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EarthFirst

(3,100 posts)
Thu Nov 7, 2024, 06:59 PM 19 hrs ago

Trump's Project 2025 is already underway in Argentina, and it's terrifying

If you can bear to see how Trump would implement Project 2025, look to Argentina – a lab for the global far right…

As the world absorbs the shockwave of Donald Trump’s win in the US presidential election, the playbook for his second term, designed by a handful of right-wing extremists, is already underway in Argentina.

…a copy of the ‘Mandate for Leadership’ was handed to Javier Milei by Heritage’s executive vice-president Derrick Morgan when the two met in Washington in February for the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC)

For example:

Milei has made an unprecedented cut to all public spending at close to 30%. He cut investment in education by 40%, denied increases to pensions, cut access to life-saving drugs for cancer patients, defunded the science and technology system and universities, and laid off almost 27,000 public employees.

He closed the public media and froze food distribution to soup kitchens. Now, he’s set to sell-off public companies in the fields of nuclear energy, aviation, fuel, mining, electricity, water, cargo transport, roads and railways.

Milei has eliminated nine ministries, including the Ministry of Women, Gender and Diversity and the Ministry of Education – something that the Mandate for Leadership mentions and Trump has also spoken about.

He has dismantled all gender policies and defunded services including those for survivors of domestic and sexual violence. Last year, more than 170,000 people accessed these services, while official figures show that a femicide is committed every 35 hours in Argentina. It is now unclear whether anyone will continue to keep track of these statistics.

He also closed the Institute against Discrimination, Racism and Xenophobia, which he called a “sinister body used for ideological persecution”. Project 2025 authors would no doubt be delighted. Their blueprint for Trump goes to great lengths to explain how every diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policy, programme and fund must be removed.


https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/trump-project-2025-argentina-milei-far-right/

51 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Trump's Project 2025 is already underway in Argentina, and it's terrifying (Original Post) EarthFirst 19 hrs ago OP
Argentina's Milei to meet with Trump, Musk next week in the US Leghorn21 19 hrs ago #1
Thank you for adding that... EarthFirst 19 hrs ago #2
My pleasure, E Leghorn21 19 hrs ago #3
Thank you. For the next four years we are in the oligarch shit. ancianita 18 hrs ago #14
This is emblematic of the White House transition process as KPN 18 hrs ago #18
Wouldn't one like to send a comet to crash into mar a lago during that meeting ? kimbutgar 18 hrs ago #19
Could Ukraine send in the drones? jmbar2 18 hrs ago #23
"Will the magas scream for joy...?" B.See 18 hrs ago #25
"He cut investment in education by 40%, denied increases to pensions, cut access to life-saving drugs for cancer patient Demovictory9 19 hrs ago #4
That's some hideous shit right there Dem4life1234 19 hrs ago #5
Why do people here vote for them? Metro135 19 hrs ago #7
Because those strongmen hurt people the voters don't like misanthrope 19 hrs ago #11
Under the guise it's in the public's interest, will make things better for the public. ffr 19 hrs ago #6
Republicans are brainwashed morons. hadEnuf 18 hrs ago #17
Seems to me, some states are in a better position to weather this storm than others. paleotn 17 hrs ago #29
It sounds a lot like the pre-New Deal American South misanthrope 19 hrs ago #8
To that tune, Dixie markodochartaigh 17 hrs ago #32
K&R jfz9580m 19 hrs ago #9
Argentina's Inflation Rate.... Biglinda 52 19 hrs ago #10
Well, shit soandso 18 hrs ago #16
Of course markodochartaigh 17 hrs ago #33
Elon Musk is glued Blue_Roses 19 hrs ago #12
It has nothing to do with Trump or Project 2025 soandso 18 hrs ago #13
Austrian & Chicago School tried this shit on Chile under Pinochet. It took 10 yrs for Chileans to climb out of that pit ancianita 18 hrs ago #15
A military dictatorship must have an impact, too soandso 18 hrs ago #22
The Chicago School and James M Buchanan literally wrote the new Chile Constitution under Pinochet. ancianita 17 hrs ago #35
Thank you soandso 16 hrs ago #39
This should help. Check the sections under Pinochet and the 21st Century. ancianita 16 hrs ago #41
Again, thank you soandso 16 hrs ago #42
Sure. ancianita 15 hrs ago #44
I didn't mean to indicate soandso 10 hrs ago #45
If he follows the Project 2025 playbook, they won't be better off. If he doesn't they will. ancianita 2 hrs ago #51
With ARG being courted by China for BRICS; siding with NATO isnt a bad idea. oldsoftie 18 hrs ago #21
Milei is extremely anti communist soandso 18 hrs ago #24
RE: BRICS; the whole "use your own currency" thing is, I believe, a pipe dream oldsoftie 8 hrs ago #46
Argentina's applied and will join BRICS in 2025. Yes, siding with NATO is good, but doesn't offset what else is wrong ancianita 17 hrs ago #36
Do you have a link? soandso 16 hrs ago #43
Hypothetical: if 0.1% own 95% of land & factories, how will "democracy" be different than feudalism? Same IMF shakedown lostnfound 8 hrs ago #47
Cutting education in a technologically advancing world is economic suicide. Yavin4 18 hrs ago #20
We'd have to see where those cuts were made soandso 17 hrs ago #27
Just bc he's an academic, that doesn't mean that he's in favor public education. Yavin4 17 hrs ago #28
Fair point soandso 17 hrs ago #30
Doctors, lawyers, engineers Dem4life1234 17 hrs ago #31
Cut the ministry of education. Same as or Department of Education. I've been thinking. paleotn 18 hrs ago #26
When Musk hosted Trump for a long chat on X back in August, both made it clear they want to copy Milei. highplainsdem 17 hrs ago #34
Must-Read Kid Berwyn 17 hrs ago #37
It sounds like from the posts here that Mieli is at least an educated man that cares at least somewhat about his ppl PortTack 17 hrs ago #38
So how does any of help anything? ...nt Figarosmom 16 hrs ago #40
More: Leghorn21 7 hrs ago #48
K&R liberalla 6 hrs ago #49
Video: Argentina Collapses into Poverty - Joe Blogs liberalla 6 hrs ago #50

