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I'm sorry but who can take the Economist seriously when it writes such blatant tosh as "The financial crisis, in which Scotland's giant banks were bailed out by the Treasury...".
Scotland's banks?? Oh,like the Scottish Government had any say in their regulation! It's a bit like saying New York City has to shoulder the blame for the Lehman Bros collapse. Do you think we are total idiots??
Maybe you do. To suggest the Calman proposals provide real taxation powers to Scotland, you might as well imply that a car driver ought to be happy with having access to the clutch when denied the accelerator or brake. Clearly you think the Scots aren't the sharpest knives in the block.
How can we we trust any analysis you offer up on any subject when you treat your readers to such appallingly naive opinions such as this?
it's strange how offer of more power is seen as a threat to independence!
Oh dear.... LOL!
Offer the people what they want, and they will be so suspicious they will reject it.
Salmond is just scared that if these types of proposals carry on, he will be out of the job.
How odd that a party whose only reason for existence is to promote Scottish independence should complain when more independence is offered.
The momentum for Scottish independence will continue to ebb and flow. Though the chances of an independent country are quite high in the long term, as independence within the EU is already a proven fact by the precedents of the former Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia. And Belgium itself seems ready to do the same.
The great thing about the UK is that the central government neither hinders nor advocates full independence. Independence is not a full repudiation of being British, but a desire to promote a stronger 'Scottishness'. And should it happen, the biggest disagreement will be over finances and not ethnic cleansing or borders.
This is stark contrast to many other countries that supposedly protect different ethnicities/nationalities within their borders but, at times violently, put down any talk (let alone action) for such a notion. Spain, Turkey, India, China, Indonesia etc.
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August 19, 2014
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Interesting... I wonder what brought such changes, I didn't expect it to go this far. Maybe international recognition made the federal elites more sensible to critique or the people's educational gains made them more aware and intolerant of corruption, or the opposition party, which is more business friendly, and their corporate friends have got something to do here. I don't know, but it would be nice to read some insightful insider's comments from nationals here.
I prefer to wait until the fat lady sings....
The most meaningful political parties of Brazil are run and behave like a Mafia, and with the main goal of enriching their main members - politicians, bosses, their lawyers, etc. As they are all involved in corruption, they may gang up (after the elections, of course) and come up with new legislation that voids all these efforts and sets all those condemned in effect free by changing the "interpretation" of their sentences.
And guess what - most people will continue to elect the capos and their "family" members.
One correction is needed in the article: Banco Rural is not estate-runned. It has participated from this corruption scheme because was interested on the privatization of a minor state controlled bank.
We are still waiting to see Lula, the head of the "mensalão" gang, to be found guilty of the greatest corruption scheme in Brazil.
The country is slowly changing its attitude towards corruption. Most people know it is damaging to the country and condemn it. Courts, Government departments and many others have the task of fighting corruption and those that carry it out. As true capitalism flourishes and government diminishes, people realize that graft and other forms of corruption benefit very few and in the long term harm the whole society. The country is changing and so are its leaders and people.
I'm afraid there will be no change, as this sudden gush of morality seems to be aimed solely at the Worker's Party. Were it not for the media's dislike of Lula, this would not have amounted to much. The previous president's government was involved in larger schemes and nothing became of it. If the corruption in PSDB also starts getting its day in court, then I will accept that things have changed.
Considering that the most politicians banned by Ficha Limpa this election were PSDB I think you are correct.
Ok, people, come on.
How naive are you people? Honestly.
Brazilians have corruption running on their DNA's.
Not all, of course, but I would risk saying that at least 80% of Brazilians would participate in any corruption scheme, given the opportunity.
Better yet, in a smaller scale, it already happens.
Why? Because it's how people grow up believing it. There's always a "way" to get away with murder, the famous "jeitinho brasileiro"...
Can't get a driver's license? No problem! Just pay a DMV associate, or find someone who knows a DMV associate, and you'll have your license in no time. Promise!( I know a few people who have paid around U$300,00 for a driver's license. True story.)
Don't feel like going to work? Not to worry! Anyone, I mean, anyone, can buy (at several places, at any time) a doctor's "sick note", for about U$5,00.
Got caught drunk driving, and killed someone (like Eike Batista's son did a few months ago), but have a lot of money? No problem! Just pay EVERYONE, and you're jail free! Easy as 1, 2, 3.
For God's sake...people sell themselves out in election time.
The nasty and corrupt politicians offers money, dentures (yes, dentures), an oven, a few months of food stamps, maybe a refrigerator, and there we go, the vote is bought.
Now, I honestly don't agree this is the "trial of the century" if we consider Brazilian history on corruption. It really is one more scandal, just one more nasty episode, out of uncountable scandals along Brazilian history.
By the way, mensalão started way back, when former president Fernando Henrique Cardoso was still in charge. There has been proof, but nobody seems to care. People seem to be more interested in damaging a political party's image (on this case PT), than finding the truth and having a REAL trial, accordingly.
I'm not saying PT's politicians should be considered as "victims", they are not. But I think a fair trial would start at the root of the problem(which started way before 2002, way before Lula's got elected president). By the way, the "purchase" of votes in Brazil have always been a practice. Way before Dilma, way before Lula, way before FHC... It amazes me how this is all being treated as if it were the first time such thing happened in Brazilian history.
Something unheard. Pff.
So, you know what? To me, this trial is BS. I doubt anything will effectively happen, and meanwhile Cachoeira's trial is practically being forgotten. Isn't that an important trial for the Brazilian citizens as well?
This is just another JOKE in Brazilian history.
The trial of the century would involve Paulo Maluf, Fernando Collor, José Sarney, Fernando Henrique Cardoso, Luis Inácio Lula da Silva, Gilmar Mendes, José Calheiros, Roseana Sarney Murad, José Sarney Filho, José Serra, Assís Carvalho, Marconi Perillo, among others.
Weather you like it or not, it's true.
These are the "big guys", these are ONLY A FEW, of the reason's why Brazil will never be a first world economy.
Not now, not in 10 years, not in 50 years, and probably not in another hundred years.
Why? Because this is what Brazil is: A COUNTRY WHERE IMPUNITY RULES, A COUNTRY OF LIES, A SHAMEFUL BANANA REPUBLIC, that will never be more than this: A JOKE.
hmmm, very very measured analysis.
Interesting that you mentioned the DMV though... where I live, the procedure for getting a driver's license has become loong, and... digitalized. Why do I mention that? Because now to get a driver's license you NEED to attend theoretical AND practical classes, and you need to show up IN PERSON to BROADCAST your digital fingerprints to the state DMV... all to get a driver's license. Broadcasting BIOMETRIC data constrains everyone involved, reducing the space for would-be bribers, and actually forcing rich and poor to sit through driver's ed classes, where you even get to perform CPR on a dummy.
Now, I live in a relatively wealthy region of the country, and I imagine the states have considerable autonomy in setting their standards. But... can you guess which country I'm talking about?
THE CAPS was necessary because of emphasis - emphasis on the RIGHT TECHNOLOGIES, that amplify the power of institutions. Because there would be no modern institutions (in the economic sense: structures of credible commitments that constrain, and yet amplify our power, our freedom and latitude to act - okay, I admit, this is starting to sound like 'Freedom is Slavery' - but tell that to Ulysses, bound to the mast of his ship, assailed by the Siren's sultry song) without modern technology - no matter what our "DNA" says.
Now, consider this: what if you condition welfare payments on biometric school attendence? Unemployment insurance on adult education, job fair attendence. Alternative sentencing (more invasive) on community service attendence, disciplined lifestyle. After all, prisons - as a technological solution to the perennial problem of predation - are an 18th century alternative to death by disembowelment, which was much used before, or so I hear.
Technology allows developing countries to leapfrog the rich world on institutions - of all things, institutions. And they thought democracy, the rule of law, and clean government was only for the rich...
Giuliano, I used to live in the States as well, so... I know what you're talking about.
Yeah, I'd have to agree with you in regards to the technological aspects you mentioned, but I feel somehow, someway, even that might be compromised. Remember, this is the country of "the way", não se esqueça do jeitinho. Afinal, tem sempre um jeitinho...
Yeah, I guess you might say I have no faith in Brazil. rs
I completely agree with you.
Brazil needs a Titanic redesign of its laws, constitution, etc.
I've posted this video before, this is what I meant when said "DNA"...
Well said, but unfortunately sad truth.
Well said, but unfortunately sad truth.
FabianaFF, congratulations !!! You've summarized all the issue perfectly !! We can find uncountable documented cases of corruption at all levels of Brazilian society since the XVI century, following a continuity line since then to current times! It's the way people think, act and believe things have to be in this sad country...
