‘Terror granny’ accused of ‘plotting German civil war to bring back the Kaiser’
Woman, 75, arrested after allegedly being the ringleader of a monarchist group which considers the modern republic ‘invalid’
Well, OK, politics produces some strange ideas. And those who really are about to start shooting should be stopped from doing so.
But here’s the bit that really shocks me:
Elizabeth R reportedly lost her state pension over repeated public statements denying the legitimacy of the modern German state.
Yerwha’?
Pay in for all those years and not get the cash in the end just because you say they’re a bunch of bastards?
Have the Krauts been looking a little too closely at China? Or perhaps they are reverting to type.
I fully expect that to be SOP in a few years. Remember what Trudeau did to the supporters of the truck convoy.
It does have a certain logic. If she denies the legitimacy of the state, she denies the legitimacy of her state pension. So she got what she wanted.
Out of interest, do you really think a restored Kaiser could possibly be worse than the current German government. If only you still had your Elizabeth R to lead a civil war against yours.
Elizabeth R reportedly lost her state pension over repeated public statements denying the legitimacy of the modern German state.
Aw, poor Queenie
BiS: presumably she had to pay their equivalent of National Insurance so she’s entitled to the proceeds whatever her views.
There’s quite a few on here who demand the sacking of civil servants and removal of their pension.
@BiND: and now those people can point to this case and say ‘See? There’s precedent!’
BiND,
Their gold plated civil service pension. They are welcome to a state pension.
Leviathan given power; uses it to crush dissent? Shocking.
@BiS: She didn’t declare there should be a state collecting taxes and paying no pensions. If she ‘got what she wanted’ then someone complaining about the traffic on their street ‘gets what they want’ when cars instead drive through their garden.
As for whether the Kaiser would be worse: depends on the candidate. The political views of modern royals do not inspire confidence, even compared to the current German government. On the other hand, Wilhelm II would be an improvement.
It does never cease to amaze and amuse how the german establishment screams “Right Dangerous!!” when history tels us that the most agressive, dangerous, organised, and sometimes somewhat competent urban terrorists in Germany were, and still are, solidly leftwing and extreme left wing.
Ah well… Good deflection for the real problems, neh?
BiND,
The civil service are conspiring with the EU to replace the legitimate government of the UK. Henry VIII would have cut off their heads, never mind their pensions.
“Henry VIII would have cut off their heads, eventually, never mind their pensions.”
FTFY
Actually, there is a perfectly respectible legal argument as to whether the current German state is legitimate, revolving around discussions as to whether the German state was so destroyed in 1945 it was impossible to form a successor. You tend not to bring guns to the discussion though.
The goal is techno-serfdom. It’s like what they have in China, but with much more insane ideology and a lower targeted standard of living for the proles.
@jgh If I remember correctly a lot of guns were brought to bring about that state of affairs in 1945. And “legitimacy” is a matter of Opinion of the peeps holding the guns. Matter of Inconvenient Truth™..
That said… You could easily slot one of the remaining Habsburg scions into a hereditary position at the level of the german presidency, and not make a smidgen of difference.
After all, the way the system is set up there, the head of state is a ceremonial puppet. It’s the position of Reichskanzler you want…
Somebody should tell Charlie that if these nutters get their way he will be nothing more than “Mr. Charles Windsor, Caretaker’s apartment, No. 1 The Mall, London” and see how he feels about restoring the rule of the house of Saxe-Coburg und Gotha.
@BiND,
I have a feeling that those calling for withdrawal of pensions from some bureaucrat sacked in disgrace would not look askance at their contributions being returned to them, suitably modified with reference to the RPI or CPI or whatever. It’s the state’s ‘contributions’ which amount to a heck of a lot more than the individual contributed which should be withdrawn. As to whether or not there is a contract, the person dismissed (probably) has broken the contract.
@Tractor Gent – “presumably she had to pay their equivalent of National Insurance so she’s entitled to the proceeds whatever her views”
The proceeds are zero. NI (and other taxation) pays for current expenses, including pensions currently being paid out. There is no fund accumulating to pay future pensions, which will have to be funded as they fall due.
Civil service in Germany is a bit more than a contract. Standard is to lose your civil service pension if convicted of a crime that carries more than a year in prison. If you’ve decided to take the substantial benefits of civil service, including that huge pension, private health insurance (what better admission that the state variant is inadequate!), the state expects lifelong unquestioning loyalty.
Faustian bargain? For sure, but if you wanna fuck you gotta pay.
It’s also a bit rich for a Reichsburger to work for a long time in the pay of a state they deny the existence or legitimacy of.
Fuck the German Emperor. Restore the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire of the German People. That would be a surviving Hapsburg unless – happy thought – they also returned the Electors to office and had them vote on it. Alas, Charles III wouldn’t get a vote because our crown was separated from the Electorate of Hanover when Queen Vic ascended the throne. For being a woman, you see. Sexist Kraut law, eh?
Charles, whatever the Government of the day does with the money they
stealtake from you as NI is irrelevant.There is a contract: “we (Government) will take money from you (without you having any choice in the matter) for 40+ years, then when you retire we will give you some of it back”. Also, “we will take money from you (without you having any choice in the matter) for 40+ years and give it to other people who don’t have enough money for us to
stealtake, to ensure ‘equality’, so there”.Government’s of all stripes have reneged on their promises – fuck them.
Ah yes, Germans having fun.
Charles: I am aware of that, however the bargain is that we pay in over working life and they pay us a pension afterwards. It matters not that they squander the contributions at the time instead of investing them, the bargain still stands.
@TG “Bargain” doesn’t feel like the right word for it.. “Scam”, “Coercion”, “Fleecing”, and “non-negotiable” seem to apply though.
Anybody thinks it’s possible to achieve any sort of bargain with government wants their head examined.
“You could easily slot one of the remaining Habsburg scions into a hereditary position at the level of the german presidency, and not make a smidgen of difference.”
Yep. I mean, who the hell knows who the President of Germany is? The top Habsburg at the moment, Ferdinand, is a moderately prominent racing driver (currently sitting third in the LMP2 class of the WEC) and speaks excellent English. He’d get a British-style setup off to a flying start, I reckon.
And I think illegitimacy in government, or more precicely, the knowledge of a lack of legitimacy, is an extremely useful thing to have around. It’s when they start believing they’re doing the Will of the People (or, in times past, God; and possibly nowadays, “The Science”), that the trouble starts.
Standard is to lose your civil service pension if convicted of a crime that carries more than a year in prison.
That seems reasonable while still employed, to keep them honest; but perhaps moot once retired, no?
“That seems reasonable while still employed, to keep them honest; but perhaps moot once retired, no?”
Retired EU – speak out and you could lose it (I’m told), the evidence might suggest it’s an effective tactic…