While many sectors of German and Frugals’ politics are obsessed with green craziness (like stopping the production of endothermic engines from 2035) and insist on obstructing a common European debt, as opposed to what would be needed to revive a real European industrial policy and stimulate domestic demand, American politics is mapping out its own industrial future at the expense of Europe. Explain that to Lindner, Merz and Ferber that are causing an economic recession and in the end give votes to AfD. Teutonic flexibility is well known, as is the damage it has already repeatedly done to Europe and its unity. ….

Cars from Germany? Tariffs of 200%. Trump wants factories in the USA. After the Chinese built in Mexico, the tycoon is pushing BMW, Mercedes and Volkswagen. In a speech in Savannah, Georgia, Republican U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump said he wants German automakers to become American. Of course, this is not about pushing for expropriation, but about Trump's plan to revive American manufacturing: "I want them to build their factories here," the candidate said, referring to German car brands. In the event of his second term in the White House, Trump's idea is to activate foreign investment by offering tax breaks and the availability of special zones on federally owned land. Those who do not accept the conditions proposed by the Trump administration will face high tariffs ranging from 100 to 200 percent. In his Savannah speech, Trump unveiled his New American Industrialism: "The centerpiece of my economic plan is a manufacturing renaissance," he told an enthusiastic crowd. Savannah is one of America's largest ports, with cargo traffic expected to exceed 5.76 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) by 2022, and Trump said he intends to revive shipbuilding. "This new American industrialism will create millions and millions of jobs," Trump said. The tycoon also said that if elected, he intends to appoint a manufacturing ambassador to attract foreign companies. The plan is to bring American manufacturing back to prominence by inviting foreign investment on U.S. soil, increasing job opportunities for Americans and revitalizing the economy. A lesser-evil strategy than importing the same goods from abroad, it resonates with swing state voters. Last July, at the Republican convention that nominated him for the White House, Trump had said the same thing in reference to Chinese auto lawsuits: "There are big factories being built across the border in Mexico. Those plants are going to be built in the United States, and our people are going to run those plants," he had said, repeating a concept he had expressed in a speech in Ohio earlier in the spring. The alternative would be tariffs of up to 200 percent on cars imported from Mexico. If Trump, once elected, actually follows through with his plan, the impact on the auto industry would be massive. On Monday in Pennsylvania, Trump also threatened to impose tariffs on farm equipment maker Deere & Co. "They think they can make products cheaper in Mexico and sell them at the same price as before and make a lot of money by getting rid of our labor and our jobs," Trump said. "If they do that, we're going to put a 200 percent tariff on everything they want to ship back to the United States." The Deere case aside, the warning to German automakers is clear. A few days ago, Trump said in an interview, referring to his previous term in office, "I confronted Angela Merkel and asked her why there were no American Chevrolets on German roads." To date, BMW, Volkswagen and Mercedes already have production plants in the U.S., in South Carolina, Tennessee and Alabama, respectively. But for the German automotive sector, which is facing a deep crisis, Trump's comments are more than just a wake-up call, both in terms of the market and domestic employment. The "something" would be more of a problem for the government than for the automakers.