Ponderable

Venezuelans who’ve fled to America have a warning about socialism

JOHN SEXTON Posted at 7:21 pm on February 07, 2019






With the release of the Green New Deal proposal today, this seems perfectly timed. It’s another one of those Campus Reform videos where they send Cabot Phillips out to ask questions of people on the street. Often Phillips is infiltrating a far-left protest crowd and finding out what they really know about what they’re protesting. In this case, the crowd isn’t far left and they know quite a bit about what they’re protesting. They know because they fled their home country to escape it.





“What would be your message to people who think socialism would be a good idea here?” Phillips asked.

“From the perspective of people who’ve lived through failed socialism, it’s very hard to accomplish,” one young woman said. That’s probably the least cutting response.

“I don’t think any Venezuelan can really like socialism because we’ve seen it put in place very well,” another woman replied. Later in the clip she added, “We also thought that this could never happen in our country. We had a balance of powers. We had democracy and we elected our leaders.” Yes, they did, and they elected a democratic socialist who was charismatic and who promised Venezuela would never make the tyrannical mistakes made in Russia. And yet, here we are.





A third young woman replied, “It doesn’t work the way the book says it works because we’re human and we have imperfections and socialism is too perfect to be true.”

I really like that answer. Socialism really is tremendously appealing to young people who don’t know better. A clever demagogue can make it sound like utopia is just around the corner. I mean a world where every need is met sounds great in theory. But in practice it doesn’t work out that way. As you centralize government power, ostensibly to meet needs of the least of these, you create an incentive for unscrupulous thieves and liars to seize that power and wield it to maintain themselves in luxury indefinitely. And the premise of socialism, that the collective is more important than the individual, makes it increasingly hard for the mistreatment of any individual to matter. After all, you can’t start a revolution without breaking a few eggs.
 
Sheriff Joe said:
Venezuelans who’ve fled to America have a warning about socialism

JOHN SEXTON Posted at 7:21 pm on February 07, 2019






With the release of the Green New Deal proposal today, this seems perfectly timed. It’s another one of those Campus Reform videos where they send Cabot Phillips out to ask questions of people on the street. Often Phillips is infiltrating a far-left protest crowd and finding out what they really know about what they’re protesting. In this case, the crowd isn’t far left and they know quite a bit about what they’re protesting. They know because they fled their home country to escape it.





“What would be your message to people who think socialism would be a good idea here?” Phillips asked.

“From the perspective of people who’ve lived through failed socialism, it’s very hard to accomplish,” one young woman said. That’s probably the least cutting response.

“I don’t think any Venezuelan can really like socialism because we’ve seen it put in place very well,” another woman replied. Later in the clip she added, “We also thought that this could never happen in our country. We had a balance of powers. We had democracy and we elected our leaders.” Yes, they did, and they elected a democratic socialist who was charismatic and who promised Venezuela would never make the tyrannical mistakes made in Russia. And yet, here we are.





A third young woman replied, “It doesn’t work the way the book says it works because we’re human and we have imperfections and socialism is too perfect to be true.”

I really like that answer. Socialism really is tremendously appealing to young people who don’t know better. A clever demagogue can make it sound like utopia is just around the corner. I mean a world where every need is met sounds great in theory. But in practice it doesn’t work out that way. As you centralize government power, ostensibly to meet needs of the least of these, you create an incentive for unscrupulous thieves and liars to seize that power and wield it to maintain themselves in luxury indefinitely. And the premise of socialism, that the collective is more important than the individual, makes it increasingly hard for the mistreatment of any individual to matter. After all, you can’t start a revolution without breaking a few eggs.
Click to expand...
Did any of them go to Brazil? What did they tell them? How about Argentina? And France, what did they tell the French, I wonder?
 
messy said:
Did any of them go to Brazil? What did they tell them? How about Argentina? And France, what did they tell the French, I wonder?
Click to expand...
You can stop wondering,
giletjaunes.jpg
 
messy said:
Did any of them go to Brazil? What did they tell them? How about Argentina? And France, what did they tell the French, I wonder?
Click to expand...
Here you go. More good socialist news.