The most sizzling scenes in the trial could come next week, as the court deliberates on Jose Dirceu's fate... the alleged leader of the gang of 40 who operated an audacious scheme to defraud the taxpayer of over 100 million reais and purchase congressional votes on the open market. And pay back campaign loans, replenishing party coffers, financing politicians' wardrobes, etc.
The personalities involved range from the somewhat obscure financiers who helped launder money through brokerages, to the party bosses who distributed the dough. It was a fitting marriage of private and public corruption: bank directors who sought favors from the government, politicians who needed, ahem, bonuses for excellent congressional performance, and party loyalists who sought to buy another decade of Workers' Party rule.
Never before in the history of this country has a corruption scheme been so shamefully exposed. Before people starting say, oh wow, the Brazilian people will never be beguiled again, higher educational standards will improve accountability... well, perhaps. But this is no time for Brazilian public opinion to pat itself in the back - this case has been pursued in spite of the median voter's cynicism, ignorance, and disinterest. The combination of amateurish cover up work - certainly they felt absolutely assured of impunity - and better technology meant that investigators were able to fully trace the flow of funds in this sordid enterprise. Not even MT Bastos, the Brazilian Johnnie Cochrane (except without the civil rights bent) was able to have his way - with his claim that the scheme was merely a set of 'electoral/campaign crimes' whose statute of limitations had well (or would well) expired.
Maybe the government should start paying whistleblowers - like the UBS dude who walked off with a hundred MILL for... well, telling investigators that he smuggled diamonds in a tube of toothpaste and stuff like that. Without congressman Roberto Jefferson's explosive declarations to the Folha newspaper in June 2005, this scheme might not have seen the light of day, at least not in the scandalous way that it did... it might have been a fraud here, a forgery there, a few hundred thousand in some party boffin's underwear, etc. Of course, Jefferson was up to his knees in dirt as well. Maybe he should get a cut of all the money that returns (if any) to the public coffers, plus the compensation from Banco Rural for corrupting public officials, civil suits against Marcos Valerio and whatever is left of his assets. Maybe I'm asking for too much. But if Jefferson is handsomely rewarded, this will send even bigger ripple effects through corrupt networks nationwide, as their 'Prisoner's Dilemma' becomes even more of a dilemma. You really need to upset the equillibrium, the status quo, in order to get stuff done. Although I wonder if there could be unintended consequences as well, such as false accusations.
On the topic of accusations... the evidence provided by 21st financial technology is crucial - without it, there is little chance that this case would have led to such a tempestuous indictment, let alone (gasp) to conviction of actual politicians. The federal revenue service's technological clampdown on tax evaders grows by the day, and this is beginning to make life difficult for tax evaders. The Coaf, council for control of financial activities, reports on any transaction above a certain amount. Although politicians are sure to use a combination of shell companies, straw men, phony transactions, and padded contracts, their sleep is most certainly disturbed by dreams of hurricanes and rabid dogs along a beach in the Cayman Islands.
I imagine that as money migrates more and more to the digital world, criminals are going to have a harder time concealing the proceeds of their trade. You have to hurt them where it hurts most, in their pockets. Money laundering is the key nexus in the interdiction of crime, whether it is terrorism, tax evasion, heroin dealing, cap and trade markets for congressional deals (someone tell the IPCC), violent crime. Not busting some crackpot dealer in back alley. That's for the movies... and, I'm afraid, the real world.
This discussion has taken us all the way around to cinema - so it is only fitting that we should be discussing when the Mensalão movie comes out. Well, I wouldn't be shooting my scenes yet - there will be more sizzle, and hmm, I hope, more steak down the road. The bald, middle aged advertising kingpin, Marcos Valerio, (a Don Draper of the congressional underworld) is putting the pressure for a deal of some kind in the backstage. How else would it leak out to the press that he knows of "millions more that were concealed" and that he has hidden tapes detailing the former president's personal involvement in the scheme, to be released in the event that he is assassinated for knowing too much?
I guess the Congressional Whistleblower's Fund will have to outbid whatever it is they are offering
@ Giuliano Sider: You forget that Brazilians generally are quick to pad themselves on the back, as they generally are a spoilt, consistently underachieving bunch.
The 'economic miracle' from 2004 onwards is solely due to the combination of the previous government's painful austerity measures and the commodities boom. So, not really something sustainable. The PT helped the country with what Brazilians generally are best at: Doing nothing.
When it worked out, obviously the government was quick to claim the credit and the likes of Eike Batista were able to obtain substantial liquidty based on vague promises combined with the commodity boom and pose as successful, shrewd entrepreneurs.
In the meantime, the massive, murderous stealing continues at all government levels (and regardless of political party) - fuelled by pervasive and generous funds flows from the private sector, leaving millions of poor adrift, with no meaningful healthcare, education or security.
Will this trial do away with the political 'culture' in Brazil? Barely so. Will it raise risk consciousness amongst thieves? Most certainly. We'll likely see a sophistication in schemes and should not expect major improvement. Also make no mistake when remembering why scandals like this become public in Brazil: one of the persons involved feels shortchanged, there are barely any idealists in Brazilian politics.
"The supreme court makes graft riskier"
That is a good description, because "Graft" is an investment. Not exactly the investment most people have in mind, but still an investment, especially for insiders.
"Riskier" as if you can still make such investments, however, the returns may not be as fantastic as previously enjoyed.
On a serious note, the real underlying problem, as someone already mentioned, remains. Laws will be "adjusted" along the way, allowing the guilty to get off the hook.
I have known many Brazilians who view political corruption in their country as an endemic phenomenon. Dengue may be endemic, I feel tempted to remind them, but political corruption is not. Political corruption in Brazil is systemic: well planned, efficiently organized and effectively implemented, as the trial of the Mensalão gang is unequivocally showing. It's based on the authoritarian premise that the wealthy and the powerful will never be punished for their crimes, as if they lived as members of the dominant group in a distant colony of the past.
In corruption, as in any other type of crime, there is a hierarchy. A ten-real bill given to the policeman that chose to ignore your imprudent U-turn in a quiet neighborhood road is a sign of a criminal act. But it is certainly different from establishing a gang in the presidential palace to illegally place public moneys in the pockets of fellow politicians, whose votes you decided to buy by hook or by crook. Do you remember how V. Montesinos bought support from politicians, judges and newsmen during the Fujimori Government, in Peru? You will probably enjoy reading "How to Subvert Democracy: Montesinos in Peru":
Again thanks to TE as being informative
and right on the spot about Brazil.
Recently, the WSJ had an article on this very topic.
Here are some interesting excerpts (in quotes).
"No one has yet been sentenced, and Brazilian law is vague
about punishments, which could range from some jail time
to the possibility of losing their elected positions."
"Former President Fernando Collor de Mello was removed from
office by impeachment in an embezzlement scandal in 1992.
But he was never convicted of a crime in court, and now
heads the foreign relations committee in the Senate."
"Despite the verdicts, the country has a long way to go to
make politicians truly accountable, experts say. Even with
guilty rulings, the most likely penalties for defendants
will be part-time jail sentences, which under Brazilian law
could be a few hours a day, or community service."
Is Brazil a serious country? No way Jose!
After taking 6th spot from UK, does that
means that Brazil is better than the UK?
or that the future (Brazilian dysfunctional
ways ruling the world) belongs to Brazil? Again,
if the world opens its eyes, No Way Jose!!!
One more thing: Brazil is not a Democracy!
A Google Executive in Brazil was arrested
because a YouTube video "Violated" "Brazilian
Laws" on disparaging candidates during elections.
Duh! If that is not proof that Brazil is like Iran,
Russian, Saudi Arabia and every other major despicable
Autocracy, etc instead of Democracy, then you would
have to look up the definition of both on the dictionary.
FYI, during President Bush campaign and subsequent election,
there were cartoons, commercials, YouTube videos, etc.
mocking and disparaging him to make his hard core supporters
angry and sick. Did anyone ended up at Guantanamo for
mocking him?
After these two news items, some would have the gall to
say that Brazil deserves a Permanent Seat at the UN
Security Council. Get the F..o H.. !!! Hell will freeze
over before Brazil has a say in this world.
Youtube ad mocking President Bush during
his 2004 campaign. No one was arrested.
The Youtube Video is still up. No one
ended up at Guantanamo.
That would not be the case in Brazil.
Google Executive arrested.
Ads pulled
Is Brazil the country of the future??????
Does Brazil deserve a Permanent Seat at the UN
Security Council?????????
Will Brazil ever have a Black President?????????????
Will low ranking workers' salaries at Embraer match
or supass Bombadier????
