The Brass Cojones of the Brazilian President....

[Aviation Pro]

From yesterday's Froomkin. Loved the way Luca called the little boy masquerading as President, "Son." Anyone know the colloquial word for 'balls' in Portuguese?

Brazilian Tells Off Bush

AFP reports: "Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said Thursday he told US President George W. Bush to fix his country's economic problems before they spill over and harm other economies.

"'Son, here's the problem,' Lula said he told Bush in a telephone call. 'We've had 26 years with no growth. And now that we're growing, you want to complicate things? Fix your own crisis!'

"In a speech to Mexican and Brazilian businessmen in Brazil's easternmost city, Lula said he placed the call to Bush to tell him what he felt about the current US economic crisis, but did not say when the call took place."

[LakeSamish706]

1. I love it, and I hope that more of these leaders come out like this guy and Chavez....

Shrubby needs to hear from these people in a big way.... Like stay the hell out of our business and our country.

[Aviation Pro]

2. I have my issues with Chavez.....

....I think he is a destabilizing force in South America just as South America is beginning to emerge from the shadow of the North.

[LakeSamish706]

3. That may be, but at least he has the balls to stand up to the mighty Bush.....

And in doing this he is seen as somewhat of a leader in South America against the US bullies.

[malaise]

4. South America is emerging from the shadows because

they have agreed to ignore the Washington consensus model after the disaster in Argentina. Chavez is a big part of that.

[Captain Sensible]

6. What????

Venezuela would be a disaster if not for the petro dollars coming in which the North gives Hugo. Wait till the $ per Barrel drops and we'll see if his policy has worked.

[malaise]

11. I suggest you do some research on the Washington consensus, neo-liberalism and globalization

then get back to me. Petro dollars are a separate issue - supply (they have oil) and demand (you want it).

[Aviation Pro]

7. Chavez walked into a modern....

....progressive country that has a wealth of educated professionals and natural resources. Many of the professionals are fleeing to South Florida and he is using the natural resources as a bludgeon. The real model for South America is Brazil which has done an incredible job of pulling itself out of an economic disaster, has built an industrial infrastructure, is confronting the environmental mess that it has created in the Amazon and will be an economic force for the next century.

[malaise]

12. I don't agree with all of Chavez's policies

but anyone who is doing something about poverty in our hemisphere gets my support. Many of the Venezuelans who are leaving have never even driven near those shacks in the hills.

[AP]

10. I think that, by taking the heat at the vanguard, he allows rest of SA stable ground to move forward

[Popol Vuh]

13. Emerge from the shadow of the North?

Whaaaaaaaa?

And the only thing Chavez is destabilizing IS the shadow of the North.

[Earth_First]

5. Bush to Lula: "Would a check for a brazillion dollars help?" n/t

[marmar]

8. Awesome.....

The rest of the world sees the fraudulent POS for exactly what he is.

[flor de jasmim]

9. The polite (but still slang) expression in Portuguese is....

Ele tem tomates! (literally, He has tomatoes!)