Kenneth Rapoza Senior Contributor
Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own.
Markets I write about business and investing in emerging markets. Business confidence decreased to the lowest level since January
https%3A%2F%2Fspecials-images.forbesimg.com%2Fdam%2Fimageserve%2F1018127764%2F960x0.jpg%3Ffit%3Dscale



The Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer) statue in Rio de Janeiro. The economy began to falter in 2012, but the past three years have been especially brutal thanks to the Petrobras scandal.

Brazil gets more thumbs down than thumbs up from investors. An economic turnaround is slow coming, though investors will have a better sense of things after the elections this fall.

Here are some areas where Brazil's weak economy is doing well, and where it still needs improvement, based on the views of Morgan Stanley analysts.

GDP Growth

Actual: 1.0% year-over-year. Consensus: 1.1% year-over-year. Close enough. But not good enough. GDP rose 0.2% in the second quarter but could have been better if not for a disruptive strike by the trucker’s union and individual drivers protesting the hike in fuel costs. Investment is the main drag, down 1.8%.

Business Confidence




https%3A%2F%2Fspecials-images.forbesimg.com%2Fdam%2Fimageserve%2F86078276%2F960x0.jpg%3Ffit%3Dscale

“Meh.” These eight items from GDP growth to São Paulo inflation are showing where Brazil's economy has slowed in the last few months. Investors are desperate to see Brazil moving forward, faster. Analysis by Morgan Stanley Research. (Getty Photos, Royalty Free)

Business confidence decreased to the lowest level since January , contracting 1.4% in July. Both domestic and external uncertainties are rising for Brazil thanks to elections and the strong dollar impact on emerging markets in general. Confidence in the future edged up by only 0.3%. However, it is more positive than negative, as confidence levels are still in the 90s.

Consumer Confidence

Once seasonally adjusted, consumer confidence decreased to 83.8 from 84.2 last month. A weaker labor market isn’t helping matters.


Industrial Production

Industrial production fell just 0.2% in July, so not that bad. According to Morgan Stanley, the main highlights were a 6.2% drop in capital goods and a 1.2% fall in consumer goods.

PMI - Services

Actual: 46.8. Anything under 50 is a slowdown. Services PMI for August fell to the lowest level since February 2017. Weak demand and higher uncertainty surrounding the upcoming elections were the main drivers, according to Morgan Stanley. This number should change for the better after the election (depending on who wins).

Current Account Balance

Actual: -$4.4 billion. Consensus: -$3.8 billion. So Brazil’s government checkbook is worse than people thought. Following four positive months, the current account deficit widened to 0.8% of GDP from 0.7% in July. Foreign direct investment into Brazil is still above $60 billion, or around 3.25% of GDP. FDI can help a country’s current account balance: more money in.

Trade Balance

Actual: $3.8 billion. Consensus: $4.0 billion. Brazil’s trade deficit is up, though this is not entirely negative. The trade deficit is tiny in comparison to the U.S., and more imports mean more demand at home, which can be viewed overall as a positive. On the imports side, fuel & lubricants and vehicles were the main causes of the deficit.

São Paulo Inflation

Actual: 0.41% monthly. Consensus: 0.31% monthly. Consumer prices in São Paulo accelerated to 0.41% from 0.23% in the previous month. The increase is mostly due to higher electricity costs. On the opposite direction, food and fuel prices are stable to falling thanks to a temporary subsidy for diesel fuel.

https%3A%2F%2Fspecials-images.forbesimg.com%2Fdam%2Fimageserve%2F896028104%2F960x0.jpg%3Ffit%3Dscale

The following indicators show where Brazil’s economy is improving. Thumbs up by Morgan Stanley. (Getty royalty free images)

Consumer Price Index

Actual: -0.09% monthly; Consensus: flat. National inflation is okay. Consumer prices in August are up by 4.19% on a 12-month basis compared to 4.48% in the previous month. Low inflation keeps the Brazilian central bank dovish, which is great for equities going into 2019 once the election outcome is known.

