NP Brasil

[ish mailian]

Angering the elite

What is striking about the protests against the Rousseff government is
that these are not coming mainly from the slums — the favelas — of
Brazil or from the industrial working class. In March last year,
Brazil’s college educated, upper middle class went out onto the
streets for a series of marches against the government. Luiz Carlos
Bresser-Pereira, a former Finance Minister from the 1980s,
characterised these protests as “collective hatred on the part of the
elites, of the rich, against a party and a president.” What motivated
the demonstrators, he said, was not worry, but “hatred.” What do the
Brazilian elite hate about the government of the PT?

The PT has pushed a broad agenda to give capitalism a human face.
Wretched poverty in parts of Brazil had to be ameliorated by a social
welfare programme known as Bolsa Família. The World Bank said that
this programme has “changed the lives of millions in Brazil.” For cash
payments, Brazil’s impoverished families pledge to keep their children
in school and take them for regular medical check-ups. The government
argued that Bolsa Família would enhance the immediate lives of the
poor — with the cash payments — and would break the cycle of
intergenerational poverty — through education and health care.

Almost 50 million Brazilians — a quarter of the population — have
benefited from Bolsa Família. Last year, the Brazilian Institute of
Geography and Statistics announced that extreme poverty has been
eradicated in the country. But, at that announcement, the institute
pointed out that the budgetary cuts to the programme would reverse the
trend. A third of the funds allocated to Bolsa Família had been
removed from the 2016 budget. This is an indicator of the financial
trials of the government.

What the elite hated was the rise in minimum wages, the expansion of
rights to workers and the privileges now given to the working class
for entry into public universities. Benefits to the working class in
Brazil open up the social question of racial inequality. Brazil, a
former slave state, has never really come to terms with the legacies
of slavery and racism. Under the PT, issues of racial discrimination
and the costs of racism on the workers became part of the national
conversation. This was anathema to the elite.

Habits of coups

http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/03/22/brazils-summer-of-discontent/