Immunity plus Impunity equals Futility. Brasilia's physical distance from productivity has acted like a particle accelerator for the cost-be-damned mentality that was all too present at the start. I married the widow of a senior pilot who flew bricks to the building sites; it's a small leap to authorizing weekly flights back to "constituents" plus the countless other self-created perks politicians awarded themselve for fulfillng their patriotic duties in a place so remote and inhospitable as Juscelino Kubitchek's Nirvana.
That mindset metastasized into an open invitation to pig it at the public trough, and the self-serving legislators who bought their way into Congress have made sure that no opportunity to perpetuate an unneeded and generally undeserved benefit is wasted.
As Lula himself explained in a trip to Paris when he was still President, it's how our system works. Private sector executives buy their elected lobbyists, and until recent quantum leaps in communications made it much tougher, transparency was something you preached publicly but flaunted privately.
This is probably still the rule in most sub-prime economies, certainly not just Brasil, and if the trial helps us break out of the habit of shrugging corruption away, it will have taken a large step to correct the faults our Justice system tolerates.
Brasilia is a concrete carbuncle
(1)Le Corbusier/Soviet style buildings.
Niemeyer was a well known Communist. He designed Super Quadra (Super street blocks), but in between there isn't enough space
to add stores. Most stores between the Super Quadra are
tiny, tiny, tiny. Micro shops, really. That in a country with
more space than most major European countries. The whole thing
was designed to fit a small merchant class with no eye towards
expansion and above all, competition.
(2)The famous airplane shape of the city is actually
a hammer and sickle. Some may laugh, but the clues are
all over the city. The famous JK Monument is even
more obvious.
(3)Most Government workers up on the food chain LEAVE the
city on weekends. It is one of the most boring cities on
the planet.
The party currently in power, the PT, enjoyed for no reason the reputation of being the cleaner party while it was the party of the opposition. This of course was based on nothing other than hearsay and wishful thinking. Every year the PT is in power, Brazil slides down on Transparency International's corruption ranking. Brazil now is on par with Botswana in the TI's corruption ranking, far below its fellow South American republics.
The PT has proven time and again that it will fill its pockets and behave as if democracy is nothing but an obstacle to reach its final goal. There are already rumors that president Dilma will pardon all of her party's affiliates involved in the Mensalão either at Christmas time this year or upon her vacating the presidency. When involved in scandals, the PT's first reaction is to accuse the whistleblowers and the media of attempting a coup, and to attempt to pass laws to censor the media. When Brazil's biggest and most respected newspaper "Estado de São Paulo" attempted to publish an article about José Sarney's corrupt practices, Lula and the PT immediately moved to censor the article.
Brazil's potential will forever remain untapped as long as corruption is the order of the day. While minister of the environment under Lula, Gilberto Gil astounded a crowd of European journalists by claiming that corruption has no affect on the man in the street. The PT sees itself as having some kind of sacred mission to turn Brazil into its personal fiefdom. Democratic institutions, the rule of law, and transparency and those who insist on it are seen as mere obstacles to be dealt with accordingly. As Brazilians love to point out, you can't spell corruPT without a P and a T.
Right conclusion. Correctly spelling 'Septic' or 'Inept' also requires a P and a T. The Mensalão gangsters, however, will be captured for corruption alone.
Brazil is a country without hope in my point of view. After all those yars, we still continue to live in this horrible corruption, he still give strength to men like Sarney, Dirceu, Lula and even Dilma. The corruption in Brazil cannot be worst that it is now. It is so hard to be honest, to work as a honest person and to pay all our taxes and bills… This corruption is the cause of all the danger and all the robberies in Brazil. The politicians, our representatives, the society representatives rob from the government's pockets. This guys, who are suppose to lead us, gives us examples how to live in their way, robbing. The lower class Brazilian, in general, unfortunately, is bad, is against the law, because this is the only way he can do to survive the government's taxation. To give a perfect example, Lula, when he still was the president, create a law giving money to people who are in jail and have kids. In other words, the population pays to those who are against the law, because they have children. Many Brazilians use that law in their favour. Families with 4-5 kids, poor people, who cannot afford their own meal, a house, and have to give 60% of their money to the government, decided to start using this law, going to jail, and receiving about 700$ per kid. Ridiculous, but this is the Brazilian politics. This is, what we call in Brazil, real corruption. This is, what the world calls, impossible, but believe me, it exist and it is there, in Brazil, the place where everything seems fair and good enough.
I understand and support your say. Our justice doesn't work, we got a justice made wrong. We help the thieves to not be arrested and our cops have no authority. Look at a simple problem, it may sound ridiculous in the principle but it's true. Bully is, without doubt, a common problem here. Bully is considered a crime, but people under 18 can't commit crimes. Really useful to have a law about bully but it doesn't work. That's just an example of many we can see here. Brazil, a country for corruption. Using your words, no hope for Brazil. Just a shame.
Two quick points: 1. This law does not exist. It is an internet hoax. Google before you replicate what other people tell you. 2. Even if this law existed, this would not be corruption. Corruption happens when people in power take money to do or not do their job. Prisoners being paid to work (and actually not receiing the money) is simply not corruption. You are fully entitled to be pessimistic about Brazil or any country you like. But conflating concepts does not help.
(also, you should read last week's piece on Latin American prison. I feel deeply disturbed that people like you, who lead nice and comfortable lives, are so alienated from the lives of prisoners that you actually think any human being would choose to go to a filthy, overcrowded, dangerous place, with nothing to do 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, because that pays their families a few bucks.)
Laws like that don't exist. Really?
I do not know if you are from Brazil or not, but I am, and believe me or not, this law exists. Now tell me, in an abstract way, how this isn't corruption? Politicians like Dirceu, who is soon going to jail, will be using this law, and once again taking money from the people. And last but not least, I am not pessimistic about Brazil, I love my country for what he is, but I hate it for what it has become, that's why I am living elsewhere in the world now. Brazil is indeed a country without hope, even optimists would say it. I'm just being realistic
The law you posted doesn't exist. Our Brazil-loathing correspondent just posted the real link, take a read. The hoax law perhaps resembles vaguely the real law, making it sound like the government is eeeevil by throwing good money into scum people. This is a disgusting view of society.
The real law allows workers' families to receive a bit of money (not twice the minimum wage per child as you apparently believe) when said worker commits a crime and goes to jail. First, the worker does not get any money him/herself. The idea is to support the family, who hasn't committed any crime. Second, the workers in question are insured by social security. It is reasonable that their families receive support - and very little support - if the money they earn stops comming in. Third, I challenge you to live a single week on those 915 reais (450 dollars), which are the maximum the family will receive per month.
Again, I would insist that you look up any serious definition of corruption. You just don't seem to know what it means. Even approving laws that will benefit only your class (say, congressmen) is not corruption. It's simply not. In your view, everything becomes corruption, everyone becomes a "corrupto". A useful word loses its meaning completely.
And I insist: show me any statistic that show that the country "has become" worse. Any statistics will show the opposite: that average people there today live better than at any other time. Maybe maids, drivers and nannies have become more expensive for the 1% rich middle classes. But hey, welcome to a modern democracy. Unless you've moved to India, Zimbabwe or Bolivia, you'll probably have get used to living without 24h servants for once...
(And, in case you've been in another planet for the past month, we're about to have a huge breakthrough in fighting corruption, actually putting powerful people in jail. Como nunca antes na história destepaiz ;) )
Firstly, the correct word is "país", and not "paiz". Secondly, corruptio is indeed what I said, and much more. You see corruption as a simply concret thing, but it's not. Try opening your mind and looking arround for a bit. Thirdly, this law is bullshit, it is made to convince people like you to believe that failies are getting money, while they don't. Same thing with Bolsa Familia, Fome Zero, etc. They are great ideas but does it work properly? NO!
You realy do not know about Brazilian politics. Stats will show that the country is improving, but it is really? Not sure about that.
About the "powerful people in jail", the judgment of the Mensalão is being now, 7 years after the happening.
If you like stats, please take a look on Dilma's background, and tell me how good she is. I dare you to say she is honnest and non-corrupt.
Congressmans do not approuve lawa that will contribute to their social class, they simply do things for them. This is corruption. They create something, people go crazy saying that it is a good law or good social program, but the politicis take the half of the money invested on it for themselves.
You want another exemple of corruption? I can give you an infinite if you want.
I'm not saying that FHC and the PSDB were good when they were in power. But they were better than Lula, Dilma and the PT.
Country is growing? Well, yes, a bit, but not as much as it should if you take in consideration the money spend per year. That's corruption.
And last but not least, look at this link (http://www.impostometro.com.br/) and tell me: do we (the population) see return on those taxes? Do we recieve good public health and education? Have you ever saw a public hostpital in any small city? Any public school? Tell me how this isn't corruption.
By the way, lok at this comment by FabianaFF, I found it excellent:
Ok, people, come on.
How naive are you people? Honestly.
Brazilians have corruption running on their DNA's.