Leghorn21

(13,713 posts)
1. Argentina's Milei to meet with Trump, Musk next week in the US
Thu Nov 7, 2024, 07:13 PM
19 hrs ago

…The meeting with Trump will take place at Mar-a-Lago, the incoming U.S. leader's private south Florida club, according to the spokesperson.

Since his election late last year, Milei has sought close ties with the United States and, since Tuesday's U.S. election, has stressed his support for Trump with a fireworks display as well as posts on social media.

The same government source said Milei will also meet with billionaire Elon Musk, the Tesla CEO and owner of social media platform X, who is also a major Trump supporter.

A gathering of the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) is scheduled to take place from November 14-16 at Mar-a-Lago.


https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/argentinas-milei-meet-with-trump-musk-next-week-us-2024-11-07/

Will the magas scream with joy when they hear what they just voted for??

Leghorn21

(13,713 posts)
3. My pleasure, E
Thu Nov 7, 2024, 07:19 PM
19 hrs ago

That’s a nasty group meet-up coming, eh

Well, mush warned everybody, hey, it’s gonna be a little rough to start with…

GULP

KPN

(16,067 posts)
18. This is emblematic of the White House transition process as
Thu Nov 7, 2024, 08:21 PM
18 hrs ago

Trump and his team see it. Ignore and sweep away the current administration. Continuity is irrelevant.

kimbutgar

(23,164 posts)
19. Wouldn't one like to send a comet to crash into mar a lago during that meeting ?
Thu Nov 7, 2024, 08:27 PM
18 hrs ago

Let the karmic gods do a payback!

B.See

(3,411 posts)
25. "Will the magas scream for joy...?"
Thu Nov 7, 2024, 08:39 PM
18 hrs ago

Why, YES, I absolutely believe they WILL. Did they not cheer at Trump's MSG hatefest when a Kim impersonator threw up his fist and shouted, "Death to democracy?"

Fascists unite.

Demovictory9

(33,651 posts)
4. "He cut investment in education by 40%, denied increases to pensions, cut access to life-saving drugs for cancer patient
Thu Nov 7, 2024, 07:23 PM
19 hrs ago

Wow..is the wheel and fire illegal too?

misanthrope

(8,139 posts)
11. Because those strongmen hurt people the voters don't like
Thu Nov 7, 2024, 07:41 PM
19 hrs ago

That's why the first order of authoritarian plans involve creating scapegoats.

ffr

(23,106 posts)
6. Under the guise it's in the public's interest, will make things better for the public.
Thu Nov 7, 2024, 07:27 PM
19 hrs ago

In other words, horse shit. And once dismantled, it can never be put back right.

