Posted on 12/17/2013 8:03:25 PM PST by IBD editorial writer
Leftism: Chile has long been a global model of free-market economics. But on Sunday, it elected socialist Michelle Bachelet, who ran on a platform of tax hikes and "free" education. What drives a country to reject success? Bachelet took an astonishing 62% of the vote against her more conservative rival, Evelyn Matthei, who drew just 38%. It wasn't entirely surprising: Bachelet projected a cheery, confident, maternal demeanor and made few gaffes, quite unlike the less polished Matthei. She also had a good record: As president from 2006 to 2010, she left office with a phenomenal 84% popularity rating — in part, because she resisted the left's calls to spend Chile's state copper revenues on wild schemes. Her record of fiscal discipline was, in fact, the best of any of Chile's leaders since the nation's return to democracy in 1990, based on IMF data. But that isn't the ticket she ran on this time around. Aligning herself this time with the communists and Chile's spoiled student protest leaders, Bachelet adopted a far more aggressive socialist program than in the past, vowing to raise the corporate tax rate from 20% to 25% to pay for a new scheme to make higher education "free." It's a recipe for trouble.
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I know that what I am about to say will draw some eyebrows higher.. But I have been around a very long time and watched this country in thick and as now, very thin..
I have also watched, as an interested observer, the world go through many swings of ideological shifts, always emerging to the left of the previous positions..
The only incidents that drew the world to reflect on the course they drift is WAR, WORLD WAR to be precise.. The World needs a WAR, a major war that will shake the foundation of governments to their cores and draw all people to put things back into perspective..
A World financial crisis might do the same thing.. We need to allow the Financial Community to Rumble and Shake out all the shit, that we have covered for, over the last 40 odd years.. If we emerge, and that is an IF, we will be better for it, perhaps for another generation or two..
You’d think with basket case Argentina next door they would know better.
It surprises that that with all the socialists (and “Christian Democrats” allied with the socialist) that have mostly ruled Chile since Pinochet left (all except for the outgoing President who is from the right), that the country is in such good shape.
Clearly Chilean socialists are are cooler and less spicy than the South American standard. I don’t think we’re dealing with Chavez style COMMUNUSTS in this case. Still not good though.
People will vote for their own executioners if they promise to give them a cookie first.
Ofcourse, it won't be long before the middle class find out that they are who the socialists consider to be the 'rich', but by then it is too late.
It seems each generation has to learn the same lessons.
Yea, lets have a major world war, that will help!
“There never was a good war or a bad peace” - Benjamin efin Franklin
Humanity is sinking back into the slavery from whence it came.
The past quarter-millenium was the aberration.
did South America really need another Venezuela or Argentina?
She aligned herself with the commies this time around, she is going to be really bad
I have always been skeptical about that claim.
Chile's GDP per capita is the best in Latin America.
However, internationally, Chile is ranked below many eastern European countries like Greece and Poland.
And compared to true free market countries like Hong Kong and Singapore, Chile's GDP is almost 70% lower.
It sure isn't working out very well here in the USA.
I predict that the Chilean people will be the most surprised people on the planet when their determined return to socialism lowers their standard of living to the typical of Latin American. Like their U.S. cohorts, they will never understand.
The American people hate the “slavery” of 1859, but will gladly set up their own form for 2013 and never understand.
Santa Claus. Santa Claus will win over hard work most every time.
Agree. Read your profile and like the same commentators you do.
I think you've just come up with the ultimate tag line!
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