>Under Merkel - who grew up in socialist East Germany Something never talked about is how her parents moved from West to East Germany when she was a baby. >Ge

>Under Merkel - who grew up in socialist East Germany Something never talked about is how her parents moved from West to East Germany when she was a baby. >Germany got a lot of structural characteristics of a socialist economy, in particular being dominated by large manufacturers who have been getting preferential treatment from the government, and losing the ability to adjust and maneuver. She also didn't have that gut check of dealing with Russia and has put all the Germany's eggs into one basket which has been held by Putin. It's amazing how many gullible still say that Merkel was always against German dependence on Russian gas but could not do anything about it. For 16 years! I would be surprised, but not shocked, if we learn someday that Merkel is a long-term Russian intelligence asset, recruited in her youth.