Brazilians: Our corrupt politicians are doing a great job!

Posted By Joshua Keating Wednesday, September 22, 2010 - 11:40 AM Share

According to a new poll by the Pew Global Attitudes Project, 79 percent of Brazilians think that political corruption is a "major problem" in their country. On the other hand, all that corruption doesn't seem to be keeping leaders from delivering the goods. 75 percent approve of the current government more generally and 76 percent say it's doing a good job handling the economy. 

Overall, there's a lot of encouraging news in the poll. 87 percent of Brazilians support increased trade and 85 percent see climate change as a major problem. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will leave office this year with an impressive 80 percent approval rating. (It seems possible that Lula has cultivated a kind of "good czar" image where citizens see him as untouched by the corruption of more local officials.)

Encouragingly for presidential frontrunner Dilma Roussef, 70 percent say electing a woman would be a good thing. Encouragingly for Washington, 62 percent of Brazilians have a favorable view of the United States, only 13 percent have a favorable view of Hugo Chavez, and -- despite Lula's controversial outreach to Tehran -- 65 percent would be willing to consider tougher sanctions on Iran. 

Overall, despite persistent concerns over crime and corruption, Brazilians seem remarkably upbeat. The citizens of "the country of the future that always will be" seem to finally be living in the present. 

MAURICIO LIMA/AFP/Getty Images

 

LLOYD CATA

12:31 PM ET

September 23, 2010

Brazilian Corruption Is Cultural, Not So Contemptible

Brazil is a very 'blessed' country. Rich in resources, and now a 'stable' democracy. It is inconceivable that they will move back to an authoritarian or military regime, so that bolsters their prospects for economic growth. They have no external conflicts other than lingering ideological issues with former colonial powers. Nothing that can't be resolved in win-win negotiations.

There are, of course, serious issues in Brazilian society. Poverty, education, health, land reform, drugs, and violence are certainly very concerning, but not to the extent to jeopardize Brazil's democratic institutions. However, the one thing which does threaten those democratic institutions is CORRUPTION. It touches 'every' Brazilian to some extent.

Many Brazilians today are very concerned about the drugs and violence; living behind high walls with costly security, but I tell my Brazilian friends this; "The drugs and violence steal Brazilians past and present, but the corruption steals your future".

That is a very difficult concept for them to really understand because corruption is so ingrained throughout the society. Having the official with their hand out, from the policeman on the street to the highest office in the land, is a way of life. An invisible 'tax' that is so common as to be a birthright once one enters the 'official economy'. Corruption is not so detrimental internally to Brazilians, and internally can be resolved over time, but combined with the pace of economic growth and the massive influx of 'foreign investment' can, and will, destabilize the government, the society, and the people. Everything else can be overcome, but Brazilian institutions cannot survive in a global economy where they are viewed as corrupt. Even foreign investors will, eventually, turn away from this hidden tax and depress the Brazilian economy.

 

LIVEFREEANDDIE

4:26 PM ET

September 23, 2010

Come to Framingham Mass USA

Want to see how the Brazilians continue in their corrupt ways when the leave the country?

Come to Framingham Mass USA and you'll see it all.
Our town has been taken over by them and it's costing us millions of dollars to deal with the problem.
When it becomes too hard for them here they leave all the bills behinds and go back home and live happily ever-after on the money they sent home over the several years they lived here.

You have to see it to believe it.

To see what they've done go to...
CCFIILE.com

 

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