To the critics with no opinion of their own

[Davidglen77]

The USA has been designed to collapse and the writing is on the wall from all angles . Facts are presented below
http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/...utered-defanged-declawed-and-deindustrialized


The following are 21 signs that the once great U.S. economy is being gutted, neutered, defanged, declawed and deindustrialized....
#1 The U.S. trade deficit with the rest of the world rose to 497.8 billion dollars in 2010. That represented a 32.8% increase from 2009.
#2 The U.S. trade deficit with China rose to an all-time record of 273.1 billion dollars in 2010. This is the largest trade deficit that one nation has had with another nation in the history of the world.
#3 The U.S. trade deficit with China in 2010 was 27 times larger than it was back in 1990.
#4 In the years since 1975, the United States had run a total trade deficit of 7.5 trillion dollars with the rest of the world.
#5 The United States spends more than 4 dollars on goods and services from China for every one dollar that China spends on goods and services from the United States.
#6 In 1959, manufacturing represented 28 percent of all U.S. economic output. In 2008, it represented only 11.5 percent and it continues to fall.
#7 The number of net jobs gained by the U.S. economy during this past decade was smaller than during any other decade since World War 2.
#8 The Bureau of Labor Statistics originally predicted that the U.S. economy would create approximately 22 million jobs during the decade of the 2000s, but it turns out that the U.S. economy only produced about 7 million jobs during that time period.
#9 Japan now manufactures about 5 million more automobiles than the United States does.
#10 China has now become the world's largest exporter of high technology products.
#11 Manufacturing employment in the U.S. computer industry is actually lower in 2010 than it was in 1975.
#12 The United States now has 10 percent fewer "middle class jobs" than it did just ten years ago.
#13 According to Tax Notes, between 1999 and 2008 employment at the foreign affiliates of U.S. parent companies increased an astounding 30 percent to 10.1 million. During that exact same time period, U.S. employment at American multinational corporations declined 8 percent to 21.1 million.
#14 Back in 1970, 25 percent of all jobs in the United States were manufacturing jobs. Today, only 9 percent of the jobs in the United States are manufacturing jobs.
#15 Back in 1998, the United States had 25 percent of the world’s high-tech export market and China had just 10 percent. Ten years later, the United States had less than 15 percent and China's share had soared to 20 percent.
#16 The number of Americans that have become so discouraged that they have given up searching for work completely now stands at an all-time high.
#17 Half of all American workers now earn $505 or less per week.
#18 The United States has lost a staggering 32 percent of its manufacturing jobs since the year 2000.
#19 Since 2001, over 42,000 U.S. factories have closed down for good.
#20 In 2008, 1.2 billion cellphones were sold worldwide. So how many of them were manufactured inside the United States? Zero.
#21 Ten years ago, the "employment rate" in the United States was about 64%. Since then it has been constantly declining and now the "employment rate" in the United States is only about 58%. So where did all of those jobs go?

The United States of America, as we once knew it, an industrial powerhouse, bastion of innovation and cutting-edge technology and research, high standard of living and abundant everything, unfortunately no longer exists. It's due to many factors, corporate greed, the majority of it's citizens less and less interested in a community effort and doing things for the public good, the "me" generation, deterioration of the family unit (in it's many forms) so I am sorry to say things have changed forever. I was a mortgage banker for almost all of my career in the USA and after all of the rules changed in 2001 and everybody and their mother became eligible (falsely) to get a mortage, credit risk and smart banking policies were thrown out the window, the whole bubble popped and spewed gunk all over the world. I am sorry to say the United States for the very same reason, is in a huge financial bubble that I predict will pop and due to it's sheer size it's gonna be a horrible situation for the USA and a lot of the world. God help us.