Primary Budget Balance

Actual: -R$3.4 billion; Consensus: -R$ 6.7 billion. A smaller deficit. The primary budget deficit declined to 1.1% of GDP in July, down a tad from 1.3% in June. For Morgan Stanley analysts, this was good news considering the R$159 billion target set for this year. Also, interest payments decreased due to some fancy footwork by the central bank in the forex market. Gross debt in Brazil is down but still a high 77% of GDP.

PMI - Manufacturing

Actual: 51.1. Once seasonally adjusted, PMI reached a four-month high after breaking 50 in July. Brazil’s manufacturing sector in August moved further ahead from the June downturn as factory orders and output increased steadily over the last eight weeks. Cost inflation reached a 10-year peak, due to the recent currency depreciation, but Brazilians are used to that sort of thing.

Credit Indicators

Credit inventory continues to contract, reaching 46.4% of GDP in July from 46.8% in the previous month. The good news is that household debt is at the lowest level since March 2015 and delinquencies remained at just 3% of bank loans, the lowest level since March 2016.

Lastly, Brazil’s unemployment rate is holding still at 12.3%. The employed population increased by 1.1% so far this year in Brazil, but that is mostly due to informal jobs like cash-under-the-table domestic services and street vending.

Brazil has a long way to go in the job market. Formal job creation was zero in July.

Brazilians will elect a new president in November. The top four candidates are believed to be Fernando Haddad, ex-president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s pick; Marina Silva, Lula’s former Environment Minister; Geraldo Alckmin, who lost to Lula in 2006; and Jair Bolsonaro, who has absolutely nothing to do with Lula.

For media or event bookings related to Brazil, Russia, India or China, contact Forbes directly or find me on Twitter at @BRICBreaker


Kenneth Rapoza Senior Contributor
I've spent 20 years as a reporter for the best in the business, including as a Brazil-based staffer for WSJ. Since 2011, I focus on business and investing in the big emerging markets exclusively for Forbes.

My work has appeared in The Boston Globe, The Nation, Salon and ...
 
All you pro-death libs save the date,


'UNPLANNED' Movie Premieres in US Theaters March 29, 2019

prweb.jpg
Thursday, 31 January 2019 (8 days ago)
Former abortion industry worker and Planned Parenthood Employee of the Year turns whistleblower to abortion giant after assisting in an ultra-sound guided abortion procedure in new movie.

LOS ANGELES (PRWEB) January 31, 2019

UNPLANNED: The True Story of Abby Johnson - in theaters nationwide March 29, 2019 - is the dramatic account of a former Planned Parenthood superstar. Johnson was one of their greatest allies as the youngest director of a clinic in the nation, until she walked out after assisting in an abortion of a 13-week-old fetus.

Johnson worked for the abortion industry for eight years and was awarded the 2008 Employee of the Year at Planned Parenthood. She became a national headline when she walked out and even though Planned Parenthood tried to silence her, no court found their arguments credible.

“I thought I was helping women,” said Abby Johnson, Founder and Director of And Then There Were None, the only group in the country that helps abortion workers exit the industry and find them new jobs. “But I was doing more harm than good. It wasn’t until I saw a child fight for its life that my world came crashing down and I understood the enormity of my actions. I had to leave. No one will be able to walk away after seeing this movie and say ‘I didn’t know.’”

During her time as director of Planned Parenthood in Bryan, Texas, Johnson facilitated over 22,000 abortions. Since leaving, she has helped nearly 500 former abortion workers, including seven doctors, leave their jobs and find fulfilling careers outside of the abortion industry.