I'm not sure what republicans voted for, but holy shit, did they fuck themselves and everyone else in the process!

paleotn

(19,064 posts)
29. Seems to me, some states are in a better position to weather this storm than others.
Thu Nov 7, 2024, 08:48 PM
17 hrs ago

It's the red states that are really fucked. My heart does not bleed.

markodochartaigh

(1,967 posts)
32. To that tune, Dixie
Thu Nov 7, 2024, 08:53 PM
17 hrs ago

Oh, I wish I was in the land of DeSantis,

Sinkin' like 'Ol Atlantis,

Sink away, sink away,

Sink away, Florida.

In Florida where I was born in,

You can no longer look at porn in,

Sink away, sink away,

Sink away, Florida.

Then I wish I was in Dixie,

Don't say gay! Don't say gay!

In Florida I'll stand my ground,

And blast whoever is around,

Away, away, away down South in Dixie,


soandso

(880 posts)
16. Well, shit
Thu Nov 7, 2024, 08:12 PM
18 hrs ago

that looks terrible! I looked at projected numbers based on current policy which look good. Wonder how it was that read their inflation is down? I'd like to see it all explained.

Argentina's inflation has been extremely high and volatile in recent decades, which has also been reflected in several nationwide crises. The hyperinflation of the 1980s peaked in 1989 with an inflation rate of over 3,000 percent. In the years that followed, the rate fell relatively quickly back to almost normal levels of less than 5% per year. There was even slight deflation in 1999 and 2001. However, political and economic turbulence began again in the new millennium. Price increases of often over 10% were not uncommon until 2013. In recent years, rates have risen dramatically again. Consumer prices are even expected to rise by over 200% again in 2024. This means that Argentina once again has one of the highest inflation rates in the world.

https://www.worlddata.info/america/argentina/inflation-rates.php


markodochartaigh

(1,967 posts)
33. Of course
Thu Nov 7, 2024, 08:57 PM
17 hrs ago

the dollar is still the reserve currency. So the course of inflation is likely to be very different from that in Argentina.

However, before Trump only Libya and Iran talked about alternatives to the dollar. During Trump even Germany and France talked about it. When the dollar loses its reserve currency status the US economy will hit a huge air pocket.

soandso

(880 posts)
13. It has nothing to do with Trump or Project 2025
Thu Nov 7, 2024, 07:58 PM
18 hrs ago

Milei is an economist and big "L" ibertarian and was a professor who has written about Austrian & Chicago School economics for his entire career. He's doing exactly what he said he would. However it works out, he was elected because years of corruption and inflation has plunged Argentina into terrible poverty. He also warned that the first years of correction would be brutal and it remains to be seen if his methods work to improve things, though I have read that their inflation is WAY down. Something has to be done because they've defaulted on their debt more than once, I believe. I wish Argentinians luck because whatever it takes to correct things down there will not be easy. IIRC, I think I read he was going to stop the money printing press and once their inflation is under control, basically adopt the USD.

He's a fascinating character who cloned his favorite dog, claims to communicate with a couple of them, is very socially liberal and highly intelligent. The question is: is he right about what he's doing? Selling off public assets is a huge no for me but Argentina has no money and desperately needs to generate investment. The other alternative would be forever debt slavery to the IMF. It's the devil or the deep blue sea, rock or a hard place for Argentina. Milei is very pro freedom so debt slavery is off the table (and hasn't worked out in the past). He's also developed a close relationship with NATO, which I wouldn't do, either (I'd pick neutrality). Argentina is a vast and beautiful country and I hope things work out and they prosper so much that they can buy their public assets back. We shall see, I guess.

ancianita

(38,232 posts)
15. Austrian & Chicago School tried this shit on Chile under Pinochet. It took 10 yrs for Chileans to climb out of that pit
Thu Nov 7, 2024, 08:07 PM
18 hrs ago

This has everything to do with oligarchs' control of national assets at the expense of social services.
Privatizing a country.
Which is exactly where we are headed under Trump, with the oligarchs and cryptotechbros running the economic show for them.

soandso

(880 posts)
22. A military dictatorship must have an impact, too
Thu Nov 7, 2024, 08:30 PM
18 hrs ago

I don't know what they did economically or what cased what to happen down there. Isn't Chile very neoliberal now?