 

[jazrgz]

Very simple. im a local.
Menem=Kirchner in terms of corruption and total lack of respect of our consitution and also, and most importantly, in the fact that their main goal into getting in the presidency was to grow richer and more powerful. They were both very successfull in this selfless goal. please, if any kirchner defender can deny this fact (dont think so) and if not at least come out and say it very loudly and clear, im ok with this It would be great (im yet to find a K that acknowledges this, they rather pretend is not real and change subject)
Kirchner controlled for several years the congress, the judicial branch (still does), the federal police and the buenos aires police (one of the largest corruption pools only can be controlled by the baddest of them all and still controles it - aka kirchner), the executive branch (this goes without saying of course, all ministers on this branch have been reduced to mear puppets who will do and say as they´re told word by word. Whoever dares to even speak a word different will be kicked out automatically) and for quite sometime now K has unleashed a fiercefull battle against the media in order to control it all (luckily has not succeded..regardless clarin´s reputation and history, i much rather have a voice of discent than a real monopolized media that would again, do and say as told (6,7,8 being the perfect example - again, any K´s out there, please speak up on this and say out loud how independent and free of speach this "show" is)
Kirchner followers and the equivalent to Menem´s followers 20 years ago. Defend their heroes blindly conveniently overseeing their corruption, their obvscene bank accounts and impunity that protects them.
Back in the 90´s ppl would say argentina was doing great because everyone was able to travel abroad all over the world (how can we not be ok if come summer everbody goes to europe, us, Asi or brazil). Now adays i hear a lot about the record in car sales (how can we not be ok if cars are being sold like candy)
Well, i have a better than average salary and in now way i can afford a brand new car (me or most ppls i know in the same salary range, cant even imagine ppls with average salary or less which in this country that millions upon millions). This fact only leads me to believe that the richer are getting richer, the have more money to waste and so they get a new car i guess or two, who knows.
a basic VW gol, which is about the cheapest new car you can get it goes for about 42K (average monthly salary being what, 2500 pesos at most?) !! Can anyone honestly say that everyone is getting new cars ???
There are still children dying of hunger up in the north !!!!!!!!! (that´s completaly lack of interest, there´s no other explanation to it, please K´s, again, elaborate as to how impossible is to keep this from happening and despite Kirchner´s best intentions he cannot do anything about it). He´s got hundreds of millions to spend on expanding his "loyal" followers, but he cannot spare a fraction of that money for a real cause that needs solving now !
Hugo Moyano !! (no further comments needed)
Drug dealing has never in our history been so prosper and thriving !! I guess some areas are doing great !! :S (the fact that our borders are being kept wide open in land, air and water and huge factors among many others of course. this being a clear policy of this administration, guarding our borders would be offensive to our neighbor countries (and would be a huge hurdle to the prosperity of the previously mentioned thriving area)
The list goes on and on endlessly, im at work and i gotta get back to it

 

[bsas]

I am not sure if this is original Argentino or a translation from another language: Es un pajero malo que mea en su nido - It's a bad bird which shits in its own nest.

Bird is pajaro, not pajero....

I normally don't correct someone's spanish but this is an important one to not get wrong.

 

[Tangerine]

Bird is pajaro, not pajero....

I normally don't correct someone's spanish but this is an important one to not get wrong.

"mea" = pi$$ not $hit

 

[dr__dawggy]

The USA has been designed to collapse and the writing is on the wall from all angles . Facts are presented below
http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/...utered-defanged-declawed-and-deindustrialized

Know any good Mandrain tutors?

Seriously, super investor Jim Rogers agrees with you. He sold out and moved his family to Singapore.

I agree there are some serious issues that must be addressed by the USA or we will certainly collapse. But I have not written the obituary just yet.

 

[dr__dawggy]

"mea" = pi$$ not $hit

I would throw my partner out if she peed in the nest.

 

[marksoc]

Price controls on beef that have resulted in lowered production of beef as farmers turn to soya? mmmm soy burgers.

Confiscating retirement accounts? Followed by placing government appointees on the board of directors of large corporations? Sure fire way to raise confidence among investors.

Implementing the reciprocity fee in the midst of a global recession? Too many tourists cluttering the streets. They clearly needed to be dissuaded from visiting.