Bringing to life this powerful real-life story of redemption and love, UNPLANNED stars Ashley Bratcher (War Room, 90 Minutes in Heaven 90) as Johnson; Brooks Ryan as her husband, Doug; Robia Scott (CSI, Buffy the Vampire Slayer) as Abby’s superior at Planned Parenthood; Emma Elle Roberts (Hunger Games: Mocking Jay, I Am Not Ashamed) as Marilisa Carney, Kaiser Johnson (Little Boy, Vampire Diaries, Sleepy Hollow); and Jared Lotz (Of Little Convenience, Thanksgiving) as Shawn Carney.

Actress Ashley Bratcher was nearly aborted by her own mother, which she didn’t find out until filming began. “I was born for this role,” said Bratcher.

Written, produced and directed by Cary Solomon and Chuck Konzelman, (God's Not Dead, God's Not Dead 2, Do You Believe) and produced by Daryl Lefever (I Can Only Imagine), UNPLANNED puts the story of the Abby Johnson, the most prominent defector from the abortion industry, on the big screen at a time when the life issue is hanging in the balance amidst a divided political landscape.

“This is the most important movie anyone will ever see on the most controversial issue of our time,” said Solomon and Konzelman. “When UNPLANNED comes to theaters, this movie will make abortion unpopular.”

With nearly one million abortions that take place each year in the United States, and public opinion evenly split on the topic, UNPLANNED shows what life is like on both sides of the fence.

During the March for Life Vigil Mass at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City and the head of the U.S. Bishops Committee on Pro-Life Activities, gave the film a rousing endorsement during his homily, “If you see one film this year, see UNPLANNED … I warn you, UNPLANNED is graphic, it’s painful, but at the same time, inspiring …”

For more information on UNPLANNED, visit http://www.unplanned.com. For key art and images, visit: https://bit.ly/2SfE3jI.
 
messy said:
Did any of them go to Brazil? What did they tell them? How about Argentina? And France, what did they tell the French, I wonder?
Click to expand...
Brazilian MP, 43, defends herself after being slammed for showing cleavage in parliament
The Sun
AP19038593716315.jpg

In this Feb 1, 2019 handout photo provided by the Santa Catarina Legislative Assembly Press Office office, State Rep. Ana Paula da Silva takes the oath of office in the Chamber of Deputies in Santa Catarina, Brazil. What da Silva chose to wear to the inauguration ceremony has led thousands of men and women to take to Twitter, Instagram and other social media. (Luis Gustavo/Santa Catarina Legislative Assembly Press Office via AP)
 
messy said:
Did any of them go to Brazil? What did they tell them? How about Argentina? And France, what did they tell the French, I wonder?
Click to expand...

Double or quits: will Macron risk a referendum?

Clare BYRNE
,
AFP•February 07, 2019
  • 74cdf2174b48c8d52bb2336176212b5dd3e98e49.jpg

  • 4d207bf14af7e35c98863ae8eb395e88c54e6071.jpg
1 / 4
Faced with protests, French President Emmanuel Macron has hinted he is considering holding a referendum
Faced with protests, French President Emmanuel Macron has hinted he is considering holding a referendum (AFP Photo/Ludovic MARIN)



Paris (AFP) - President Emmanuel Macron could be set to organise France's first referendum in 14 years to end months of "yellow vest" protests, but analysts say the move is a risky gamble.

Macron has clawed back some lost popularity in recent weeks by throwing himself into his "grand national debate", a series of townhall events aimed at tamping down the yellow vest revolt which began in November.

But the real test for the 41-year-old will be what he does with the feedback from hundreds of conversations underway around the country, as well as the 700,000-plus contributions made online.

Macron has confirmed that he is considering calling a referendum on some of the demands emanating from the public consultation, reportedly on the same day as elections for the European parliament on May 26.

"At some point, I might end up having to ask our citizens about this or that," he told a townhall meeting in front of young people in the southern suburbs of Paris on Monday evening.