Not all, of course, but I would risk saying that at least 80% of Brazilians would participate in any corruption scheme, given the opportunity.
Better yet, in a smaller scale, it already happens.
Why? Because it's how people grow up believing it. There's always a "way" to get away with murder, the famous "jeitinho brasileiro"...
Can't get a driver's license? No problem! Just pay a DMV associate, or find someone who knows a DMV associate, and you'll have your license in no time. Promise!( I know a few people who have paid around U$300,00 for a driver's license. True story.)
Don't feel like going to work? Not to worry! Anyone, I mean, anyone, can buy (at several places, at any time) a doctor's "sick note", for about U$5,00.
Got caught drunk driving, and killed someone (like Eike Batista's son did a few months ago), but have a lot of money? No problem! Just pay EVERYONE, and you're jail free! Easy as 1, 2, 3.
For God's sake...people sell themselves out in election time.
The nasty and corrupt politicians offers money, dentures (yes, dentures), an oven, a few months of food stamps, maybe a refrigerator, and there we go, the vote is bought.
Now, I honestly don't agree this is the "trial of the century" if we consider Brazilian history on corruption. It really is one more scandal, just one more nasty episode, out of uncountable scandals along Brazilian history.
By the way, mensalão started way back, when former president Fernando Henrique Cardoso was still in charge. There has been proof, but nobody seems to care. People seem to be more interested in damaging a political party's image (on this case PT), than finding the truth and having a REAL trial, accordingly.
I'm not saying PT's politicians should be considered as "victims", they are not. But I think a fair trial would start at the root of the problem(which started way before 2002, way before Lula's got elected president). By the way, the "purchase" of votes in Brazil have always been a practice. Way before Dilma, way before Lula, way before FHC... It amazes me how this is all being treated as if it were the first time such thing happened in Brazilian history.
Something unheard. Pff.
So, you know what? To me, this trial is BS. I doubt anything will effectively happen, and meanwhile Cachoeira's trial is practically being forgotten. Isn't that an important trial for the Brazilian citizens as well?
This is just another JOKE in Brazilian history.
The trial of the century would involve Paulo Maluf, Fernando Collor, José Sarney, Fernando Henrique Cardoso, Luis Inácio Lula da Silva, Gilmar Mendes, José Calheiros, Roseana Sarney Murad, José Sarney Filho, José Serra, Assís Carvalho, Marconi Perillo, among others.
Weather you like it or not, it's true.
These are the "big guys", these are ONLY A FEW, of the reason's why Brazil will never be a first world economy.
Not now, not in 10 years, not in 50 years, and probably not in another hundred years.
Why? Because this is what Brazil is: A COUNTRY WHERE IMPUNITY RULES, A COUNTRY OF LIES, A SHAMEFUL BANANA REPUBLIC, that will never be more than this: A JOKE.
Octavio this law does not exist. What exists is a benefit from the INSS called "auxílio-reclusão" (jail-assistance if you will). Only the family of the worker that pays the monthly quota to the institute of retirement may receive this benefit: http://www.previdencia.gov.br/conteudoDinamico.php?id=22
My parents used to call it the "Brazilian way". It meant the "half-honest way". We left Brazil more than 20 years ago.
A quick look at the Governance Score data for Brazil shows perceived corruption as stable since 1996. Brazil's "control of corruption" score did not improve significantly in the past 15 years. Corruption is perceived as "stable" since 1996.
Being of Brazilian descent, "stable corruption" in Brazil sounds scary enough. Octavio, you are right to be skeptical about the quality of Brazil's governance. But hopeless? No.
Part of the challenge in Brazil seems to be that every Brazilian suspects it's neighbor's of bending the rules. In this context, acting with honesty seems foolish: "why should I respect the rules when everybody cheats?"
Breaking this vicious collective state of mind is hard. But not impossible. Maybe the recent popularity of movies like "Tropa de elite" is a sign of change. A sign that Brazil is ready, like the movie's incorruptible character, to fight both drug dealers and dishonest officials with courage. A sign that Brazil is ready for the new "Brazilian way". The good way, I hope.
Governance data distributed by the World Bank here : http://info.worldbank.org/governance/wgi/sc_chart.asp
The problem is that every one is good enough to criticize the problems, but no one is capable of doing something decent to try solving them.
Brazilians love to comment about corruption, about the governmenetal problems, etc., but when a brilliant mind decide to organize something to protest against the corrupts and all the problems, people simply do not contribute. I am tired of seeing people comment about how bad our politicians are, but when they have to vote (because in Brazil the vote is obligatory) they still elect those same guy who are stealing the population's money.
When I talk about hopeless I mean that the country will stay forever in this situation if people do not change their ideology, or at least their way of acting. Brazilians are indeed very poor in mental knowledge. Thei will reather prefere watching the 9PM "novela" on Rede Globo instead of learning about the political issues. That's why it will never change; people do not want to change, even if they complain about it.
What I've learned in the pass six years, is that if you want to change, do it for you, because if you try to do it for your country, other people will slow you down or will simply not let you do it.
I can talk about some politicians that in my point of view are "heroes". People who refuse all the fancies bonuses they get being a congressman, people who do not use the governmental credit card to buy food at the beach (yes, Brazilians politicians do that), people who fight against corruption...
But are those politicians famous? Are they recognized for being actually good? NO, because the others, 98% of them, the corrupts, hide the identity of them, so they will forever be left aside.
How come José Sarney still have political power? The answer is simple: Brazilians are to confortable to make changes, they are so "stupid" that they do not care about their nation and about what they really should focus on. Earlier this year, when almost all the federal universities were on strike, asking for some money to invest in their infra, what would we see on the news? A woman who killed a dog, an actor who died, etc. I'm not saying that those news cannot be shown, but I think there are priorities.
To conclude my tought, I think the best way to still hope about Brazil is to do what my family have done six years ago: move out of the contry. Living abroad made me see the true mess that my country is, and when I want to go back, well, I will always have a good time, because I can assure you that Brazil is the best country in the world... To pass our vacations...
Good points. Despite all the ranting, things in Brazil are changing before our eyes. I wonder if in any other big democracy this has happened recently: people previously in power being accused and condemned for their deeds, by presecutors and judges appointed by their own party. And not because they fell in disgrace with the party but because the public prosecutors and the independent judiciary are doing their job impartially.
I'm happy for my country. Everyone who cares about Brazil, leftist or rightist, should be, too. To those who can't see what a great time this is for Brazil, I can only say you need to wipe your hatred goggles.
Brazil a Democracy? hahahaha
Nothing happened to Collor de Mello, Paulo Maluf, Jader Barbalho, etc.
Mensalao (vote buying MONTHLY stipends) happened during the
changing before the world's eyes.
Brazil's "rise" could have been predicted since the cycle has happened
again and again over at leat a century and a half. Sell commodities
to a major power (British Empire, U.S.) or truly emerging ones (Japan, China).
A few will become very rich. The government will gorge on all the inflows
for a while. The rest of the population, it is samba, carnaval, and favela time
(or time in a favela).
I can only say Brazilians need to wipe their 18th century goggles, and replace
it with more up to date models.
Sorry man, if you think Brazil is not a democracy there is little I can do for you. This is especially the case if you think the reason Brazil is not a democracy is because the people who lived miserably one generation ago now have access to things you are very happy having yourself - a TV, a brick house, internet access, a mobile phone.
People do tend to support, and vote for, parties under which their lives, and those of their children, improve dramatically, while democratic freedoms have not been restrained by one inch. This is precisely what a democracy is about. If you think this is the same as people having their vote "bought", then you seriously need to review your concept of democracy.
Tupinamba. Brazilians like those you described are
content with crumbs in a land of plenty. It is their
choice to be under foot, and it is their choice not
to do like Mexicans, French, and many others have done
in the past. Now, that would have been a real Democracy.
Democratic freedoms have not been restrained by one inch?
"Despite the verdicts, the country has a long way to go to make politicians truly accountable, experts say. Even with guilty rulings, the most likely penalties for defendants will be part-time jail sentences, which under Brazilian law could be a few hours a day, or community service."
Contrast that with:
Nothing is hidden if you care to watch the video above.
Corruption in California and the subsequent solution
to stop it. The people massing against governmental
abuses, and subsequent victory for homeowners against
massive tax increases. That is true Democracy.
If Democracy in Brazil truly existed, Brazilians' wishes
for (1)Tougher jail sentences for corrupt officials would
become reality. (2)Laws with bite would further eat away
at corruption. (3)Appeasement laws like Clean Slate (ficha
limpa) would disappear for they don't provide a punishment
component other than no government job. An ex-corrupt official
can easily bypass that as some have done already.
I can prove to anyone reading here, in other blogs, etc.
Brazil is not a Democracy!!!!!
