The political knifes are drawn

[SamIam]

This is the trouble with getting information from blogs - it is usually biased and often incomplete. Brazil does NOT use the redistribution of wealth in any real way to combat poverty.

According to the Brown Journal of World Affairs, Brazilian social spending is characterized by disparate targeting performances with few programs succeeding in reaching the poor, while substantial expenditures in all “social” areas disproportionately benefit the middle class and the rich.

Just two examples:

1) The zero percent enrollment of the bottom 40% in income at Brazil's universities is scandalous. Any pretense of equal, or even mildly unequal, access to university in Brazil is a sorry fiction.

2) Over 50 percent of Brazil's unemployment insurance expenditures go to the top 40 percent in income, while the poorest Brazilians, those in indigence, receive a paltry 3 percent of the program’s
resources.

Brazil is an example of the "good old boy system" where those who have the wealth ensure they keep all of it for themselves - not of the benefits of cash transfers to the poor.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by SamIam

This is the trouble with getting information from blogs - it is usually biased and often incomplete. Brazil does NOT use the redistribution of wealth in any real way to combat poverty.

According to the Brown Journal of World Affairs, Brazilian social spending is characterized by disparate targeting performances with few programs succeeding in reaching the poor, while substantial expenditures in all “social” areas disproportionately benefit the middle class and the rich.

Just two examples:

1) The zero percent enrollment of the bottom 40% in income at Brazil's universities is scandalous. Any pretense of equal, or even mildly unequal, access to university in Brazil is a sorry fiction.

2) Over 50 percent of Brazil's unemployment insurance expenditures go to the top 40 percent in income, while the poorest Brazilians, those in indigence, receive a paltry 3 percent of the program’s
resources.

Brazil is an example of the "good old boy system" where those who have the wealth ensure they keep all of it for themselves - not of the benefits of cash transfers to the poor.

So is that how you see our system, nothing more than a "good Ole Boy" system? IS that why all the unions are getting such great breaks by the Obama Administration?

And please tell me which parts of the "Blog" are not factual? or is it you just don't like the source? Sort of like when people jump on Fox News for what is otherwise factual information, but because you want to demonize the source it suddenly becomes false?

[SamIam]

Originally Posted by TheMercenary

So is that how you see our system, nothing more than a "good Ole Boy" system?

Actually, yes. I don't think people like you and me, regardless of our political persuations, have much say at all in how the country is being governed. Unions, international mega-conglomerates and Bill Gates all have more power over Congress than we do. The US situation is not as bad as that of Brazil, but give it time.

And please tell me which parts of the "Blog" are not factual? or is it you just don't like the source?

The part where it says "extreme poverty persists despite the effects of cash transfers to the poor." As I stated, "cash transfers" to the poor in Brazil are largely a polite fiction told by the Brazilian government. If you're really that interested, I'll pm you with the economic studies.

I never have much faith in sources that derive from someone's opinion - this includes blogs. Think tanks and foundations funded by true believers of any persuation are also suspect.