My son is backpacking through Europe right now, which is the only reason why I know about this. They are blocking roads and border crossings. He said they are also driving around all night blowing their horns, which kept him awake last night. From what I understand, they are pissed about the end of a fuel subsidy. Lots of great pictures on the internet. German farmers, tractors and trucks block Berlin avenue in tax protest | Reuters
At least they have enough fuel after the subsidy went away to do protests like this. Gotta be expensive. Maybe if they had electric tractors?
It’s interesting how often far right groups want subsidies from their governments, and will get up in arms if their freebies are threatened. I guess at least these look like actual farmers, in the U.S. corporate big ag interests and lobbying $$$ keeps those handouts flowing.
German farmers are not receiving handouts. The real story is the German gov't needs money for failed policy and immigration decisions. So, they tax the farmer's vehicles and the diesel that is put into the vehicles. That is not a handout. It's a burden on the hard-working farmers. They have had enough of over-regulation and taxation. They are in week 2 now and looking like the gov't will wise up.
It really is about cutting the subsidy they get for diesel... not about any new taxes, as far as I can tell. Germany is cutting the diesel subsidy to encourage the switch to cleaner farming equipment... the subsidy is not going away, just getting smaller. Here is a non-loony explanation ... Why Europe’s farmers are protesting – and the far right is taking note | Farming | The Guardian
If everyone else has to pay sales taxes on equipment and fuel, and a certain group is exempted, then yeah actually that is a handout. We do the same dumb shit here, allowing full accelerated depreciation on equipment rather than what would be a more rational “useful life” depreciation method. Yes, allowing full tax deductions on asset purchases in year 1 is a handout when other people and businesses don’t get that same break, and in fact it shifts the tax burden elsewhere. Not exactly clear if this is cash aid or tax exemptions. All articles I see call it a “subsidy” so that implies cash aid. But a tax exemption for a certain group could also also be construed in that way. I’d say if the govt is subsidizing tractor purchases it should be able to attach some strings (sounds like some of the points of contention are environmental issues in terms of where the “subsidies” are directed).
Well, the railway workers are striking and the truckers are striking to help the farmers. Even the Polish farmers are in Berlin with their tractors. Blue-collar workers are feeling over-taxed. When you are over-taxed, you want to retain the preferential tax treatment for your vehicles and diesel. Is it really preferential treatment or is that a play on words? I'm surprised the German government is not demanding electric tractors or else high taxes.
Who doesn't think they are over taxed? Have you ever heard someone tell you they are "under taxes" or "taxed just the right amount"?
Now you know why they're pushing electric. Easier to commandeer and you can turn it off in the blink of an eye.
Is that a thing? What bat shit conspiracy theory tells you that some secret entity has a dooms day plan of that involves turning off tractors? Also, with all sorts of vehicles having computer controls these days, why it easier with electric?
I think it’s a bit more complicated than that. Some of this is populism being pushed by organized far right groups, and the poles specifically want protection from Ukraine grain and shipping since alot of shipments that would have normally gone to Africa is now heading into Europe, thereby suppressing prices on Grains for European customers. So basically the farmers want subsidies from the government AND for the government to protect them from free trade across borders. Some might call that socialism comrade. I do think it’s a double whammy on farmers, so they should be mitigated somehow. But a governments interest should only be a stable food supply and maybe correcting for short term shocks (and maybe Ukraine war qualifies), not in guaranteeing a farmers income over the longer term. That’s how you get a farm welfare state subsidized by taxpayers.