On Tue, Mar 22, 2016 at 6:29 AM, ish mailian <ishmailian at gmail.com> wrote:
> Kafka and the Dadaists to the rescue, again; this is exactly the
> “soft” regime change deal that has been clinched in Brasilia by a
> nasty combo; selected (corrupt) politicians bought and paid for by the
> Brazilian comprador elites; selected businessmen; a large part of a
> co-opted Judiciary; and corporate media (ruled by four families).
>
> Call it white coup. Call it regime change. Call it the Brazilian color
> revolution. Without NATO. Without “humanitarian”imperialism. Without
> blood and zillions of US dollars lost, like in Iraq, Libya or Syria.
> So “clean”. So “lawful”. How come Empire of Chaos’s theoreticians
> never thought about this before?
>
> “Humanitarian” imperialism is so old Hillary; at least the Masters of
> the Universe will have a new template to apply all over the developing
> world. Happy – regime change – days are here again.
>
> And forget about reading any of this on Western corporate media.
>
>
> https://www.rt.com/op-edge/336440-brazils-revolution-color-escobar/
>
> On Mon, Mar 21, 2016 at 9:43 AM, rich <richard.romeo at gmail.com> wrote:
>> well, let's agree to disagree, my friend
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On Mon, Mar 21, 2016 at 9:27 AM, ish mailian <ishmailian at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> The article I posted-- " Brazil Is Engulfed by Ruling Class Corruption
>>> — and a Dangerous Subversion of Democracy" -- is an excellent one.
>>>
>>> Greenwald & Co. begin by countering the media in and out of Brazil:
>>> Western media coverage mimics the propaganda coming from Brazil’s
>>> homogenized, oligarch-owned, anti-democracy media outlets and, as
>>> such, is misleading, inaccurate, and incomplete, particularly when
>>> coming from those with little familiarity with the country (there are
>>> numerous Brazil-based Western reporters doing outstanding work).
>>>
>>> The outstanding work rarely makes it to a U.S. or to a Western
>>> audience.  Most of what one reads in US and Western news about Brazil
>>> these days is on Zika and how Brazil won't be ready for the Olympic
>>> Games and how corruption and the failure of the government to invest
>>> the boom time monies and the collapse of commodities and China have
>>> put the nation is the greatest stagflation recession since the 1930s
>>> and that Dilma is the least popular president and that Lula is
>>> threatening to run for the presidency again and should be stopped.
>>>
>>> I posted the Greenwald article because it is an exceptional one.
>>>
>>>
>>> Greewald writes:
>>>
>>> Put simply, this is a campaign to subvert Brazil’s democratic outcomes
>>> by monied factions that have long hated the results of democratic
>>> elections, deceitfully marching under an anti-corruption banner: quite
>>> similar to the 1964 coup. Indeed, much of the Brazilian right longs
>>> for restoration of the military dictatorship, and factions at these
>>> “anti-corruption” protests have been openly calling for the end of
>>> democracy.  None of this is a defense of PT.
>>>
>>> He's right.
>>>
>>> I happen to admire Lula and I give him high marks for a lot of what he
>>> has done. I'm not naive and will not be surprised if he and Dilma are
>>> found guilty of corruption.
>>>
>>> But the protests expose the major divides in Brazil along race and
>>> class lines. The yellow duck is a symbol of the anxiety and anger the
>>> wealthy and new to wealth citizens are expressing there, inflation is
>>> back, unemployment is rising, the traffickers are emboldened, crack is
>>> spreading, the kids with guns are in control of the streets....  but
>>> the taxes they paid to the duck, foolishly they say, was not all
>>> stolen by the corrupt, it was also used to lift the poor out of
>>> poverty, and, unfortunately, the duck also represents this sentiment,
>>> that we were fools to fund programs to help the poor, they should work
>>> hard and pull themselves up. This is the sadness that is felt by the
>>> sullying of Lula. Not that a hero or saint or legend is needed or
>>> wanted, but that a poor person, an uneducated poor person could be
>>> heard and could run for office and win, could be be a good, even a
>>> great president, one who would not forget where he comes from and who
>>> he is, a man who knows that working hard is not enough, that people
>>> need a government that will fund and support programs for the people
