The following op-ed by Michael Stürzenberger was originally published at Politically Incorrect. Many thanks to JLH for the translation.
Oppermann: CDU Complicit in AfD’s Strengthening
by Michael Stürzenberger
The SPD party chief Thomas Oppermann is accusing CDU’s Chancellor Merkel of an anemic conservative profile, which has led to the strengthening of the AfD. Long-established conservatives no longer have a political home in the CDU, he said, leaving millions of voters to migrate to the AfD. The increase for the AfD is attributable, above all, to the fact that the government has been the picture of helplessness and chaos in the refugee crisis. In saying that, Oppermann is also being self-critical, for the SPD, as part of the grand coalition, shares in the responsibilities of the government.
In focus.de, we read:
The SPD party chief Thomas Oppermann has criticized the-less-than conservative course of Chancellor Angela Merkel and called it complicit in the strengthening of the AfD. “Long-time conservatives no longer have a home in the CDU,” said the Social Democrat in Welt am Sonntag. “Merkel is making millions of citizens politically homeless. That is a serious dereliction of duty and a reason for non-extreme voters to move to the AfD.”
Oppermann is thus assuming the arguments of conservatives in the Union.[1] Of course, until recently, his party has complained about just the opposite in the Union. SPD vice chair, Ralf Stegner, recently criticized the CSU sharply for getting chummy with the AfD and, to some extent, taking on its mottoes. “And the CDU does nothing,” Stegner complained in an interview with the German Press Agency.
So the hacking and stabbing of Super Election Year 2016 has begun. It is more than a little significant how much the growth of the AfD worries the SPD. A competition is swelling here that is not prepared to bend to the politically correct mainstream. And simultaneously, the leftward-drifting CDU is taking voters from the SPD, so it makes sense from Oppermann’s point of view to criticize his coalition partner’s insufficiently conservative profile. The political landscape is livening up, and that is characteristic of parliamentary democracy in which the parties compete for the favor of the voters.
But occurring again and again, among the politically incorrect, are the terms “system,” “black-red-green unity party of Germany,” “Gleichschaltung” [Nazi-speak for forcible coordination], “quasi-dictatorship” and “GDR 2.0” — and recently on Michael Mannheimer’s blog. Is this an appropriate analysis of the present situation or a great exaggeration?
There are certainly sufficient grounds for serious criticism, since many politicians lie when talking of Islam, asylum, refugees, immigration and the EU. So do many of the media, especially those owned by the state. Criminality among foreigners is to be kept as quiet as possible, laws are serially disregarded and the EU is in substantial difficulties.
But can we actually speak of a collective “system” that is at work here? That is working — cooperatively, intentionally, beyond parties and media — towards the “abolition of Germany”? According to a secret master plan, like a “new world order,” possibly directed from abroad, by the USA or secret forces in the background?
Critics of political correctness and the present mainstream trend must make sure to be taken seriously and not be classified as “conspiracy theorists.” At the end of this last year, PI put the question of whether there is a comprehensive system of Germany abrogators, and the response from 82% of PI readers was “Yes”. The question should be made more specific: Is this system — aside from the known leftist anti-patriots — centrally organized, spanning parties and media?
We must not forget that there are myriad exceptions in this self-imposed principle of political correctness which was installed in politics and the media by leftist opinion-makers. More and more politicians and journalists are no longer willing to accommodate themselves to this mainstream — especially in view of recent developments — and dare to contradict it. Even when a storm of hypocritical leftist outrage wells up in proportion to the dosage of contradiction.
Even if there were a “system” of forced conformity, the following questions would have to be answered:
How is this “system” constituted politically? Only of the “Black-Red-Green Unity Party of Germany” i.e., CDU/CSU/SPD/GREENS, or are the LEFT, FDP, even AfD included?
How does this “system” function? Do they all meet in secret circles and make agreements?
What are this “system’s” intentions. Perhaps the abrogation of Germany?
What does this “system” want, after its goal is achieved?
Is the entire landscape of the press “gleichgeschaltet”?
