Sunday, December 19, 2004

Brazilians Optimistic About Their Future

FT.com / World / Americas - Brazilians bask in forgotten feelings of optimism

Lula plans to raise the minimum wage 15% in 2005. He expects 5% real economic growth, and total investments of 22%, up from 18% last year. Economists and entrepreneurs are enthusiastic.

Sounds like a problem to me....

Elsewhere in the "NEW AXIS OF EVIL": Despite closer ties with Cuba, Venezuela would like to normalize relations with the US. And the World Trade Organization has authorized Chile to impose sanctions against the United States, the eighth global economy to be so authorized.

Watch for propaganda over the coming months and years painting Latin America as "soft on terror," "aiding and abetting" terrorists, "pro-communism," and far worse. But these democratically elected governments more resemble the US during the New Deal than they do the Soviet Union. For that matter, they more resemble the US during the New Deal than the US does today!

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