Things are looking just as bad in Germany as they are here in the states.  According to recent news Germany is looking to slow production and cut the hours of nearly 90 thousands workers.  This move comes on the heels of an extremely slow car market and a reduction of demand.  BMW is the largest manufacturer of luxury cars, a part of the market that has surely taken a hit in this slowed economy.  According to bloomberg.com BMW and VW will both be cutting production:

“BMW, the world’s largest manufacturer of luxury cars, will drop shifts for 26,000 employees in February and March, trimming its automaking by 10 percent, while Volkswagen, Europe’s largest carmaker, will shut five German factories from Feb. 23 to Feb. 27, affecting two-thirds of its 92,000-strong German workforce. “

This news comes at the same time as more information from France that the government (of France) is ready to pump 6 billion euros into the failing car market.  I have a problem with all of this.  For the first thing, why is the whole world becoming increasingly socialist?  Second, don’t the governments (and the people) realize that car companies can make cars, but they can’t sell them.  Put that money in the hands of everyone in the form of drastically reduced taxes and you will start to see some spending.  If France, Germany, and the US keep propping up the car companies they will continually find that there is no one in the market to buy.

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