Macron's hero, post-war leader Charles de Gaulle, is the architect of the current constitution and saw referendums as an important part of governing France under a system that concentrates power in the hands of the president.

De Gaulle cemented his position by winning three referendums, but he fell at the fourth, with the "Non" to his regional and Senate reforms in 1969 prompting him to step down as president.

"You go for double or quits to try to get out of a crisis... at the risk of being plunged into an even deeper crisis," Jean-Philippe Derosier, a law professor and constitutional expert at the University of Lille told AFP.

Since De Gaulle, French presidents have been skittish about consulting the people, with only five referendums held in that time.

The last one was in 2005 when voters -- already itching to give their leaders a drubbing -- rejected a new European constitution in a shock defeat for then president Jacques Chirac.

- Direct democracy -

A referendum would be the culminating point of Macron's efforts to turn the page on the worst crisis of his 20-month-old presidency.

Protesters in rural and small-town France began occupying roundabouts in mid-November. The movement ballooned into an anti-Macron revolt, with weekly rallies in Paris and other cities regularly turning violent.

The president's first response was to announce a 10-billion-euro ($11.4 million) package of tax cuts and state top-ups for low-income workers and pensioners.

He then launched the "great national debate", promising it will lead to real changes.

Putting some ideas to a referendum could help boost his legitimacy and address criticism that he is deaf to the worries of regular voters.

"One of the main takeaways from the yellow vest movement is the impression that many in France believe that they are not given enough consideration by discredited political elites," Jean Garrigues, history professor at Sciences Po and Orleans universities, told AFP.

- Finding the balance -

But there are two potential problems.

Some ministers and MPs in Macron's party worry that holding the referendum on the same day as the European polls would lead to a confusing election campaign.

And analysts say Macron would also need to find a balance between asking meaningful questions to the electorate and avoiding hot topics that could lead to a damaging personal defeat.

"People generally forget to answer the question asked and instead answer the person asking the question -- making it a plebiscite on whether they support the president or not," Derosier said.

Macron is reportedly considering putting several proposals to the nation which enjoy broad support, such as reducing the number of national lawmakers or imposing a limit on the number of terms politicians can serve.

Others, like the leader of the main opposition Republicans party, Laurent Wauquiez, have suggested that Macron should put his economic policy -- based on attracting investment and encouraging entrepreneurship -- to the referendum test.

The yellow vests also want more, including the possibility of organising Swiss-style citizen-sponsored ballots on issues of national importance.

Macron, who championed grassroots democracy during campaigning, appears reluctant to go down that path.

"I don't believe in holding referendums every day on every subject," he told a group of young people on Thursday in the central Saone-et-Loire region.

"Look at what happened in Britain," he said, pointing to Brexit as an example of the "demagoguery" and over-simplification of complex issues that can sway Yes/No votes
 
Sheriff Joe said:
Double or quits: will Macron risk a referendum?

Clare BYRNE
,
AFP•February 07, 2019
  • 74cdf2174b48c8d52bb2336176212b5dd3e98e49.jpg

  • 4d207bf14af7e35c98863ae8eb395e88c54e6071.jpg
1 / 4
Faced with protests, French President Emmanuel Macron has hinted he is considering holding a referendum
Faced with protests, French President Emmanuel Macron has hinted he is considering holding a referendum (AFP Photo/Ludovic MARIN)



Paris (AFP) - President Emmanuel Macron could be set to organise France's first referendum in 14 years to end months of "yellow vest" protests, but analysts say the move is a risky gamble.

Macron has clawed back some lost popularity in recent weeks by throwing himself into his "grand national debate", a series of townhall events aimed at tamping down the yellow vest revolt which began in November.

But the real test for the 41-year-old will be what he does with the feedback from hundreds of conversations underway around the country, as well as the 700,000-plus contributions made online.

Macron has confirmed that he is considering calling a referendum on some of the demands emanating from the public consultation, reportedly on the same day as elections for the European parliament on May 26.