>>> so that they may live better.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On Mon, Mar 21, 2016 at 7:35 AM, Richard Romeo <richard.romeo at gmail.com>
>>> wrote:
>>> > I'd be foolish to say I'm not since I do not live there but we all make
>>> > assumptions based on the evidence we come across. I hope to think I'm
>>> > not
>>> > cherry picking. I do try to read broadly enough.
>>> > I happen to think the world is a chaotic mess and not the result of the
>>> > evil
>>> > shenanigans of a small elite
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > On Mar 20, 2016, at 11:28 PM, David Morris <fqmorris at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> >
>>> > Do U know? Or R U projecting?
>>> >
>>> > On Sunday, March 20, 2016, rich <richard.romeo at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> >>
>>> >> your words:
>>> >>
>>> >> However, the fact that the protests are largely organized and funded
>>> >> by the elite, including the powerful elite outside the country who are
>>> >> desperate to get their greedy fingers on the resources of the nation
>>> >> and to put an end to one of the most successful efforts to support the
>>> >> poor, the landless, and the rights of the indigenous peoples calls for
>>> >> a closer examination of the protest objectives and its composition.
>>> >> ----
>>> >> successful? hardly.
>>> >>
>>> >> ----
>>> >> yr words:
>>> >> That the protesters embrace the prosecution of elites and of corrupt
>>> >> politicians is a common ground, but that they reject Lula/Dilma work
>>> >> to support the poorest members of the society must be analyzed and
>>> >> debated.
>>> >> ----
>>> >> how hard is that to understand? the poor are fed up with them all.
>>> >> corruption under dilma has been just as bad as any free-market
>>> >> government.
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> >> On Sun, Mar 20, 2016 at 6:53 PM, ish mailian <ishmailian at gmail.com>
>>> >> wrote:
>>> >>>
>>> >>> I still don't know what your opinion on Lula and Chavez has to do with
>>> >>> what I have posted. I've not even mentioned Chavez. On Lula we
>>> >>> disagree.
>>> >>> Other than that I have no idea what you are talking about.
>>> >>>
>>> >>>
>>> >>> On Sunday, March 20, 2016, rich <richard.romeo at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> >>>>
>>> >>>> the socialist experiments are also dismal failures in south
>>> >>>> america--lula, chavez, that's what
>>> >>>>
>>> >>>> On Sun, Mar 20, 2016 at 5:19 PM, ish mailian <ishmailian at gmail.com>
>>> >>>> wrote:
>>> >>>>>
>>> >>>>>  What?
>>> >>>>>
>>> >>>>>
>>> >>>>> On Sun, Mar 20, 2016 at 12:46 PM, rich <richard.romeo at gmail.com>
>>> >>>>> wrote:
>>> >>>>> > from what i've read the corruption re; Petrobas has not stopped
>>> >>>>> > under
>>> >>>>> > Lula
>>> >>>>> > and Dilma.
>>> >>>>> >
>>> >>>>> > you sure dont give poor people credit for thinking for themselves
>>> >>>>> > do
>>> >>>>> > you?
>>> >>>>> > being led by their noses by faceless elites. I dont buy it.
>>> >>>>> >
>>> >>>>> >
>>> >>>>> >
>>> >>>>> >
>>> >>>>> >
>>> >>>>> >
>>> >>>>> >
>>> >>>>> > On Sat, Mar 19, 2016 at 8:01 AM, ish mailian
>>> >>>>> > <ishmailian at gmail.com>
>>> >>>>> > wrote:
>>> >>>>> >>
>>> >>>>> >> An excellent point.
>>> >>>>> >> However, the fact that the protests are largely organized and
>>> >>>>> >> funded
>>> >>>>> >> by the elite, including the powerful elite outside the country
>>> >>>>> >> who
>>> >>>>> >> are
>>> >>>>> >> desperate to get their greedy fingers on the resources of the
>>> >>>>> >> nation
>>> >>>>> >> and to put an end to one of the most successful efforts to
>>> >>>>> >> support
>>> >>>>> >> the
>>> >>>>> >> poor, the landless, and the rights of the indigenous peoples
>>> >>>>> >> calls
>>> >>>>> >> for
>>> >>>>> >> a closer examination of the protest objectives and its
>>> >>>>> >> composition.
>>> >>>>> >> That photograph of the wealthy white couple and the nanny has
>>> >>>>> >> become
>>> >>>>> >> a
>>> >>>>> >> symbol of the need for such scrutiny. The PT, as the article
>>> >>>>> >> points
>>> >>>>> >> out, has a very loyal electorate, mostly poor and powerless and
>>> >>>>> >> darker
>>> >>>>> >> in complexion. The poor have hammered by the press, the
>>> >>>>> >> government
>>> >>>>> >> programs that helped to lift 50 million from abject poverty have
>>> >>>>> >> been
>>> >>>>> >> demonized by the rich, the affluent and their constituency, by
