Brazzil

Good article. I disagree, however, that Helena's votes will automatically go to Lula. Many are probably protest votes, which might end up for grabs in an eventual runoff. Alckmin might also nibble at Helena's constituency before the runoff by offering a solid, consistent opposition platform, including his track record as governor of São Paulo.

Alckmin will probably try to lump both Lula and Helena with the likes of the MST, MLST, and even the PCC. Maybe Lula can be baited, à la the Rother case, into making indignant pronunciamientos about his self-proclaimed sanctity and the PT's morality, and end up having, well, a few deaths associated with himself at the wrong (right?) time. If this happened on a live debate, it could well turn the tide against him. Helena pulling this one off would be really fun to watch, but I digress.

Regarding the São Paulo outburst of violence, it seems to be hitting Lula as much as Alckmin, who has managed to distance himself from the crisis. The verbal sparring between Marcio Thomaz Bastos and Cláudio Lembo, with occasional squawks from Lula, tends to put the blame on the incumbent.

Finally, the presidential race's tour de force are the media spots and debates. I don't think debating will be a breeze for Lula, as both Alckmin and Helena still have plenty of ammunition to throw at him. I guess Heloísa's criticism will be more passionate, with personal overtones, and harder hitting, but might end up helping Alckmin.

While Heloísa managed to show up on the radar, both Lula and Alckmin have yet to really get their "road shows" going. So, it is still warmup time.

If you visit tradesports.com, you will see that people who are putting money down on it think the probability of Lula getting re-elected is about 68%

Where are the americans? They have not yet started badmouthing Brazil on this post? Soon they should be coming and start cribbing bad about everything in Brazil. Elections here are bad, the system is bad, the climate is bad, roads are bad, people are bad, everything is bad. And still they want to be here. For what? I pray, they leave Brazil and get lost. Leave this site for constructive crtisicm like the above 2 posts. Please excuse us. For good Amerians, no insult intended.

I'm in put up or shut up mode. The "put up" part would be putting up Geraldo Alckmin posters in the Brazilian-American stores, reminding Brazilians to go to the consulate and vote in spite of not being in the US. I'm not complaining because there is something I can actually DO to defeat Lula. "Leaving Brazil and getting lost" won't work, especially when Al Qaida is being allowed to organize in the Iguaçu area.

On a less numerate and more gutsy approach, I feel there is a similar complacency as before the firearms referendum last year, when it seemed that the "Yes" vote (to banning firearms) would win by some 80%. The actual result was a complete reversal in a short time. Expect a vicious, nasty campaign, and maybe lots of volatility, in polls, betting pools, and otherwise.

Lets make a deal : expulse all ILLEGAL Americans from Brazil AND lets expulse all ILLEGAL Brazilians from the USA !!!!!

Is that not a fair deal....for once ?

As to what is going bad in Brazil, just read today's news on this same site on the subject of : doing business in Brazil !!!!!!
Again.....you are close to the queue.....of the world !

Another interesting and FAIR deal would be that Brazil must buy as much from the USA as they sell to them !!!!!

Why dont you read your world rankings in many subjects.....instead of only watching your TV soap operas ?????? Wake up, stand up, reality is not in your sweet and dream TV movies.
Just reading the daily news on this site...will educate you...somewhat ! Somewhat....only !

There is not a week....where some type of rankings or comparisons are not published in this same site. And 99 % of the rankings.....you are at or near the ....QUEUE !!!!!!

Sooooo....simple ! Stop putting your right hand in front of your eyes and the fingers of your left hand in your ears !

Afterall it is even Brazilians stats sources that put you on the queue of rankings.
Just read and compare.....if you can !

As an American I cannot badmouth your election process any more than I can badmouth our own. I will leave it at that, unless, of course, anyone requests elaboration (please, feel free to do so). Why the concern about what us Americans think anyway? Are our opinions really held in such high regard that you would inquire to the whereabouts of such comments?

I am actually thoroughly enjoying Helena's candidacy and do hope that she continues to stir things up a bit. The last thing this country needs is a half-assed election which through Lula can so carelessly walk. I can't say that I trust ANY of these candidates (nor can I trust any of the recent American presidential candidates) but at least the presence of the third party candidate allows the much needed issues to be brought to the table. I am a sucker for controversy and with this, I admit, I have now, officially, thrown my support to Helena, and I will do anything I can to keep her candidacy strong. (if only for my personal enjoyment).

If Heloisa Helena got elected she would consider doing a lot of things that generations of politicized Brazilians wanted to see happening and she is a refresh and the only relief some of us really have. She would do such a revolution that the rabbits would freak out.lol

"As to what is going bad in Brazil, just read today's news on this same site on the subject of : doing business in Brazil !!!!!!
Again.....you are close to the queue.....of the world !

Another interesting and FAIR deal would be that Brazil must buy as much from the USA as they sell to them !!!!!

Why dont you read your world rankings in many subjects.....instead of only watching your TV soap operas ?????? Wake up, stand up, reality is not in your sweet and dream TV movies.
Just reading the daily news on this site...will educate you...somewhat ! Somewhat....only !

There is not a week....where some type of rankings or comparisons are not published in this same site. And 99 % of the rankings.....you are at or near the ....QUEUE !!!!!!

Sooooo....simple ! Stop putting your right hand in front of your eyes and the fingers of your left hand in your ears !

Afterall it is even Brazilians stats sources that put you on the queue of rankings.
Just read and compare.....if you can ! "

Washington Novaes O Estado de São Paulo

Two weeks ago much highlight was given to the news that the Vanuatu Archipelago - 83 islands in the Pacific, with 209 thousand inhabitants, the majority fishermen and farmers living on an economy a little far from subsistence –was considered by the Happy Planet Index “the happiest nation on the planet”. Created by the New Economics Foundation and the NBO Friends of Earth, the index wants to evidence that it is not necessary exhaust the natural resources of the Earth to have a life relatively long and happy”. And the inhabitants of Vanuatu had the best rate of three basic indices – life expectancy, human well-being and the level of ambient damage caused to the country rather than national economic wealth measurements such as GPD. In this index, Brazil ranked the 65 position, behind Argentina, Colombia, Chile and Paraguay - even behind Bangladesh. The United States ranked the 150 position out of 178 countries, one of the last countries.

I'm in put up or shut up mode. The "put up" part would be putting up Geraldo Alckmin posters in the Brazilian-American stores, reminding Brazilians to go to the consulate and vote in spite of not being in the US. I'm not complaining because there is something I can actually DO to defeat Lula. "Leaving Brazil and getting lost" won't work, especially when Al Qaida is being allowed to organize in the Iguaçu area.