"At some point, I might end up having to ask our citizens about this or that," he told a townhall meeting in front of young people in the southern suburbs of Paris on Monday evening.

Macron's hero, post-war leader Charles de Gaulle, is the architect of the current constitution and saw referendums as an important part of governing France under a system that concentrates power in the hands of the president.

De Gaulle cemented his position by winning three referendums, but he fell at the fourth, with the "Non" to his regional and Senate reforms in 1969 prompting him to step down as president.

"You go for double or quits to try to get out of a crisis... at the risk of being plunged into an even deeper crisis," Jean-Philippe Derosier, a law professor and constitutional expert at the University of Lille told AFP.

Since De Gaulle, French presidents have been skittish about consulting the people, with only five referendums held in that time.

The last one was in 2005 when voters -- already itching to give their leaders a drubbing -- rejected a new European constitution in a shock defeat for then president Jacques Chirac.

- Direct democracy -

A referendum would be the culminating point of Macron's efforts to turn the page on the worst crisis of his 20-month-old presidency.

Protesters in rural and small-town France began occupying roundabouts in mid-November. The movement ballooned into an anti-Macron revolt, with weekly rallies in Paris and other cities regularly turning violent.

The president's first response was to announce a 10-billion-euro ($11.4 million) package of tax cuts and state top-ups for low-income workers and pensioners.

He then launched the "great national debate", promising it will lead to real changes.

Putting some ideas to a referendum could help boost his legitimacy and address criticism that he is deaf to the worries of regular voters.

"One of the main takeaways from the yellow vest movement is the impression that many in France believe that they are not given enough consideration by discredited political elites," Jean Garrigues, history professor at Sciences Po and Orleans universities, told AFP.

- Finding the balance -

But there are two potential problems.

Some ministers and MPs in Macron's party worry that holding the referendum on the same day as the European polls would lead to a confusing election campaign.

And analysts say Macron would also need to find a balance between asking meaningful questions to the electorate and avoiding hot topics that could lead to a damaging personal defeat.

"People generally forget to answer the question asked and instead answer the person asking the question -- making it a plebiscite on whether they support the president or not," Derosier said.

Macron is reportedly considering putting several proposals to the nation which enjoy broad support, such as reducing the number of national lawmakers or imposing a limit on the number of terms politicians can serve.

Others, like the leader of the main opposition Republicans party, Laurent Wauquiez, have suggested that Macron should put his economic policy -- based on attracting investment and encouraging entrepreneurship -- to the referendum test.

The yellow vests also want more, including the possibility of organising Swiss-style citizen-sponsored ballots on issues of national importance.

Macron, who championed grassroots democracy during campaigning, appears reluctant to go down that path.

"I don't believe in holding referendums every day on every subject," he told a group of young people on Thursday in the central Saone-et-Loire region.

"Look at what happened in Britain," he said, pointing to Brexit as an example of the "demagoguery" and over-simplification of complex issues that can sway Yes/No votes
Click to expand...
Another cut n paste queen without the mental power to observe and think and conclude...or listen to experts.
You and Chicken are a great pair.
Knock yourselves out. I’ll watch.
 
QUOTE="Sheriff Joe, post: 246623, member: 1585"

Brazilian MP, 43, defends herself after being slammed for showing cleavage in parliament
The Sun
AP19038593716315.jpg

In this Feb 1, 2019 handout photo provided by the Santa Catarina Legislative Assembly Press Office office, State Rep. Ana Paula da Silva takes the oath of office in the Chamber of Deputies in Santa Catarina, Brazil. What da Silva chose to wear to the inauguration ceremony has led thousands of men and women to take to Twitter, Instagram and other social media. (Luis Gustavo/Santa Catarina Legislative Assembly Press Office via AP)

/QUOTE

Man....I can't resist ... )(

Which " Cleavage ".......
 
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