Booming Brazil could be world power soon

MSNBC ^ | 4/17/08 | AP

[Dawnsblood]

Brazil's booming economy is shifting into overdrive, with biofuels and deep-water oil providing energy independence and the government collecting enough cash to irrigate the desert and pave highways across the Amazon.

The country's currency is strong, its exports are booming and its foreign debt is gone. The economy is growing at more than 5 percent a year and millions of people with new access to credit are buying homes and cars. Topping off all the good news, an energy official said this week that a newly discovered oil field could be the world's third-largest.

[stevem]

What makes a “world power?” I thought Brazil was already.

[SierraWasp]

Well, if I knew Portugese and liked sweating at the equator, I might consider moving there. But I’m not crazy about latin politics, either. Jimmy Carter would come on down and start meddling in any important elections!!!

[puppypusher]

I guess there won't be any reason for the Brasilians to come to the U.S. illegally anymore.

[Proud_USA_Republican]

Greatest natural resource of Brazil is its women. Meowaarrrrr.......

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Plus they have some of the world's most beautiful women.

Might be worth a trip for a motivated young man.

[tflabo]

Yeh yeh...but the Brazilian soccer team really sucks. /sc

[tflabo]

Driving liberals crazy .. and having fun doing it!

Yeh but its 'crazy liberals driving' that's not so funny!

OK...back to the thread topic...

[1rudeboy]

I was wondering how someone would tie illegal immigration to this story.

[CaptainK]

How’s the crime there now? A few years back it was off the charts.

[Caipirabob]

Well, if I knew Portugese and liked sweating at the equator, I might consider moving there. But I’m not crazy about latin politics, either. Jimmy Carter would come on down and start meddling in any important elections!!!

I'd reconsider. It's more dangerous than Mexico in the major business centers. If I thought I'd be able to provide the relative peace and stability there that I could here, while spending the amount of time I do with my family, I'd have left long ago.

[saganite]

This is good news. South America desperately needs a stabilizing force and even though Chile is prosperous they aren’t big enough to be the one.

[alloysteel]

“Tis a pity that more do not speak Portuguese, else they could relocate to this new Nirvana.

If all the “progressives” want to find a “better” country than the USA, they are free to relocate....

[Sig Sauer P220]

How’s the crime there now? A few years back it was off the charts.

Yes, on a scale from 1 to Detroit, where would you rate Brazil?

[RightWhale]

Good. This was supposed to happen 30 years ago. We were wondering what was keeping them.

[Cheburashka]

Good. This was supposed to happen 30 years ago. We were wondering what was keeping them.

---

Forget 30 years. It was supposed to happen 100 years ago. We're still waiting on that.

[bert]

I have a young friend who lived with us as an exchange student when he wa about 15. It was something of a shock because he had no servants to tend to chores for him.

He was absolutely eaten up with the desire to fly. I bought him all kinds of training books and a log book..... he took home only small expensive gifts for mom and sis et al. He saved his entire baggage allowance for model airplanes.

Last week he e mailed a note saying he was back in Brazil after a cuple of years flying out of Manama for a regional Saudi airline. He is now a captain on a newly formed Brazillian carrier. He is about 42.

Like me and his dad, he is a civil engineer but flying is his thing. He is a vital part of the growing nation and economy.

[marken_ssa]

Consumerism is the major change. Walmart had bought out 167+ Bom Preco Stores and as far as I could tell 99.99% of the goods sold there is Made in Brazil. The only foreign product I found in one store was California almonds??? Just 10 years ago interest rate for mortgage was at 36% so Brazilians paid cash for cars, homes, consumer goods. Now they can buy cars and goods on credit so the manufacturers need to offer financing. I don't feel any safer crime-wise. Radar zones are setup with cameras with high fines that are sent via mail so the traffic in these areas is less insane. Poverty still extreme.

[Oldexpat]

EWZ rocks..

[Doe Eyes]

EWZ rocks.

Been seriously thinking about jumping in on that.

RIO, Brazilian Iron Ore producer, has been one of my best stocks over the last several years.