Denying the presence of inflation? Saying it isn't there makes it so....

Trying to stifle those pesky journalist naysayers? Freedom of the press is way overrated.

Import taxes of 100%? Viva Industria Argentina!

1- The price controls over beef allowed the local population to eat meat. I don´t know how many of those producers would have stayed producing meat without this measure or gievn the prices of soya how many would have done that anyway. The fact is that with free exports of meat, it would have been a lot more expensive earlier.

2- The retirement accounts were not confiscated, since they are retirement accounts and not private pension funds. The money will come to you anyway when you reach the pension age, the difference is that now you are asured to get it (which was not the case with the AFJPs).

3- The reciprocity fee was implemented by many countries, and it is ok. In SE Asia (were I am right now) countries charge for a visa according to parameters like this, the tourist industry in Laos and Cambodia is booming. Anyway, most of the tourists in Argentina are not Americans.

4- The INDEC game was an amazing way to deal with the debtors. It destroyed credibility, but saved us a lot of money on very critical years.

5- The new Media Law will open new venues for independent journalism, not less. This one is really clear, I don´t get how people can be angry for a law that limits the power of "Clarin". Or would you like to have only "Fox News" in your country?

6-Import taxes: one more tool in the economist bag. Sorry that you cannot buy that I-Pad as cheap as in the States, it is a way of making money from people that can buy I-Pads, and in some cases protecting the national industry. Guess what, I prefer some shitty products than a lot of unemployment.

 

[jazrgz]

Very simple. im a local.
Menem=Kirchner in terms of corruption and total lack of respect of our consitution and also, and most importantly, in the fact that their main goal into getting in the presidency was to grow richer and more powerful. They were both very successfull in this selfless goal. please, if any kirchner defender can deny this fact (dont think so) and if not at least come out and say it very loudly and clear, im ok with this It would be great (im yet to find a K that acknowledges this, they rather pretend is not real and change subject)
Kirchner controlled for several years the congress, the judicial branch (still does), the federal police and the buenos aires police (one of the largest corruption pools only can be controlled by the baddest of them all and still controles it - aka kirchner), the executive branch (this goes without saying of course, all ministers on this branch have been reduced to mear puppets who will do and say as they´re told word by word. Whoever dares to even speak a word different will be kicked out automatically) and for quite sometime now K has unleashed a fiercefull battle against the media in order to control it all (luckily has not succeded..regardless clarin´s reputation and history, i much rather have a voice of discent than a real monopolized media that would again, do and say as told (6,7,8 being the perfect example - again, any K´s out there, please speak up on this and say out loud how independent and free of speach this "show" is)
Kirchner followers and the equivalent to Menem´s followers 20 years ago. Defend their heroes blindly conveniently overseeing their corruption, their obvscene bank accounts and impunity that protects them.
Back in the 90´s ppl would say argentina was doing great because everyone was able to travel abroad all over the world (how can we not be ok if come summer everbody goes to europe, us, Asi or brazil). Now adays i hear a lot about the record in car sales (how can we not be ok if cars are being sold like candy)
Well, i have a better than average salary and in now way i can afford a brand new car (me or most ppls i know in the same salary range, cant even imagine ppls with average salary or less which in this country that millions upon millions). This fact only leads me to believe that the richer are getting richer, the have more money to waste and so they get a new car i guess or two, who knows.
a basic VW gol, which is about the cheapest new car you can get it goes for about 42K (average monthly salary being what, 2500 pesos at most?) !! Can anyone honestly say that everyone is getting new cars ???
There are still children dying of hunger up in the north !!!!!!!!! (that´s completaly lack of interest, there´s no other explanation to it, please K´s, again, elaborate as to how impossible is to keep this from happening and despite Kirchner´s best intentions he cannot do anything about it). He´s got hundreds of millions to spend on expanding his "loyal" followers, but he cannot spare a fraction of that money for a real cause that needs solving now !
Hugo Moyano !! (no further comments needed)
Drug dealing has never in our history been so prosper and thriving !! I guess some areas are doing great !! :S (the fact that our borders are being kept wide open in land, air and water and huge factors among many others of course. this being a clear policy of this administration, guarding our borders would be offensive to our neighbor countries (and would be a huge hurdle to the prosperity of the previously mentioned thriving area)
INDEK ???????? another one that needs no commenting- please try to defend its shameless manipulation
The list goes on and on endlessly, im at work and i gotta get back to it