(1)Mensalao (Big Monthly Stipend) happened DURING LULA's
Administration. Vote buying IS NOT DEMOCRACY!!!!!
(2)A Google Executive in Brazil was arrested for
political reasons. Google owns Youtube. Brazilian
archaic laws find it illegal for any political dissent
during a candidates political campaigning.
Well, millions of Americans would have been in jailed
during President Bush's campaigning for President.
No one ended up at Guantanamo. Not a single Talk Show
host and guest , blogger, political poster, etc.
Likewise, at the State and Local levels, many millions
more would have been arrested in other Official elections.
Sorry, man, your standards for democracy are too high - making the concept essentially meaningless. No country in the world would pass your strict test for being a democracy, in which a single judicial decision is enough to disqualify a country.
Democracies are not some sort of heavenly place populated by angels in which bad things don't take place. They're a place where bad things are dealt with institutionally. Mensaleiros? We're prosecuting (and hopefully punishing) them. That's what democracies do in the real world. Talking about Bush's elections, you should check what happened in Florida that got him elected in the first place. The Supreme Court made a ruling, the US moved on, and did not stop being a great democracy because of one probably rigged election.
I'm sure every democracy has fringe people like you who think that their country is not a real democracy. In a way, it's a sign that you are a real democracy to have wackos freely claiming you're not and blogging about it. My fear is that this may be becoming, against all reasonable evidence, mainstream thought among a certain class of wealthy Brazilians, to the point when you stop valuing the huge progress we have made.
Whatever anecdotes you may come up with, overall we're becoming more and more democratic, with less and less inequality among Brazilian, without touching on anyone's freedoms. If you can't see that, once more, there's little I can do for you.
"Sorry, man, your standards for democracy are too high - making the concept essentially meaningless. "
It is not my standards. It is a global standard commensurable
with leading nations which Brazil is not.
In France, there are jail sentences for corrupt officials.
In Italy, Berlusconi's billions did not stop corrupt
charges leveled at him.
In California, Duke Cunningham was found guilty of corruption,
and sentenced to a long jail term.
"Whatever anecdotes you may come up with, overall we're becoming more and more democratic, with less and less inequality among Brazilian, without touching on anyone's freedoms."
To you and many others, an insignificant barely audible
improvement is a Democratic quantum leap. That will never
chip away at the political fiefdoms in Brazil, and it shows.
If Brazilians consider Democracy the ability to scream loud
and make noise, but not make a dent or improvement. Brazilians
are only deceiving themselves. I can see perfectly clear the
charade and nonsense it entails. What I can't see is how
billions of people around the world could be deceived that
Brazil is the 6th largest economy in the world. A dysfunctional, disorganized, corrupt, backwards land trying
to tell the world that it is racially integrated and that
race don't matter. Why the favelas? A country filled with
violence and no respect for laws trying to become a permanent
member at the UN Security Council. Explain that. A country
where more than half of the people are not connected to
the Internet, don't speak English, and don't know the
mechanics of starting a business is going to tell Taiwan
that it should be part of China.
If Brazil was all that, instead of people swimming from
Indonesia to Australia, they would have tried to reach
South America instead. Any plans to make Fernando de Noronha
like Christmas Island in Australia? hahahahaha
Oh, you're "that" guy *rolls eyes*. Yeah, nevermind, then.
I would just make the single point that we can disagree all we want about whether abstract and unmeasurable things are good or bad here and there. But if you're willing to disbelieve measurable, independently-assessed information (i.e. Brazil being the 6th economy, or the 7th, whatever) then we're in cuckoo world - just claim whatever you want, but make sure to make it a very long claim and full of anecdotes. Or, to quote Sheldon's mom, "everyone is entitled to their opinion".
It is not opinion. It is fact. Do the math. The size and resources of
Brazil with GDP PER CAPITA. Compare Brazil's GDP PER CAPITA with Australia and
Canada (all three are big countries with lots of commodities to sell to China).
Compare Bombardier (Embraer's competitor) salaries to Embraer.
Compare Canada, Australia and Brazil on PISA scores.
Compare Brazil to Taiwan on consumer global brands, patents, home grown
Only a cuckoo awestruck fool would believe Brazil is on a par with OECD
country like Brazilians have been professing over the last three years.
I think you are right, James.
Here's an article about other countries facing similar problems:
This comments page is the biggest proof on how Brazil has a abnormal inequality problem on all areas, and more specifically, in internet access: clearly, as @Tupinamba said, all those haters that keep ranting on how the country is going straight down are obviously from the middle class and beyond. You can see this in The Economist comments, or even on Brazilian Newspapers comments, like Folha or Estadão. All people commenting (hating) there, obviously, don't know a thing about those who they are so critic - the low income people.
The only time the middle class remembers that injustice happens to all people, independent of social class, color or religious belief, in a unfair system, is when someone they know (if not themselves) are locked away in a dirty, crowded and dangerous prison, for some injustice. Then, they start ranting on how the prisons lack human dignity - until they are freed. Then, they start hating all prisoners again, as if they were the only one single case of police brutality/arbitrary authority. After all, only white, heterosexual middle class Brazilian are victims of arbitrariness - if you are black, it's best for everyone that you are locked away from the rest of society probably.
You have used the world hate quite a few times on
your paragraph. Care to quantify the so called hate
with a few examples?
Well, you do read the comments section here. Have you read the comments section of any major Brazilian news website? Any news about people suspect of crime, whether in jail or not, is riddled with comments about how the best thing to do would be, in order: (a) to kill them; (b) to enslave them; (c) to deprive them of every possible pleasure and make them suffer the most possible.
Plus whenever police kills people no one wants to know in which conditions. Police brutality is applauded. Commentators never think it could be their children. They're just happy that "bandits" (i.e. poor, black, usually young people who live in places where they never plan to go) were killed, and think the police should kill more of them. Does this sound like an inaccurate description to you? Does police brutality, applauded by the middle classes, seem to be having any effectiveness in lowering crime?
In your first paragraph you have covertly supported
the corrupt in power. You said:"to deprive them of
every possible pleasure...." Which pleasure is that?
To F*** both non connected average Brazilians and
also to F** foreigners doing business in Brazil??
Is that the pleasure you are referring to????
(a)China does that, and it is an one party system.
(b)Meaning jail time? Heck yeah. Ask Duke Cunningham,
a Republican under a Republican Administration. Not
a slap on the wrist case like Collor de Mello, Paulo
Maluf, etc.
Do you know why those black kids live in a favela?
Do you know why Tyler Perry, a Black man from humble
beginnings, was able to start a brand new Movie Studio
that not only competed with Hollywood (an already
established global business), but also produced
Analyze the two, and you will see why Brazil is "Poor."
While you are at it, ask yourself why Brazilians hate
an inherit hatred towards true success, and often
attribute hard work, vision and business acumen with
the other ladder to riches, Brazilian corruption.
The two are not the same. However, Brazilians think they are.
Good post, James!
You just forgot to include:
1-How embraer copied piper and aermachi
2-How Taiwan is superior and never was helped by any other country (despite receiving help from the US and Japan and stealing from China like no Brazilian polititian will ever dream to steal).
3-How Brazil is racist (but Taiwan is not, which is a lie).
As for the points of the comments and article: Brazil IS an unsophisticated place were the middle-class is much more concerned with finding a "teat" (teta) than forcing to have level playing rules. The result is a "cada um por si" (each one for themselves) when everybody loses.
Looks at the traffic mess in Brazil: people rather have spare cars for the rodizio days than organize themselves and do car pooling, since they dont trust each other.
In civilized places people carpool and cars with 3+ people have preferential access to lanes.
In Brazil this would NEVER happen.
Brazil is non viable and will NEVER be civilized. NEVER.
Yeah, I know that "it is the 6th economy in the world" (which is a lie, since now it is back to 7th thanks to currency devaluation), but that doesn't equal to development.
Yes it is...the place for a criminal is the graveyard..not a prison paid by taxpayers...our Police is doing a great job killing criminals..about young leaving people living in bad places..this not an excuse...The housewhere my family moved in Sao Paulo in 1951 had no sewage, no water and electricity took few years to arrive...but we all went to good public schools including universities in and out of Brazil..we did not become criminalls although we were very poor..my parents, both dead, would be very proud with their 13 grandsons..ALL of them, with a 5 year old exception, with University degrees in excellent schools
To say that poverty explains criminality is stupidity...if that is true than we would have hunderds of millions of criminals in Iindia and China..and that is not happenning
1- It was technology transfers. Show me where I said copied. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embraer
2-Brazil too received help from U.S, Germany (Angra Nuclear power plants),
Italy (Aermacchi/Embraer).
