An impossible match? We saw something similar to this on screen, yesterday, in the House of Representatives to the State of São Paulo. Virtual as it was, we should have been spared from that.Matéria em português (não é idêntica a esta, mas guarda muitas semelhanças)
O BRASIL TEM MESMO FUTURO? É TUDO ISSO QUE ANDAM DIZENDO?...
PAUL SKAF is head of FIESP, a Federation of São Paulo Industries, whose headquarters at Paulista Ave. is a city landmark (see picture at the bottom).
He surely aims to become president of Brazil, although he seems too far from achieving that today. He ran for governor of São Paulo last year, but his campaign was modest. He has changed parties and is now with PMDB.
He seems to have taken another considerable step - he was received at the Assembleia Legislativa (the state parliament) yesterday and, along with other members of FIESP, such as Paulo Francini, as well as house representatives, led a crucial debate over the so-called 'fiscal war'.
The inception of such 'conflict' was the establishment of fiscal relief for 'lesser developed' states in Brazil, so that - the rationale would go - industries would have an incentive to leave São Paulo and settle in those other states. However, more than two decades ahead, it was suggested yesterday that the measure has hurt industries' competitiveness in the state of São Paulo but... where can the expected benefit be seen today?
Mr. Skaf was blunt: It (that difference in taxs between states) must stop right away. This model is now worn out.
I do not work for Mr. Skaf - he is totally unware of my existence (at least so far, as I write this essay to go to the internet). It is my sheer opinion that he is worth 200 thousand reais for a forty-minute speech, no doubt. It remains a mystery to me why 'markets' pay that to have other speakers instead, clearly much less knowlegeable and honest.
Anyway, every people has - to a more or lesser extent - the president it deserves. By listening to Mr. Skaf one can get a keen idea of why we, Brazilians, have been taking others rather than guys like him. The majority in our country is above the clouds, still relying on the image of the Rio Corcovado Christ taking off, which every economist in the world appears to have also bought. Mr. Skaf has a very different proposal and drive, more of us should capture: let's move ahead.
Mr. Skaf has emphatically declared at the opening to the event, "The struggle between classes is over. Who could have imagined a meeting having together the representative of industries, and the representative of workers, in a place like this, the parliament of the people?"
Indeed, the head of the union where Lula used to be leader and Mr. Skaf clearly showed they are in tandem.
Former president Lula da Silva can be said to be more of the 'Brazilian face' not just because he has 'climbed the leader' all the way up, but also because he has bent to the Catholic Church (and-or the Vatican State. The ones attempting to separate these two have second, vicious intentions). I wonder what would happen if Mr. Skaf eventually conquered Brasilia.
Tkanks to my usual alertness, I soon notice the Cross on the wall, close to the top, above the big screen in the room of the parliament where the debate took place. Indeed, I remarked, 'I cannot believe my eyes... still there. And so big a cross.'
Soon later, while Mr. Skaf spoke, the image on the big screen would show the cross right above his head. The same was the case with Mr. Barros Munhoz, the head of the Representatives. The speakers probably did not notice that, for they would not be watching the screen. They were standing at a different angle, not below the cross, but the screen was right below it, and centralized in relation to it. So, as their image was projected on the screen, what people would see was akin to the picture here at the top, we have put together. Just consider that Mr. Skaf would not put on that smile, but would prefer a concerned expression, more in line with the urgency and relevance of what he pointed out. Here goes some of his quotes:
[Brazil is] Outsourcing labor force and wide opening its market. Of course this will bring about consequences [negative ones]... also to the generations to come.
We (Brazil) have just bought uniform for the Army - a huge quantity - from China! That's absurd. We ought to spot with that.
Foreign trade? We hold 50 billion in deficit in the manufacture item.
(Directly addressing the head of the metal workers union) I feel better in jeans than in a suit. My week journey is 80 hours long. So I am a worker as well.
Would another country believe us if we reported that once a foreign product comes in, it has fiscal benefits? No. It's absurd. If it is so, it must stop right away. Should never have existed.
We are continuouly pushing mistakes forward.
It is good to discuss. Better still is to make a decision and make it happen.
Four trillion dollars in PIB. It is plenty enough to do everything. Everything. And to do it well.
Shall such reign come to us. Better saying, may we manage to push it through at last.
FIESP headquarters, Sao Paulo (it is the sloopy, irregular façade, partially in the shade)