How does this “Gleichschaltung” function? Is there already a superordinated propaganda ministry?
Some people are already talking about a “current quasi-dictatorship” — does that mean that all elections and surveys are being manipulated?
Is this “system” operating self-sufficiently in Germany or is it directed from abroad, maybe from the EU or the USA?
How can this “system” be overcome? Maybe with a popular uprising — an armed revolutionary putsch? Occupation of the Bundestag? Jailing the representatives?
And what comes next?
These are all unavoidable questions in a discussion of the “system.” If they cannot be answered definitively, the whole thing may be classified as a conspiracy theory.
It is my firm opinion that there is no organized “system” working collectively beyond party bounds. That is more a point of view represented by the NPD [neo-Nazis], the Rights, The IIIrd Way & Co. As in the era of the Weimar Republic, these groups are interested in an abrogation of the hated party system — a revolution, a kind of “enabling ordinance” to dissolve the other parties and set up a German nationalist dictatorship with a Germanic population.
It is very dangerous when such elements infiltrate the Islam-critical movement and maintain influence on opinion-making.
1. The CDU/CSU.
Is there an entrenched systemic conspiracy at work? If one asked the same question in 1917 in Russia, the answer would have to be NO, because the Communist conspiracy to appropriate power had not yet succeeded. But ask the same question a few years later and the answer would be YES, because Communist rule was by then entrenched.
What we can see in the EU is two power struggles. One is the EU power elite’s attempt to strengthen the position of the supra-national EU in relation to its member states. The second is the struggle between the proponents of multi-culturalism against those who wish to maintain national identities rooted in their history. The two issues overlap in that those who oppose PC multi-culturalism also oppose the supra-national EU. They are political conservatives in the true sense of wanting to CONSERVE.
Michael Sturzenberger seems to be implying that Far Right-wing parties are not only seeking to conserve the national values they see under attack, but to overturn the whole democratic system and replace it with a Nazi-style dictatorship. Hopefully conservative parties like the AfD will be able to attract enough voters so as to marginalize the Far Right.
The threat to democracy today comes from the Left. Freedom of speech is under attack everywhere. People who are outspoken critics lose jobs, are prosecuted (like Michael Sturzenberg) and the new Left-wing orthodoxy of PC controls education and all government. Step by step, the Left is installing a Dictatorship.
In the 1930s we had the Nazis attain power in a time of economic collapse, by demonizing the Communists. Now we have the opposite case. The Left is demonizing the conservatives in an equally formidable situation of economic decline (due to Welfare State economics and the monopolizing manipulations of the global financiers – many of whom support the Left, like Soros, Gates and Buffett). Their ‘conspiracy’ is to gain more power at the expense of democratic accountability. Once they have succeeded, then we will have the Dictatorship of the Socialist Left-Monopolist Financial Cartel Axis! We’re well down that path already.
“Some people are already talking about a “current quasi-dictatorship” — does that mean that all elections and surveys are being manipulated?” I think yes, elections and surveys are being manipulated. Does anyone really think that the establishment is going to lose gracefully?
Social democracy is socialist as well. I think the Germans who migrate to this SPD party are making a mistake! The German political landscape looks the same to my country, and our Portuguese confreres: socialists everywhere, no choice. If I were the Germans would seek an alternative outside the political sphere, because the Social Democracy is part of the Socialist International, if this is the best choice for the Germans, I recommend that they engage in changing the policy framework because this choice is so bad as the CDU, which apparently is socialist as well.
Of this German reformist party: I do not think this party is a good thing in the first place – they have close ties with the British Conservative Party, which is also leftist. In shallow party description, call it populist right-wing party; I’m almost agreeing with this, as in the political aspect, in the early years the focus of the party was only issues related to the economy. Also, if they have political leadership, which they did during all this time? They support the pegida directly, or they do rodeos? Issues related to gay “marriage”, and immigration are very easy to approach to gain notoriety. But in practice is that things change! The British Conservative Party went against all claims of British Christians. I would ask more wisdom of the Germans.