As for your spiel, that is the problem with you Brazilians. Chiang Kai Shek
took China's gold during a WAR SITUATION, and not to enrich himself.
There are no mega hectare parcel of land belonging to his family in Taiwan.
There are no islands owned by him, and giving to heirs as a badge of aristocracy.
He used the gold and the assistance from other countries to build Taiwan.
Brazil, on the other hand, has squandered its natural resources, its people
intellect, and the funds from other nations (even FDI in Lula's administration).
It is well documented that Jose Sarney has profited mightly from corruption.
He could not have amassed a mega mansion and own an island on his salary,
and other earnings.
3-Every country has some racist elements. The thing is that Taiwan is nowhere
as racist as Brazil. There are no CEOs and CIOs that are African Brazilian. 3/4
of Rio de Janeiro IS FAVELAS inhabited by blacks (see google maps . All clearly
labeled by name. The racism in Brazil is not just color, but also exclusion from
upward moblity.
Joao, I would like to thank your family for a fantastic job. However, it is not
a barometer for the population at large. If one does not know Brazil, one may
even believe that your example is scalable. It is not. If what you said was that
easy, Eduardo Saverin (Co-founder of Facebook) and Michel Krieger (Co-founder
of Instagram) would have created global brands from Brazil. Neither came from
a poor family, and I doubt it they lived in a favela.
Education is only one half of the equation. Brazil's PISA scores validate my
point more than your family's anomally success. The other half of the equation
is capital, venture capital. Without capital to bring about the education and
ideas together, one would end up like a Cuban rocket scientist. All knowledge
with nowhere to go.
Why is it that makes Rio de Janeiro 75% favela. Just look at Google maps with
all favelas clearly labeled? Are Brazilians lazy??? Are Brazilians carrying a
slave legacy?????? or the fact is that without Q.I. (Quem Indicou) even an Uni
graduate will have a hard time moving up the ladder. Without some government
connection, one will be ostracized. You can try to dispute that, and you are
welcome to it. However, reality shows that there are no burgeoning global
entrepreneurs from Brazil. Venture capital is miniscule for the size of the country.
Custo Brazil makes prohibitively expensive to start something big. You can
argue mom and pop stores go up all the time, but BEYOND THAT there is very
little. There are no African Brazilian CEOS and CIOS in the private sector. In the
public sector, only half a dozen officials are as dark as Pele. Even Pele never
made a fortune. He is famous alright, but not wealthy as he could or should have been.
1-So are you saying that an Embraer 190 is in any shape or form similar to any product by Piper or Aermacchi? Ludicrous. And by your own "logic" isn't your proud "indigenous" Taiwanese jet a copy of the F16 (with the exception that General Dynamics people flew to Taiwan to get it done) ? And aren't Acer's and Asus' computer similar to the Sony and Toshibas that they manufactured all those years on behalf of Japanese brands?
According to the logic you apply for Embraer your mighty Taiwanese brands aren't worth jack.
You snooze you loose, and your "logic" failed you again.
Dois pesos, duas medidas.
2-You should compare the interest rates of the Marshall Plan with interest rates Brazil had to pay for its debt.
"Brazilians. Chiang Kai Shek took China's gold during a WAR SITUATION"
He also took the gold from the US' Lend Lease. Taiwanese and Chiang are some of the most corrupt people on the entire planet. They make Brazilian politicians look like chicken thieves, which is exactly what they are. Granted, Taiwan, thanks for inheriting gold, infrastructure and education from different sources (differently from your pink tinted glasses version) made good use of it. Good for Taiwan. They worked hard and used the golden hand they were given well. Brazil? Brazil didn't use its golden hand, and we two definitely agree on that. Brazil is a failed state if there was ever one. Taiwan made good use of the massive help it received (and quit the "Israel of the Far East" because that is another pipe dream).
3-Taiwanese (and Chinese in general) abhor black people and call them names, charge them higher prices, and overall detest them. Any black person living in China or Taiwan will attest to that. I myself am from Brazil and lived in China and visited Taiwan and could see that with my own eyes.
Did you read The Ugly Chinaman already? Do you even know who Bo Yang or even Lin Yutang are?
You whitewash your heritage in a way that can fool only Brazilians, inbreeding in one of the armpits of the world thinking they are sophisticated while everybody laughs about them behind their wet backs.
Same here... unfortunatly, we belong to the "white, college-educated, upper middle class elite" that runs Brazil by keeping 200 million people living down the bridge. By the way, I never got a precise definition of "elite". Most leftists like to include the urban middle-class in this category. 34,5% of Brazilian population falls into the rich and upper middle-class (A1 / A2 / B1 and B2) classes. The "C" chunck - the true middle class - accounts for another 49,5% (official figures). To large to be "elite". Brazil is moving toward what president Dilma said yesterday to foreign correspondents she envises as the desired future: an immense middle-class country. All the friction comes from this huge social transformation.
Dude, stop lying. Look for yourself the numbers below.
Taiwan is closer to the U.S. and Brazil is worse than
The gold was Chinese not land lease as your spiel.
Taiwan has Hsinchu (a tech hub of its own). What is
Brazil's equivalent.
Brazilians are way more racists than the Taiwanese.
Blacks born in Brazil don't have upward mobility.
There are no CEOs, CIOs in the PRIVATE SECTOR. Every
public sector CEO does not even remotely look like Pele
(i.e. Black) Get your facts straigth.
Historically, the Brazilian middle class has been
GOVERNMENT WORKERS. Now, through creative accounting
someone equivalent to a dirt poor in an OECD is called
middle class in Brazil. The per capita income in Brazil
is nowhere near Australia and Canada (two countries that
are big and sell commmodities to China). Bombardier
salaries are higher than Embraer. Both sell airplanes
to the same market. If you want to further discuss this,
I can provide with more detailed figures. Wanna try???
You don´t need to be arrogant and show that you are owner of the truth, specially when this kind of statistics is available to everyone. And still more important, I supported your comment. So, I don´t know why you are so upset. By the way, I´ve run a consulting business for over 30 years now. So, yes, we can talk about salaries, taxes, purchasing power, manufacturing costs, ecc, ecc, ecc. My juniors will be glad to provide you some data.
From a reputable source:
Brazil $12,594USD per capita
Canada $50, 345USD per capita
Australia 60,642USD per capita
Canada and Australia compete with Brazil in selling commodities to
China. All three have benefitted more than many OECD countries
from such trade. Furthermore, Embraer versus Bombardier salaries. http://www.glassdoor.com/Salary/Embraer-Salaries-E10988.htm http://www.glassdoor.com/Salary/Bombardier-Salaries-E3766.htm
To go even further, ex-pats from many parts of the world can
serve as testimony that Brazilian salaries structure is askewed towards
the top leaving whatever is left over to middle management and crumbs
to the bottom rung.
Even if Brazil become a $7Trillion dollar economy tomorrow, there is no way
it would pay its workers accordingly. Australia, competing with Brazil on Iron
Ore pays its workers $200,000USD a year. That is why so many Europeans
and Americans are moving there instead of working for Mr. Eike Batista.
As for your "Owner of the truth" spiel, that is a typical Brazilian cope out when
they can't handle the truth, and or got caught out in the open in a lie.
I am not saying country A is better than country B, which is pretty obvious: as I mentioned before, Brazil pissed all it had / has to the wind.
I am just saying that the country you say is heaven on Earth in reality is a racist, corrupt place that was given a fairly good hand and made good use of it. Good for them. Hopefully they have NO cultural leverage whatsoever and we can only hope it will continue to be this way while more responsible countries in Asia such as Korea and Japan continue to thrive (and Taiwan lag behind).
"The gold was Chinese not land lease as your spiel."
I think you meant Lend Lease?
For those of you who don't know (and James definitely doesn't), Lend Lease was the programme where the US would donate massive amounts of military equipment plus expertise for countries fighting against its enemies (Japan in this case). The US gave Nationalist China massive amounts of equipment and money, most of it stolen by the corrupt family of its ruler (Chian Kai Shek, who would later go on to rule Taiwan like a despotic genocidal dictator for decades). The US also gave the USSR massive amounts of equipment, which they used very well against Germany.
The Chinese / Taiwanese have little respect for human life, which can easily be verified by the thousands murdered in Taiwan post 49 and the millions murdered during the Japanese occupation.
It is very well documented in Joeseph Stilwell's memoirs that Chiang (who he calls The Peanut) had zero regard for the human life of his brethren.
In fact Chiang, a Chinese/Taiwanese coward (I think it is fair to call him Taiwanese since that is what he actually became in fact), left its people to die in Nanjing and killed several hundred times more of his own people either through starvation, stupidity (breaking levies to contain Japanese troops but "forgetting" to tell his own citizens to evacuate the cities) or both. Probably both.
