Opinion piece penned by Christian Wolff entitled: Horseshit

Opinion piece penned by Christian Wolff entitled: Horseshit - or the Essentials in Current Times

In the heart of Europe, Germany is taking a significant step towards fostering social cohesion and breaking the cycle of social deprivation. The focus is on improving fair participation in work, housing, education, and ensuring a brighter future for all.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) has raised concerns about the affordability of the welfare state, specifically targeting the citizen's allowance as the main cause of budget holes and social system imbalances. A possible reduction in the citizen's allowance, according to Merz, could lead to a balanced budget, with the savings potential being relatively modest, around a manageable billion amount. However, the savings potential of the citizen's allowance is quite limited, with a misuse rate of around 1-2%.

On the other hand, SPD co-chair and Federal Minister of Labor Barbara Bas has described Merz's statement as "bullshit," criticizing it as lacking perspective and being purely agitative.

Christian Wolff, a long-standing SPD member and former pastor of the Thomaskirche in Leipzig, is advocating for significant investments in educational institutions and location-based social work. Wolff emphasizes the need for a social living environment for family life, children's growth, and education. He recommends comprehensive measures to improve social participation, including promoting accessible education for all, supporting employment opportunities, ensuring adequate financial support, facilitating barrier-free housing and access to social services, and fostering inclusive policies to safeguard the rights and equal participation of marginalized groups.

The goal is to ensure that no child or youth leaves school without a degree and prospects for vocational training. Every year, over 50,000 young people leave general educational schools without a school leaving certificate, a concerning statistic that underscores the need for action.

The Federal Constitutional Court has imposed an obligation on each federal government to secure the subsistence minimum of citizens who are dependent on social benefits such as the citizen's allowance. The court's decision underscores the importance of ensuring a basic standard of living for all citizens.

The proposal by CSU chairman Markus Söder to transfer refugees from Ukraine from the citizen's allowance to the asylum system will not significantly relieve the federal budget. This approach is expected to lead to more social cohesion, promote acceptance of democratic coexistence, and be financially sustainable.

Wolff's blog, where he shares his thoughts on church, culture, and politics, can be found at https://wolff-christian.de/. His work is a testament to his ongoing engagement in many areas of public life.

In conclusion, the focus on local, human-centered educational and social work is the solution, rather than new laws or regulations. This approach promises to provide a brighter future for all, ensuring fair participation in work, housing, education, and breaking the cycle of social deprivation.