 

[fifs2]

I came to Buenos Aires in 2004 and if we compare the city and country since then the changes have been nothing short of incredible. The negativity and the lack of hope then with today has been turned full circle . Argentina in those days was a unknown backwater to many many people and certainly had very few tourists and a negative international image .

Palermo Soho where I am now is barely recognisable from those days . While all those changes are not to my liking ie . Too many Brazilians speaking loudly , expensive prices and the loss of a real barrio feel there is also a wealth and a optimism here that was unimaginable 7 years ago.

Argentinians in the main have more money today than they had for a long long time. Now I do understand that there is a lot of poor people who have not parcipitated in the economic boom of the last years . Saying that wages are higher in dollar terms and employment is there for most who look and present themselves well. Many European countries are worse off than Argentina today with stagnant employment rates , low wages that can getting lower and economies in freefall.

The Kirchners have changed Argentina for the better and as much as people will criticize them it is absolutely undeniable that the country from Puerto Iguazu to Ushuaia is a more optimistic place with a standard of living the envy of our neighbours .

Everyone loves a city in growth mode - heck it was a constant party in Ireland for 17 years and I loved every minute of it and have no complaints in seeing Bsas and the country change for the better in even superficial ways which makes it more pleasant living here. I loved Bertie, the Irish PM and wouldn`t hear a a word against him and am reeling from the detais published of pure unadulterated corruption that would make any country blush. I dont buy into the doom and gloom or party scene at either extreme...I just enjoy the ride and play a conservative game with my finacial investments as no country can enjoy the good old times forever..I bailed on Ireland 10 years into the 17 ad the good times kept on rolling..Bsas may have another good 10 years in it yet but at some point the bills wil have to be paid.

 

[Guillo]

First of all, I'm not sure why I'm even posting this. My previous post was moderated without any hint to me and was just plain not posted. It would be nice if whoever is moderating came forward and explained which criteria uses to allow a message to go though or not.

2- The retirement accounts were not confiscated, since they are retirement accounts and not private pension funds. The money will come to you anyway when you reach the pension age, the difference is that now you are asured to get it (which was not the case with the AFJPs).

Yeah, as much as you can believe the current government that they will pay, and not use the money to fund soccer tournaments, overpriced infrastructure for their friends, official publicity for whatever paper is sending the official message, etc.
Actually, not only this administration, but the rest that will be coming in the next 10-20-30 years depending on how old you are.

4- The INDEC game was an amazing way to deal with the debtors. It destroyed credibility, but saved us a lot of money on very critical years.

Well, in that case you should go rob a bank. Its an amazing source of cash.
What they did in INDEC was not amazing. Was an attempt at a short term measure that screwed up the whole country and economy, taxes, accounting, and everything else. And they got so deep into it they cannot fix it. And its a LIE. And Illegal.

5- The new Media Law will open new venues for independent journalism, not less.

That's not true. The new media law chose to have over 60% licenses to organization that cannot survive without funding from the national government = sure way to control their speech. Specially since the national government uses state cash as if it was their own to give (only to friends, for instance). And as usual, they assured that there was no independent control, only theirs, who can deny a license for any reason whatsoever, like they like to do with those that don't repeat the official lies.

This one is really clear, I don´t get how people can be angry for a law that limits the power of "Clarin". Or would you like to have only "Fox News" in your country?

I rather have Clarín and La Nación than 6,7,8 and El Argentino posting lies.
The problem is not limiting the power of Clarín. The problem is that the law was custom made to assure control of the press by the national government.