Chiang's main ministers (same family of his wife, the Soongs) were several times more corrupt than Sarney can ever dream of being, probably because Sarney wasn't involved with the Army, which by all accounts is a good thing.
James, in addition to Lin Yutang's "My Country My People", Bo Yang's "The Ugly Chinanman" you should also read "Generalissimo Chiang Kai Shek and the China he lost", all excellent books that clearly tell what James doesn't want you to know about his Taiwan: a morally bankrupt country that received a vote of trust by America and later Japan and fair enough did the best it could with it while at the same time it had no problem whatsoever stealing and plundering its own people or Taiwan's natives.
James, next time you go to Taiwan (assuming you've ever been there, since you seem to know so little about its history, which is ludicrous given the lies you try to shove down the peasants on this very forum), paint yourself black and walk around in the streets. Not even betel nut babes (prostitutes who sell stimulants by the roadside to truckers) will touch you.
Then ask yourself why.
You don't know what you are talking about.
If that was the case (middle class = government workers) the government sector would need to employ dozens of millions of people, which simply is not the case and NEVER was the case.
You are forgetting the bakery owner, the dentist, the accountant, the cobbler, ...
There are millions of them. Are they rich? No. Are they poor? Not really. They aren't drinking champagne either.
"Bombardier salaries are higher than Embraer. "
Sony and Samsung's salaries are higher than Acer and Asus.
Your point is?
Acer is also a low cost competitor.
There's no shame in that is there? Taiwan's economy is based on that, although the cheap labor, I mean, the slave labor comes from the Mainland. Serves them well actually.
and ignore the weirdly obsessive Taiwanese posters. Seriously, it is getting really strange on just about every Brasil story now.
Corruption? It's everywhere, isn't it? What else are law, order and justice worth for? In fact a large number of us Brazilians voting for the PT - the incumbent Labour Party with Dilma Roussef as the present presidenta of the Republic - expected indeed better standards of behavior from their deputies. Unfortunately that was not the case but we should be careful now not to throw away the lady with the bath water. A good thing that justice is being made. Now we long to see that the same stern standards be applied to the society as a whole. We are well aware of the so-called Casa Grande and Senzala split in this country: the Manor and the Slave Quarters. Strict penalties applied to the Senzala - read PT - is nothing new. Do you bet the Casa Grande will henceforth have the same treatment ? Really? If so a major breakthrough has actually happened. Worth the wait.
Nice point, but please: PT big shots are not the senzala. Come on, these are pretty well-off (if not rich for their post-government consultancy jobs) people, some of which were the most powerful in government a few years ago. The good news is precisely that the people in the casa grande are being caught.
I do second your point, however, than people are happy while justice affects only PT - or maybe politicians, or bankers. Once the police and the judges start going after typical middle-class crimes we'll start hearing about how applying the law to the middle class is authoritarian and despotic, and how the police should be fighting the "real" criminals.
It is quite apparent that:
(1)Brazilian have lower standards for
everything, yet think that they have
reach or surpassed global standards.
(2)Everything in Brazil is politic$.
More political parties (not for democracy
sake, but for politic$$$ $ake).
(3)There is no grassroot movement in Brazil.
Neither native nor foreign in helping the
masses see the light. Brazil like Russia
don't want true Democracy. In Russia, USAID
was kicked out of the country for helping
ordinary Russians.
Now, if a millionaire decided to help favela dwellers,
politic$$$ would enter the fray. If a non-corrupt
foreign entity decided to help Brazilians without
con$$$Ulting with Brazilian Official$$$, then the
same story as in Russia would happen.
Well, as usual with reader comments, there are too many "problematicas" and very few "solucionaticas", meaning too many analysis and vey few approaches to solutions...
Brazil is definitely not an ethical state..moral hazard is all over...and the main reason is that democracy defined as one man one vote will make millions voting with their bellies, not with their brain or their heart
What we need is Republic, a system of government where the rights of Life, Freedom and private property are respected and not subjected to ocasional majorities..as the Founding Fathers predicted when they wrote American Constitution
Very few measures would help this
One is that according to our Constitution "everyone is equal for the Law" which would mean that all congressmen, judges, etc would be sued in low level courts...a Supreme Court, although this one seems to be working nicely, is not a proper place to judge criminals..takes too long
Second is that voting should be optional, not enforced...
Third, anyone that gets any kind of government favour , like cash transfers, subsidies to farmers, free university and other similar stuff, should loose right to vote....this way no one is going to sell a vote to get favours from politicians
And supposing that those things are good, the only way, unfortunately, to implement them is, unfortunatelly I repeat, through a revolution, either by civilians or by the army...no chance in centuries for polticians to vote this
After this we can go back to a Republic, now with rules that will make not corruption impossible, but much more difficult
Democracy is something that a society gets AFTER learning how to behave and after some major structural problems are solved..specially basic level education.....look at the history of South Korea...in China the same will happen..they will become also a Democratic Republic ......or anyone belives that Chaves is running a democracy in Venezuela?? He is bribing people with their own money...like Brazilian congressmen are doing....by the way increasing sallaries of a state burocracy also to get more revenue for union leaders now in power
Pinochet may have killed some people, but Chile got back to Republic in much better shape
And this, ladies and gentlemen, is the Brazilian self-righteous middle class who infects newspaper's comments section. Left or right wing, they are always ready to curtail other people's rights and destroy their lives - to forbid, arrest for life, expel, kill - in name of their view of a "truly" democratic, fair and just society. Sometimes I almost have to agree with James AntiBR. With these people as our elite, how can we ever expect to develop?
Thankfully, Joao, my country is no longer run by people who think like you. That it may never happen again. I just wish you are under 20. Then there is still time for you to realize how foolish your ideas are. Read a bit. Talk to people who don't agree with you. Travel. Go live somewhere else. Get laid maybe. Grow up.
"Brazil is definitely not an ethical state..moral hazard is all over...and the main reason is that democracy defined as one man one vote will make millions voting with their bellies, not with their brain or their heart".
Everyone in a democracy votes for their interests. Are you saying that the middle class voting for their interests is somehow more "noble" than the poor voting for theirs? Lixo.
Oh, and I suggest you actually learn a little about how terrible Pinochet's economic policies were, Chile is doing well now in spite of what happened during his quasi-fascist regime. Part 2 of The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism, by Naomi Klein will given you an idea of just how close to disaster Friedman Fundamentalism brought Chile. Oh, and 10,000s of innocent people were murdered and tortured.
Lucky for Brasil people like you are an extreme minority and you have no chance of gaining power. If you want to live in this government free paradise I suggest you move to Somalia.
When the Brazilian justice system finally starts to fight impunity, leaders and intellectuals of the Workers Party (PT) accuse the Supreme Court to conduct a "trial of exception" and raised the specter of press censorship.
(1)You have repeatedly attempted to disparate Taiwan while stating
that Brazilian Politicians are much less corrupt than their Taiwanese
32. Taiwan
73. Brazil
(2)You have repeatedly stated that Taiwanese are racists, specially
towards Blacks. As I stated before, Taiwanese are less racist than
Brazilians are towards their own black population. There is not much
intermarriage in Southern Brazil (Sao Paulo south, Parana, Santa Catarina,
Rio Grande do Sul). These States are solid Euro mixed Caucasians. In
addition, there are no black Brazilians CEOs and CIOs in the private sector
in Brazil. In the public sector a dozen Officials are Black out of a population
that is 51% Black. To illustrate that Taiwan welcomes Blacks read the link
Taiwan also welcomes Latinos
(3)You have disparaged Taiwan for not having an auto industry and not making
an airplane like Embraer. Taiwan is only 23 million people. Parking is hard to come
by. However, Japan and South Korea are larger. Brazil is even larger, but produces
nothing automotive of its own.Well, Proton from Malaysia makes a car, but Brazil does
not. Even though Brazil has more resources, and a large European and Asian
multi-generational population. Shouldn't Brazil have made a car if it is all that?
China made it without having much resources, and in a much recent history
than Brazil's "Auto industry." As for Taiwan brands, they are real. You can say
what you want about them, but anyone who has traveled outside Brazil and
has not been brainwashed by the power that be can see that Taiwan has HTC,
Acer, Asus, Giant, Quickly and many more brands out of its own accord.
(4)You keep harping on my mention of Piper and Aermacchi. Well, even Embraer
will tell you that these two helped them. You can google it. You are only fooling
yourself by your pride in the "Brazilian Innovation." How come you don't point to
the biggest blunder in Brazilian history. Santos Dumont not being financed by
the coffee and rubber barons (notice the b instead of B) of the time who could and
should have helping him start a PRIVATE aircraft company in the 1910s!!!!!!!!
