Merkel At Davos

I sat in on Angela Merkel's plenary address yesterday afternoon, which I gather is getting rave reviews for her tough talk about making Europe "competitive" again: taking on labor, reducing bureaucratic overhead, lowering taxes. She spoke entirely off the cuff, and in German -- despite apparently speaking English quite well -- and I suppose it was an impressive show, though there's a certain generality to almost all political speechmaking that turns me off. I've long thought that some combination of a talented politician and a talented speechwriter could revolutionize the way politicians give speeches. Not that I want them to sound like Jed Bartlett -- more like Steve Jobs, I suppose.

After Merkel spoke they brought on a panel of CEOs to engage with her, including Michael Dell and Henry McKinnell, CEO of Pfizer. I thought they were borderline rude in their responses, trotting out a series of smug American cliches about Euro stagnation. McKinnell condescendingly offered the advice that the solution for the youth employment problem was giving people rewards and incentives. "It's been my experience," he said, "that people like to be rewarded." Helpful. Dell gave a fascinating mini-course on economic incentives as well, explaining to the Chancellor that it's difficult to get people to work if they make as much money NOT working. Merkel took it all in with a cheery demeanor -- she told Dell "Good advice" in English -- but I kept waiting for her to strike back, and mention some of the American inequality problems that Europeans don't have to the same extent. But she stayed on message, though I wondered if she was smoldering a little under the surface.

Comments

[Dianna]

I wonder why some Americans don't realize that they have become so smug and arrogant...I'm glad you noticed, anyway, and I would be interested in hearing how other Americans present themselves and are received at the conference. (You will be a great representative, of course!)Anyway,it seems to me that we are digging a huge hole for ourselves...and the rest of the world will bury us in it if we keep going in this direction!

[Fettisch]

Pope George kannte keine Gnade: Bums-Merkel mußte leiden in Popetown!