As for social services, a country has to produce something and make money in order to have those services and Argentina is broke, leaving their only choices more debt or change. More debt without production would not solve their problem.

ancianita

(38,232 posts)
35. The Chicago School and James M Buchanan literally wrote the new Chile Constitution under Pinochet.
Thu Nov 7, 2024, 09:09 PM
17 hrs ago

The key trap was that for any law to pass there had to be a 66% vote.

The whole story is documented in Nancy McLean's Democracy In Chains back in 2017.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracy_in_Chains

ancianita

(38,232 posts)
41. This should help. Check the sections under Pinochet and the 21st Century.
Thu Nov 7, 2024, 09:55 PM
16 hrs ago
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chile

The real problem in South America -- and the world in general -- has been the ongoing insurgency of oligarchs that run cartels (black market drugs, guns, human trafficking) to run the people off the landbase that the oligarchs want to get assets from -- mining, forests, water, etc. Thus, the intercontinental mass migrations and war in Ukraine, for that matter.

soandso

(880 posts)
42. Again, thank you
Thu Nov 7, 2024, 10:23 PM
16 hrs ago

I quickly scanned it and found it interesting that Chile is both classified as developing and high income. Are you from there?

I had an interesting conversation with a woman whose mother was imprisoned under Pinochet. She was a small child, in detention with her mother, when an employee of the US State Department stole her and took her to the US. Apparently, she wasn't the only one. The woman who took her left the DoS and went on to a long academic career at Yale and the woman stolen hated her, eventually moving to Spain. She tried for years to find out what happened to her mother but never could and believes she was among the murdered.

ancianita

(38,232 posts)
44. Sure.
Thu Nov 7, 2024, 10:56 PM
15 hrs ago

No, I'm from here, but have a good friend who goes there regularly.I also have a family of friends in Rio Cuarto, Argentina. They're a family of academics having to deal with Milei right now. To your point about Chile's quality of living, Americans need to travel more to see just how much better and more peacefully people of other countries live compared to the U.S.

Such a terrible story. So much evil done to women and children in this world. And those who do it are the first to point fingers at someone else to distract attention from their evil selves. At scale, this election reveals that we're now headed in that direction with the vultures circling around trump and Washington. All for mammon.

soandso

(880 posts)
45. I didn't mean to indicate
Fri Nov 8, 2024, 03:48 AM
10 hrs ago

that I know anything about Chile's standard of living. I've only heard that they're quite economically successful. It's Argentina I know has had terrible economic problems.

I think many places have a fairly high standard of living, though quality of life is something else and very relative. A bad thing anywhere is extreme disparity of wealth, which I felt acutely during some years I lived in California.

I don't know if Milei's approach will achieve what he wants for Argentinians (prosperity and freedom) but I hope so. It's very radical. Getting mired in debt is no fun to get out of, for an individual or a country.

oldsoftie

(13,530 posts)
21. With ARG being courted by China for BRICS; siding with NATO isnt a bad idea.
Thu Nov 7, 2024, 08:28 PM
18 hrs ago

And withe their inflation SOMETHING drastic had to be done.
Much like our national debt; SOMETHING needs to be done. Neither party ever mentioned the Debt during this campaign.

soandso

(880 posts)
24. Milei is extremely anti communist
Thu Nov 7, 2024, 08:38 PM
18 hrs ago

so any overtures from China would probably fall flat - unless joining BRICS makes economic sense for Argentina. I have no clue if it does. I'm not sure what the association with NATO actually means, other than NATO countries are welcome to make use of Argentinian cooperation (ports, bases, etc), perhaps. It could also be a slick move toward getting back the Falkland Islands.

oldsoftie

(13,530 posts)
46. RE: BRICS; the whole "use your own currency" thing is, I believe, a pipe dream
Fri Nov 8, 2024, 06:18 AM
8 hrs ago

WHY would any country take Argentinina pesos for payment when it may be worth Farr less by the time you spend it?
But its still Ann attempt to take away US power with the dollar, even though every country you go to people would rather take your dollar than their own currency.

ancianita

(38,232 posts)
36. Argentina's applied and will join BRICS in 2025. Yes, siding with NATO is good, but doesn't offset what else is wrong
Thu Nov 7, 2024, 09:11 PM
17 hrs ago

with this picture.

lostnfound

(16,572 posts)
47. Hypothetical: if 0.1% own 95% of land & factories, how will "democracy" be different than feudalism? Same IMF shakedown
Fri Nov 8, 2024, 06:29 AM
8 hrs ago

“The question is: is he right”? C’mon, don’t act like its a mystery or something he invented. They’ve been playing this out cycle over and over for decades. Austerity plans after an externally-induced economic shock. BFD. Just like every other chapter in the book.

