Argentina actually elected a liberal president.
Javier Millay campaigned with a chainsaw and promised to reduce the size of government.
Argentina's leftists have clogged the country's economic arteries with regulations that have turned what was once one of the world's richest countries into one of the poorest.Inflation is 200% or more.
People have spent their entire lives saving, only to find that their savings have little value.
They got fed up and did something never seen before in modern history. They elected a full-throated liberal.
Millais understands that government cannot create wealth.he surprised At this month's World Economic Forum, diplomats said, “The problem is nations!”
He spoke for capitalism and said, “Don't be intimidated by political castes and parasites who depend on the state for their living…If you're going to make money, it's by offering better products at better prices and… Don't succumb to the progress of the state. The state is not the solution.”
Go, Mirei! I wish current American politicians could say the same thing.
In the West, young people become socialists. In Argentina, they live under socialist policies. They voted for Millais.
69% of voters are under 25 years old I voted for him. This allowed him to win by a whopping 3 million vote margin.
He was elected on a promise to reverse “decades of decadence.” “When measures are adopted that impede the free functioning of markets, competition, price systems, trade and private property ownership, the only possible fate is poverty,” he told an economic forum.
right.
Poor countries have shown this time and time again. The media reports that Milais will never pass the reform bill and that left-wing forces may continue to block him.
But already, “he was able to eliminate rent controls and price controls,” says economist Daniel Di Martino in my new video. He pointed out that Millais had already “with one stroke of the pen removed all restrictions on imports and exports.”
“Can he do it without Congress?” asks.
“The president of Argentina has much more power than the president of the United States.”
Milley also eased rules restricting the areas airlines can fly to.
“Now (some) airfares are cheaper than bus fares!” Di Martino says.
He repealed the “buy in Argentina” law. Point out that America has a “buy America” rule.
“The poor will only become poorer because costs will increase!” Di Martino replies, “Why shouldn't Argentines be able to buy pencils from Brazil or grapes from Chile?”
“It’s to support Argentina,” I pushed back.
“Guess what?” Di Martino said. “Not every country can produce everything at the lowest cost. Imagine if America had to produce bananas.”
Argentina's leftist government tried to control almost everything.
“The regulation was that anything that wasn't explicitly legal was illegal,” laughs Di Martino. “Now…everything that isn’t illegal is legal.”
One of the government agencies Millais was demoted from was the Department of Women, Gender and Diversity. DiMartino says it reminds him of Venezuela's Supreme Deputy Ministry of Social Welfare. “These agencies exist so that government officials can hire their cronies.”
Cutting government jobs and subsidies to interest groups is a risk for politicians seeking votes. When politicians cut subsidies, riots often break out in countries. Sometimes politicians are defeated. Or be imprisoned.
“The great thing about Millay is that he was able to win games,” Di Martino said. promise Subsidy reduction. ”
that teeth Remarkable. Why would Argentines vote for cuts?
“Argentines are fed up with the status quo,” Di Martino replies.
Millais is an economist. He named his dogs after liberal economists Milton Friedman, Murray Rothbard, and Robert Lucas.
I point out that most Americans don't know who those people are.
“The fact that he names his dog after a famous economist shows that he's a real nerd,” Di Martino replies. It's good to have a president of a country who is an economics geek. ”
“What can Americans learn from Argentina?”
“Let America prosper. I mean, we'll never be in Argentina's position to begin with. We need free markets for that.”
yes.
In reality, it's free markets and the rule of law. When people have those things, prosperity happens.
It's good that the country might try it again.
Mr. Stossel posts a new video every Tuesday on JohnStossel.com about the battle between government and freedom.
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