Idiot's Guide to the 2023 Elections

There are 16 replies in this Thread which has previously been viewed 2,518 times. The latest Post (June 15, 2023 at 8:00 PM) was by Rice.

    in my humble opinion only if one elligible candidate will decide to spend less than the country;s income.

    And stop stealing, of course.

    For the expats who have wages in strong currencies, the best is what we have now.

    Therefore, its\ is all right for you, dear ladies and gentlemen,

    Nor for us, the normal citizens.

    Let's see the final list of candidates before we can issue an informed opinion.

    But anyone except the current crowd.

    In any case, the solution to the economic madness is not an easy one, so be prepared for loads of promises that are never met.

    I spend too much time to fix issues to common life things that are non-issue in a country with a normal economy.

    First thing is obviously being able to have clients abroad without losing over 50% of the money just for getting paid in a local bank account. This means having to rely on "alternative" methods to get the money in, dealing with lots of cash, lose anyway some money in the various exchanges, having to go to the bank often to access the safety box etc. Not to mention the safety issues around all of these endeavors.

    Second, would be (for me) being able to access modern banking tools without the stigma/rejection for Argentina's residents. For example, some prepaid cards or merchants won't even enroll people residing in Argentina. And those who do, then realize the hassle of it and discontinue their service in Argentina. See PayPal, Venmo, Wise and the like.

    Third, I am sure that if I had access to my money more easily, I would be spending more - to the benefit of the local economy. Instead, I go out with the equivalent of 20 USD in my wallet and I never purchase stuff on the spur of the moment because I never have enough money on me, and I'd have to go home, take a 100 USD bill, go to the cueva to exchange it, go back to the store for the purchase... most of the time I don't bother, unless it is something I really need/want.

    Fourth. I'd love to be able to send and receive packages without having to wonder if they will ever arrive and how much it is going to cost. I don't really understand this thing with packages going in and out in Argentina. It is a game where we all lose, except those who confiscate your package.

    Fifth. I am sure that if these economic/import challenges were lifted, the local industry would be able to modernize and make some leaps forward to come close to first world products and services. Most of the country is poor, but there is a big piece of cake composed by people who travel abroad and shop there. So there are customers/clients, but not the products!

    Sixth. I'd like to see some genuine competition and improvement in customer service. It is all too crappy because there is no competitions and you have to live with what you have got available here. When life gives you lemons...

    Seventh. They should simplify taxes and exchange rates. It is a mastermind to figure the final price of a purchase abroad (such as for airplane tickets or online services).

    Quote from Bombonera

    Carlos Yes I figured that was the right answer. I shouldn't sound so selfish and insensitive I know. It's a zero sum game isn't it really?

    Yes, dear mr Bombonera, the reason could be selfish and insensitive regarding the common argentine citizen, that by the way is guilty to prefer populist candidates, but the plain fact is that we are the less expensive country in all Latin America who offers a decent healthcare, shopping of edible things, acceptable public transport and a quite good infrastructure. Just see what is happening in the cities near the frontiers of Paraguay, Bolivia, Chile, Brazil and Uruguay; the people are crossing the frontiers every day to get fuel and edible products. At the point that the commercial cities of their countries are concerned because clients come to Argentina. Thanks for the economic policy of populism.

    Quote from Carlos

    For the expats who have wages in strong currencies, the best is what we have now.

    Therefore, its\ is all right for you, dear ladies and gentlemen,

    Nor for us, the normal citizens.

    Carlos , the exchange rate that highly favors external currencies certainly makes things cheaper for expats earning in dollars than for Argentines earning in pesos. But the never ending inflation is good for no one: for those earning in pesos, this situation is completely impossible, but for those earning in strong currencies, inflation more than counteracts any gain in exchange rate.

    A complete change in government policies and leaders is needed for the benefit of all. Let’s hope voters can see past the free choripan and computers and futbol para todos.

    Frente de Todos Chorros (the official government party) has relaunched itself as Union por la Patria which roughly translates as Union for the Homeland. As if changing the party name and logo will make any difference to any of our opinions.

    The new logo:

    Down!

    Rice wrote

    A complete change in government policies and leaders is needed for the benefit of all. Let’s hope voters can see past the free choripan and computers and futbol para todos.

    I think; we need a nordic mentality, always foreseeing future problems, accustomed to spare money and resources in the good days, and save it for the disgraced times, that normally appear. Look what are doing now the Norwegians, creating a fund specially reserved for the times when their main source of income will not be the oil that they get from the sea,

    This is the opposite of the mediterranean mentality, always looking for inmediate satisfaction and uncontrolled desire for pleasures and enjoyment,

    For some reason Dante Alighieri, author of the Divine Commedy, says in one verse of the Inferno;

    'Nessun maggior dolore che ricordarsi del tempo felice nella miseria', which means ;there is no greatest pain that remembering the merry times when you are in the misery'

    And Dante was an enlightened mediterranean.

    Quote from Bombonera

    I would be intrigued Carlos as to how your discussions go with your friends and locals about such matters:

    Unfortunately my opinions about the meditarranean conception of life are not very popular and I understand it.No person from their own stock wish to hear criticism from another similar person, they see me as a hidden traitor. But I am entitled to do it, because I know the intimate bias and also good things of our mediterranean style. For example, i see as a good thing that we cannot obey cruel orders as the endlosung pursued by Adolf Hitler. We can be lazy, disordered, perhaps dishonest, but never cruel at that point.