I’d argue no, but with an important distinction: the issue is how the term “top earner” gets conflated with “wealthy.”

When talking strictly about income tax, a skilled engineer earning €100k and a CEO earning a high salary face surprisingly similar marginal tax rates. In Germany, the top income tax rate (Spitzensteuersatz) of 42% kicks in at around €70k of taxable income. Once you add mandatory social security contributions, a skilled professional making €80k–€100k is already paying close to 50% of their gross income in taxes and deductions.

Because of this system, skilled workers look like “top earners” on paper, but this creates a massive misdirection in political and media debates.

Whenever there is a call to “tax the rich,” politicians typically respond by debating whether to increase the Spitzensteuersatz or the Reichensteuer (the 45% top rate). But doing that doesn’t actually hit the rich, it hits upper-middle-class professionals like IT specialists, engineers, and doctors. Politicians can then easily deflect the discussion by saying, “We can’t raise these taxes; it would hurt the productive middle of our society.”

The truly wealthy do not build or hold their wealth through monthly wage income. Their wealth comes from assets like corporate stock, real estate, and capital gains. In Germany:

• Capital gains are taxed at a flat rate of ~26.4% (far lower than the top income tax rate).
• Wealth/asset ownership itself is not taxed (Vermögensteuer is inactive).
• Wealth transfers and corporate inheritances often benefit from major tax exemptions.

If someone earns a high salary through labor and already gives up nearly 50% in tax and contributions, I personally would say, they are paying their fair share. Squeezing high-earning workers even more is counterproductive. If we actually want a fair tax system, the political debate needs to stop focusing on income tax and start focusing on taxing capital gains, asset growth, and wealth transfers equally.

Rant over.

This was such a kindergarten… finally

Use the money for something actually useful

Nah

So Microsoft will close their office in Munich soon? 🌝

Nur die Geldgeier nennen ihn Timmy, Menschen mit Herz nennen ihn Hope. 🤡

Vermutlich hat er gemerkt, dass er sich damit zum Gespött macht.

Markus Söder ist ein peinlicher Lappen, den man nur schwer ernst nehmen kann. Leider hat er zu viel Macht.

Frances Tchap and Germanys BwMessenger. block external federation for example.

Did you watched the video?

Basically every some EU countries started at some point building their own instant Messenger.

• Germany has the Bundesmessenger, the BwMessenger (for the armed forces) and the TI-Messenger (TIM) for the healthcare sector
• Luxembourg has Luxchat4Gov and Luxchat
• France has the Tchap
• Belgium has BEAM
• Poland also has plans to do something
• Sweden mandated the use of open and federated chat protocols. (Via the eSam framework)

Basically all of them are based on Matrix.

Would be interesting how these apps can be used by individuals and how the interoperability works, between the different services. While I understand that some of this services are not meant for this, it would be nice to have sort of European framework in place to also replace features like WhatsApp Business and WhatsApp in general.

So it is still a no? What is the news here?

I guess he had to skip the election, there is no other easy to protect his country, too bad.

Nice, a European export hit!

Ist doch was tolles

No

The exact length was unknown from the beginning. But I guess that Not relevant.

Still recon is something completely different, then EU forces are deployed.

It was only a reconnaissance mission. 🤡

Not really many forces has been deployed, it’s more a political statement than deterrence.

Maybe yes. But for the moment I don’t think anyone would really do something, if the US would decide to annex Greenland.

But jokes aside, I understand of course that the EU tries to stay under Trumps radar, to not provoke anything. But also I am not sure if this is the right tactic.

Nevertheless, we need to gain much more independence aus Europe and the EU from the big players.

I guess the Greenlanders itself should start choosing a side.

Such a Bootlicker Statement:

The United States is an essential partner in this endeavour, as a NATO ally and through the defence agreement between the Kingdom of Denmark and the United States of 1951.

Holes are lubed and widened, I guess we are ready to go.

Yes you are, but it feels wrong. 😑