Import Restrictions To Be Lifted

[ARbound]

Here we have two models of a country, the left, protectionist, kirchnerista, peronista, pro-national industry, etc, and the right, macri, the menemismo, dictatorship, etc, which opened widely the doors to imports, without a penny of taxes, without protecting national industry, without requesting anything. These are two EXTREME models. Theres nothing in the middle.

BTW, I dont believe in free market.

Matias, speaking of extremes, don't you think it's a bit hyperbolic, even if you dislike the man, to compare Macri to the Junta? I'm not a fan of him or PRO either, but come on, this is just silly, even for you.

 

[sleslie23]

... whether it be software outsourcing like India or low tech white goods, etc.

If it weren't for the insane import restrictions, bureaucracies, and corruption Argentina would be a technology hotbed.

 

[sleslie23]

So your rather become North Korea? That is interesting coming from someone who is in Mexico working to earn hard currency to finance leisure travel.

I'm sure upon his return to Argentina, his bags will be stuffed to their breaking point with clothes, electronics, and other non-Argentine goods.

 

[citygirl]

If it weren't for the insane import restrictions, bureaucracies, and corruption Argentina would be a technology hotbed.

And the inflation, the labor laws and the not inexpensive salaries and the instability.

All that being said - Argentina SHOULD be a hotbed of all types of business. You have a highly educated workforce. You are near-shore to the US which helps so much with business timing. So for corps, small businesses, start-ups - should be ideal. Also in re industry - again, you have a lot of space, huge amounts of natural resources, etc. But in neither case does it really work.

And in regards to quality of goods - there has to be a balance with price. Sure, I can patronize cheap stores in the US. I know the clothes (whatever) are going to fall apart in a year. The price generally reflects that. Or I can buy a really well-made and expensive whatever and know that I'll be using it for years. It all depends on what I have to spend, what I want, etc. But here in Arg - I inevitably wind up spending a huge amount of money for something that is going to fall apart in a year anyway. That is the part that is so unfair.

Also - in re the assertion that Argentine industry is booming as a result of these restrictions - I'd be interested in seeing some real (or even gov't numbers that reflect that. Anyone have any handy?

 

[Gringoboy]

BTW, I dont believe in free market.

I rest my case against you Matias.

 

[sleslie23]

I rest my case against you Matias.

This is why attorneys do not allow their clients to testify in their own defense.

 

[ajoknoblauch]

BTW, I dont believe in free market.

I doubt the free market believes in you, either.

 

[Rich One]

Why? When we do, you ignore them.

We need opposing voices in the Forum to be a True democracy otherwise would be a yawn. Its unnecessary to challenge some opinions on Indec, poverty levels, etc. For kicks watch 678.... :wub:

 

[ElQueso]

What populists will never understand is that "protecting" things from outside competition doesn't do anything except restrict the possibilities. Populism has done nothing for the lower classes here, except ensure they have the same, horrible, low-paying jobs as always. It has ensured that the middle class will continue to split along the lines of those who can't make the right contacts and continue to slip into poverty, or join the crowd of corruption as they "join the club".

As CityGirl mentions, it's not just import restrictions.

Every law that is enacted to "protect" people, or industry, etc, does nothing but remove any competitive edge that Argentina has. Protectionism of jobs has been damaging this country for some time. High import taxes (protectionism) didn't do much to raise industry here, so the Queen has to go even further and completely restrict imports - which made things even worse. She says it's helping industry by holding up a couple of examples while completely ignoring all the businesses that are failing and people (like two of my programmers and many of their friends) who are leaving the country because of what it continues to become.

Isolation doesn't do anything today, for any country, as far as "creating" industry. "Not believing" in the free market is like not believing in the Laws of Thermodynamics. It ignores human motivations beyond the desire to not have to work for your life, which is what the free market is actually about.. You can try to control/manipulate the market to an extent, but to try to ignore it or say that it doesn't exist, or even worse "is evil", is quite tantamount to sticking your head in the sand and waiting for reality to pass you on by. It also breeds tyranny.

What really blows me away is that people can be so isolated from reality in this country that they actually believe things are better than they were a few years ago, and that Cristina is "on the right track". Only people who are very poor and ignorant, or people who are so far disconnected from those poor, can fail to see the reality these policies bring about.

 

[Gringoboy]

The period of time (plazo) negotiated by the Argentine representative is interesting, as noticed by others who have commented here.
D'Alotto asked for and got 11 months and 5 (that made me chuckle) days from 26th Jan 2015, which neatly takes us to 31st December, which is 21 days after a new president gets signed in, assuming he or she (?) does the deed on 10th December.
The government excuse for this extended 'bedding in time' was so that they could put measures in place to enact the new procedures, which we all know is horse cr*p since they managed to impose the measures initially, almost overnight.
Clearly the current regime simply wants some other mugs to pick up the mess they left behind.