(5)You keep disparaging General Chiang as some Right Wing version of Jose Sarney,
Collor de Mello, and Paulo Maluf all rolled into one. Come on, if he was that
nefarious, he would have spent the gold he brought from China, and all the financial
assistance from other countries in a way that would make these three bufons very
proud. For the record, Taiwan has no favelas, no disparity in GDP per capita like
Brazil. Taiwan has produce both technological and agricultural miracles having
little land to work with, and a small workforce to rely on. Only the likes of you
with blindspots and a foot in the Brazilian government and another in China
cannot see reality.
You are still thinking framing this discussion as Taiwan vs Brazil.
It is more "The Taiwan You Sell As Heaven on Earth" vs "The Real Taiwan".
Brazil has NOTHING to do with dispelling your selective truths about Taiwan.
"Only the likes of you with blindspots and a foot in the Brazilian government and another in China
cannot see reality."
Haha. Getting personal. Losing control!
I have absolutely NOTHING to do with the Brazilian government and proudly never took A CENT of government money either to study, or work or else. I refuse to.
I abhor China as much as any Taiwanese does.
However I abhor Chinese culture in general even more.
Have you read The Ugly Chinaman? Want a copy sent? If so, let me know. I am at the Bay Area right now (you seem to be too),
You might try to sell your lies of the "Israel of the Far East" (which is a lie) to ignorant Brazilians who don't know much more than Miami, but for anyone a little bit more travelled your lies are easily spotted.
"Taiwan has produce both technological and agricultural miracles "
Well I posted an article about the increase grain output of the Sertao and you chose to ignore it, because hey it is brazilian hence cannot be good right?
If this is not an example of your discrimination, then what is?
Have you compared any product by Piper or Aermacchi with any E-jet?
And then you talk about "cannot see reality"? Hahah ludicrous.
Sorry James but you are a joke. You can be incisive most of the time but if you can only acknowledge the bad it gets tiring real fast.
You are still thinking framing this discussion as Taiwan vs Brazil.
It is more "The Taiwan You Sell As Heaven on Earth" vs "The Real Taiwan".
Brazil has NOTHING to do with dispelling your selective truths about Taiwan.
"Only the likes of you with blindspots and a foot in the Brazilian government and another in China
cannot see reality."
Haha. Getting personal. Losing control!
I have absolutely NOTHING to do with the Brazilian government and proudly never took A CENT of government money either to study, or work or else. I refuse to.
I abhor China as much as any Taiwanese does.
However I abhor Chinese culture in general even more.
Have you read The Ugly Chinaman? Want a copy sent? If so, let me know. I am at the Bay Area right now (you seem to be too),
You might try to sell your lies of the "Israel of the Far East" (which is a lie) to ignorant Brazilians who don't know much more than Miami, but for anyone a little bit more travelled your lies are easily spotted.
"Taiwan has produce both technological and agricultural miracles "
Well I posted an article about the increase grain output of the Sertao and you chose to ignore it, because hey it is brazilian hence cannot be good right?
If this is not an example of your discrimination, then what is?
Have you compared any product by Piper or Aermacchi with any E-jet?
And then you talk about "cannot see reality"? Hahah ludicrous.
Sorry James but you are a joke. You can be incisive most of the time but if you can only acknowledge the bad it gets tiring real fast.
And for the record:
"You have repeatedly attempted to disparate Taiwan while stating
that Brazilian Politicians are much less corrupt than their Taiwanese
Ludicrous. Quote me ONE comment where I say that all politicians in Taiwan are more corrupt than all politicians in Brasil.
What I said is that Taiwan is pretty corrupt, and that's unquestionable. The article I posted clearly showed how corruption there permeates the system top to bottom. I think Brazilian politicians are more "chicken thieves".
The Soongs, a dynasty of the most vile and scummy government people in the world are a great example of the scale of corruption by the Nationalists, who are nobody else than the KMT i.e. mostly the core of Taiwan.
That's a great "feature" of all Confucianist "societies" by the way: corruption.
I suggest you read two books:
Lin Yutang: "My Country My People"
Bo Yang: "The Ugly Chinaman"
Both go to great lengths to dispel the blatant lies you trie to ventilate here.
Brazil's Trial of the Century
Brazil's Supreme Court is currently prosecuting the former chief-of-staff to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's administration (from 2003 to 2005), several businessmen, politicians and other members of Lula's political party. They are all being accused of using public funds to buy votes in parliament in order to approve government projects, a practice that became known as "MENSALÃO" (monthly allowance).
With the use of "MEMES" – images created to synthesize, carry and disseminate ideas and values – I have helped shape public opinion through Facebook posts, Youtube videos and my own website:
I believe that my work, combined with the efforts of other social groups and organizations committed to fight against corruption and impunity in Brazil, have played a significant role in creating the necessary public pressure to finally mobilize the Brazilian justice system into starting the trial of a case that has dragged on for 5 long years.
In spite of the importance of my work, which is viewed and shared daily by thousands of Internet users, I have not been able to find any Brazilian publishers or institutions that are willing to finance the publication of my book, Mensalão, Shame of the Nation – The trial, which is a continuation of the E-books Vote for Me and The President, portraying the social and political structure of Lula's administration, from the creation of the "mensalão" to the present day. Both E-books are available for free on my website:
You can publish your own book and sell it via Amazon, you don´t need an editor:
Using Createspace you can publish an actual physical book, not an e-book. Printing is done on demand, so you don´t have to carry an inventory. You should give it a try.
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'Designing Women' actor Meshach Taylor dies at 67
Posted by | Ray Cornelius Emmy-nominated actor and Designing Women co-star Meshach Taylor has died at the age of 67. According to Deadline, Taylor passed
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Obama on Mandela: 'He no longer belongs to us; he belongs to the ages…'
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T.I. hosts Thanksgiving Giveaway…
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Beyoncé, Rihanna, Bruno Mars and others donate music & money for Typhoon Relief
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Rihanna performs 'Diamonds' and receives first ever Icon Award at 2013 AMAs (VIDEO)
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Oprah Winfrey, Bill Clinton, and more receive the Presidential Medal of Honor + VIDEO
Posted by | Ray Cornelius The Presidential Medal of Freedom was bestowed upon 16 individuals yesterday in our nation's capitol. The prestigious ceremony took place
Jamie Foxx hosts fundraiser for Trayvon Martin Foundation + PHOTOS
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Originally published October 11, 2013 at 4:55 PM | Page modified October 11, 2013 at 5:36 PM
Editorial: New approach for I-5 bridge
Plans for a new bridge over the Columbia River are revived by the U.S. Coast Guard approval of a lower span, and other agency agreements.
Seattle Times Editorial
A flurry of letters, agreements and permits between various regional, state and federal agencies and officials have dramatically revived plans to replace the Interstate 5 bridge over the Columbia River.
This remarkable news comes after the Washington State Legislature refused to contribute toward a modern span in the vital transportation corridor between Oregon and Washington.
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, a supporter of the original proposal, is backing the revised plan, which would be constructed in phases.
The entire Columbia River Crossing project is very much a work in progress for both Gov. Inslee and Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber, who is looking for funding from his Legislature.
Late last month, the U.S. Coast Guard approved a permit for a lower bridge design over the Columbia River. The new bridge would have a maximum height of 116 feet, have 10 lanes of traffic and a light-rail extension from Portland into Vancouver.
Three upriver companies would not be able to get some products under the new bridge, but they would receive money to relocate portions of their business downriver.
Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson has signed off on elements of potential cooperative arrangements between the two states to construct, operate and maintain the bridge.
On the Washington state side, the first phase of I-5 interchange improvements would stop at Highway 14 in Vancouver.
C-Tran and Oregon's TriMet, the regional transit agencies on each side of the river, would sign an agreement for light-rail service to be operated by the Portland-area agency to the Clark College campus in Vancouver.
Washington's expenses for the project would be paid by its share of tolls collected.
The existing bridge does not work. The obsolete span is tied up for hours each day, interfering with commercial traffic and emergency vehicles.
Support for replacing the span goes back years, and was broadly endorsed by local and regional councils and agencies.
Groundbreaking could come next year. Great news. Keep moving forward.
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Monthly Archives: August 2012
New Partnership Offers Affordable, Easy Solar to Atlantic Chapter and Niagara Group Supporters
As efforts to fight climate change accelerate, the Sierra Club is helping members and supporters drop dirty fuels. A new program is aimed at catalyzing widespread deployment of clean energy: Solar Homes Program. Through an innovative partnership with Sungevity, a … Continue reading
Posted in energy efficiency, Renewable Energy, renewables Leave a comment
Executive Committee Meeting — Tues, Aug 28th 7pm
Our next Executive Committee meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, August 28th at 7pm in Duns Scotus Hall on the Daemen College Campus, Room 248. We will be giving updates on several items, so come and join us and learn how … Continue reading
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