>>> >>>>> >> the
>>> >>>>> >> churches, by the business classes and even by the Vice president,
>>> >>>>> >> who
>>> >>>>> >> is, by strange workings of politics, not of the PT party. That
>>> >>>>> >> the
>>> >>>>> >> protesters embrace the prosecution of elites and of corrupt
>>> >>>>> >> politicians is a common ground, but that they reject Lula/Dilma
>>> >>>>> >> work
>>> >>>>> >> to support the poorest members of the society must be analyzed
>>> >>>>> >> and
>>> >>>>> >> debated.
>>> >>>>> >>
>>> >>>>> >> On Sat, Mar 19, 2016 at 5:40 AM, Kai Frederik Lorentzen
>>> >>>>> >> <lorentzen at hotmail.de> wrote:
>>> >>>>> >> >
>>> >>>>> >> >> None of this is a defense of PT. Both because of genuine
>>> >>>>> >> >> widespread
>>> >>>>> >> >> corruption in that party and national economic woes, Dilma and
>>> >>>>> >> >> PT
>>> >>>>> >> >> are
>>> >>>>> >> >> intensely unpopular among all classes and groups, even
>>> >>>>> >> >> including
>>> >>>>> >> >> the
>>> >>>>> >> >> party’s
>>> >>>>> >> >> working-class base. But the street protests — as undeniably
>>> >>>>> >> >> large
>>> >>>>> >> >> and
>>> >>>>> >> >> energized as they have been — are driven by those who are
>>> >>>>> >> >> traditionally
>>> >>>>> >> >> hostile to PT. The number of people participating in these
>>> >>>>> >> >> protests —
>>> >>>>> >> >> while
>>> >>>>> >> >> in the millions — is dwarfed by the number (54 million) who
>>> >>>>> >> >> voted
>>> >>>>> >> >> to
>>> >>>>> >> >> re-elect Dilma less than two years ago. In a democracy,
>>> >>>>> >> >> governments are
>>> >>>>> >> >> chosen by voting, not by displays of street opposition —
>>> >>>>> >> >> particularly
>>> >>>>> >> >> where,
>>> >>>>> >> >> as in Brazil, the protests are drawn from a relatively narrow
>>> >>>>> >> >> societal
>>> >>>>> >> >> segment. <
>>> >>>>> >> >
>>> >>>>> >> > When millions are marching the streets it's not nothing, yet a
>>> >>>>> >> > strong
>>> >>>>> >> > manifestation of democracy. And while it's true that in
>>> >>>>> >> > parliamentarism
>>> >>>>> >> > "governments are chosen by voting", the democratic
>>> >>>>> >> > possibilities
>>> >>>>> >> > of the
>>> >>>>> >> > people, as the subject of the constituent power, can never be
>>> >>>>> >> > reduced to
>>> >>>>> >> > taking part in elections and plebiscites. As Carl Schmitt says:
>>> >>>>> >> > The
>>> >>>>> >> > people
>>> >>>>> >> > are an immediately present and real entity.
>>> >>>>> >> >
>>> >>>>> >> >
>>> >>>>> >> >
>>> >>>>> >> > -----------------------------------------------------------------------
>>> >>>>> >> >
>>> >>>>> >> > "Nach der demokratischen Lehre von der verfassungsgebenden
>>> >>>>> >> > Gewalt
>>> >>>>> >> > des
>>> >>>>> >> > Volkes
>>> >>>>> >> > steht das Volk als Träger der verfassungsgebenen Gewalt außer
>>> >>>>> >> > und
>>> >>>>> >> > über
>>> >>>>> >> > jeder
>>> >>>>> >> > verfassungsgesetzlichen Normierung. Wenn ihm
>>> >>>>> >> > verfassungsgesetzlich
>>> >>>>> >> > gewisse
>>> >>>>> >> > Zuständigkeiten (Wahlen und Abstimmungen) übertragen werden,
>>> >>>>> >> > ist
>>> >>>>> >> > damit
>>> >>>>> >> > seine
>>> >>>>> >> > politische Handlungsmöglichkeit in einer Demokratie keineswegs
>>> >>>>> >> > erschöpft
>>> >>>>> >> > und
>>> >>>>> >> > erledigt. Neben allen solchen Normierungen bleibt das Volk als
>>> >>>>> >> > unmittelbar
>>> >>>>> >> > anwesende - nicht durch vorher umschriebene Normierungen,
>>> >>>>> >> > Geltungen und
>>> >>>>> >> > Fiktionen vermittelte - wirkliche Größe vorhanden."
>>> >>>>> >> >
>>> >>>>> >> > Carl Schmitt: Verfassungslehre [1928], § 18,  p. 242, Berlin
>>> >>>>> >> > 1993:
>>> >>>>> >> > Duncker &
>>> >>>>> >> > Humblot.
>>> >>>>> >> >
>>> >>>>> >> >
>>> >>>>> >> > On 18.03.2016 21:16, ish mailian wrote:
>>> >>>>> >> >
>>> >>>>> >> >
>>> >>>>> >> >
>>> >>>>> >> >
>>> >>>>> >> > https://theintercept.com/2016/03/18/brazil-is-engulfed-by-ruling-class-corruption-and-a-dangerous-subversion-of-democracy/
>>> >>>>> >> > -
>>> >>>>> >> > Pynchon-l / http://www.waste.org/mail/?list=pynchon-l
>>> >>>>> >> >
>>> >>>>> >> >
>>> >>>>> >> >
>>> >>>>> >> -
>>> >>>>> >> Pynchon-l / http://www.waste.org/mail/?listpynchon-l
>>> >>>>> >
>>> >>>>> >
>>> >>>>> -
>>> >>>>> Pynchon-l / http://www.waste.org/mail/?listpynchon-l
>>> >>>>
>>> >>>>
>>> >>
>>> >
>>> -
>>> Pynchon-l / http://www.waste.org/mail/?listpynchon-l
>>
>>
-
Pynchon-l / http://www.waste.org/mail/?list=pynchon-l