Dumplings Über Alles post COVID?

Which Country Will Triumph in the Post-Pandemic World?: Hint: It’s not the United States or China.

"The big winner is likely to be Germany. Its response to the pandemic has highlighted pre-existing strengths: efficient government, low debt, a reputation for industrial excellence that protects its exports even as global trade falls, and a growing capacity to create domestic tech companies in a world dominated by the American and Chinese internet giants.

While other countries worry that recent layoffs may become permanent, most German workers stayed on the payroll thanks to rapid expansion of the Kurzarbeit, a century-old government system that pays companies to retain employees on shortened hours through temporary crises. Germany was able to expand the Kurzarbeit — and much else in the way of social services — thanks to its famous frugality. During the long years when Angela Merkel was pressing austerity on fellow European Union members, they lampooned her as a “Swabian housewife,” an archetype of the thrifty German who saves stale bread for dumplings. They aren’t laughing now."

[Better a "Swabian housewife" than an incompetent, self-obsessed clown. Prediction: If Putin's Puppet is discontented with a world leader, you can bet that he or she is doing a good job. If Incompetent-in-Chief hears of this article, he'll be jealous. Whenever Infant-in-Chief feels jealous, he lashes out with puerile insults.]