyists get the benefit of this, and it doesn’t help to increase legal certainty either. Ludwig Erhard is regarded as the father of the social market economy, and he led Germany on a free-market course, resulting in the so-called economic miracle.

If we had had the restraints in the economy as they are today, this miracle would not have happened. Individual initiative must be supported, and prudence must be given priority. Besides that, our EU lawmakers in Brussels also play a major role in the jungle of laws.

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endrich NEWS - March 2023 en

endrich NEWS - March 2023

February 2023 >>

Supply Chain Act: QUO VADIS?

The Supply Chain Act means that all importers with a headcount of 1,000 or more will be required to engage with their foreign suppliers. For example, in Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, to ensure that employees are working under humane conditions in safe workplaces and that a fair salary is paid. Occupational health and safety laws are in short supply!

But if you know the situation in the Far East better, you know that in numerous instances these are almost impossible demands. Suppliers feel that their freedom is being restricted, and in some cases, they also have sub-suppliers, so that it is almost impossible to fulfill the requested information according to the law. It is felt to be improper to publish such company data and to allow strangers to control their own company.

We know, however, that there are very regularly lacks in the compliance with safety regulations and sometimes chaotic conditions exist in the factories’, furthermore often famished wages are paid. Of course, these are completely unacceptable conditions for us and our standards. But the local governments probably see things differently.

Perhaps we should look at this situation from the other side: We, that is, the consumers from Germany, but also from Europe or the USA, want low prices, for example in the textile and electronics industries. That's why Apple manufactures its cell phones in the Far East, or why we buy cotton from Kazakhstan and have it worked and even made up there. In other words, we have deliberately shifted production from Europe to the Far East, where it is nice and cheap. And these countries are on the drip of exports and need export income.

Since colonial times, where England, Spain and Portugal, exploited the countries in South America and India, not too much has changed. Our prosperity is at the expense of these supplier countries.

In my opinion, this is called exploitation. Our argumentation, on the other hand, is quite simple: by this transfer of industry to the Far East, we are giving the people who live there an opportunity to earn an income in the first place, thus helping them to avoid hunger, infant mortality, boundless unemployment and hopelessness. But the rights of the women are still limited.

And we appear as good people and demand, for example at the Olympiad in Doha, more rights for the women. Do we want to delight the whole world with our know-it-all attitude?

Because Asia is different! Other religions, very old rites and customs still determine life there, and we should learn to understand and respect that.

The old teachers of economics like Keynes and others were right about "change through trade". But crises, like Corona and war, were not included. Added to this was the shutdown of air and sea transport. Many containers of Christmas products are still stored in Chinese ports today. And now we feel our total dependency on Far East supplies, such as medicines, raw materials and others.
"Cheapness is just not cool!!!" Politics and business have finally woken up. The "turn off the times" has changed many things.

And what about the supply chain law? The EU had much better recall it. No one will miss this law. Neither is the global economy doing any better.

One thing should become clear to us: we will have to make cuts from the level of living standard we have enjoyed so far because the consequences of previous policies are now becoming painfully clear.