Has a lot to do with what’s about to happen here, i think. Austerity plans are coming to the U.S>

Yavin4

(36,029 posts)
20. Cutting education in a technologically advancing world is economic suicide.
Thu Nov 7, 2024, 08:27 PM
18 hrs ago

You're rendering your entire population unemployable as low skilled jobs won't be in demand as technology improves. You won't need humans to work in mines or unload cargo ships or stock shelves in grocery stores or , in the very near future, drive trucks.

All you're doing is creating more and more people dependent on the govt for their economic survival or migrants to other countries.

soandso

(880 posts)
27. We'd have to see where those cuts were made
Thu Nov 7, 2024, 08:45 PM
17 hrs ago

It may be on excessive (compared to the population) salaries, benefits, pensions and the like. He has, after all, spent his career as an academic so he's certainly in favor of education.

Yavin4

(36,029 posts)
28. Just bc he's an academic, that doesn't mean that he's in favor public education.
Thu Nov 7, 2024, 08:47 PM
17 hrs ago

Some of the most elitist people that I know are academics who think that education is wasted on the masses.

soandso

(880 posts)
30. Fair point
Thu Nov 7, 2024, 08:52 PM
17 hrs ago

though that isn't the impression he gives (elitist). I know he hates debt and one of his big criticisms was a public worker class that was both cronyist and enriching itself at the expense of the public.

Dem4life1234

(1,195 posts)
31. Doctors, lawyers, engineers
Thu Nov 7, 2024, 08:52 PM
17 hrs ago

All started with education, too!

Don't these rich oligarchs get sick? Who would tend to them?

paleotn

(19,064 posts)
26. Cut the ministry of education. Same as or Department of Education. I've been thinking.
Thu Nov 7, 2024, 08:45 PM
18 hrs ago

Always a dangerous thing. The end of our Department of Education. Yes, a cut in Fed funds would impact VT public schools, but here's the thing. We allot a ton of in-state generated funding into our K-12 system. We're 4th nationally in spending per pupil. The rest of the top 5 are solid blue states, NY, Mass, CT, NJ. Fed funding cuts will hurt but won't be catastrophic for us since it's a far lower % of total spend per pupil than most states. It will be catastrophic for the "shit hole", red states that rely heavily on federal funding. You know, since I'm completely out of "give a fucks", that doesn't bother me all that much.

You sowed the wind, mother fuckers, now reap the whirlwind.

PortTack

(34,470 posts)
38. It sounds like from the posts here that Mieli is at least an educated man that cares at least somewhat about his ppl
Thu Nov 7, 2024, 09:38 PM
17 hrs ago

That is far from the case here. Tsf is stupid, doesn’t read, knows nothing about government or running a country…and his only purpose along with his minions, for these cuts we’re about to see is to enrich himself. Everyone else…go f..k off!

Leghorn21

(13,713 posts)
48. More:
Fri Nov 8, 2024, 07:22 AM
7 hrs ago
Milei is actively persecuting civil servants who don’t follow his mindset. In a letter to the diplomatic corps, he demanded those who don’t align with his foreign policy ideas to “step aside”, specifically referencing his plan to repudiate the UN's Agenda 2030 which governments have signed to combat poverty, inequality and environmental destruction.

Days later, in a statement, he announced a purge: “The executive branch will launch an audit of the career staff of the foreign ministry with the aim of identifying promoters of anti-freedom ideas”.

According to Project 2025, the next US president must “remove from every existing rule, regulatory agency, contract, grant, regulation, and federal law the terms sexual orientation and gender identity, diversity, equity, and inclusion, gender, gender equality, gender equity, gender, gender-sensitive, abortion, reproductive health, reproductive rights”.

Abortion is mentioned 199 times in the document, including proposing a federal ban, increased criminalisation, more restrictions on providing care for miscarriages and obstetric emergencies, defunding emergency contraception and strict surveillance systems on people who have abortions or suffer miscarriages.
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