When a President lacks Composure and Discipline (Translation)

The following text was originally composed – in Portuguese – by Mr. Ubiratan Iorio* - the translation of which was duly authorized by the President of the Brazilian “Clube Militar” located in Rio de Janeiro
Undoubtedly, the current Brazilian President appears to be inept for leading even a Neighborhood Carnival club, since he does not appear to possess either the moral composure or the necessary intellectual background. Indeed, nearly every time this President makes a public appearance – in every speech and in every gesture – it becomes increasingly obvious that he lacks the expected upbringing and most basic education required for any Leader; in spite of the self-delusional claims of his supporters, praising his questionable deeds, that one could scarcely identify anything else as “more democratic” than a “so-called” former machinist being elected to occupy the nation’s most prominent and visible role.

The most recent “show” performed by Lula during Carnival in the “Sambódromo” (a Samba Pavilion) in Rio de Janeiro, whereby the Nation’s Leader distributed condoms to the populace at large, represented a rather sad, distressing, and revolting affair; and because the State Governor along with the hosting city’s Mayor stood side by side their “boss”, they appeared to have been subdued to the role of gloomy servants in attendance of their “ruler”.

Such an event was sad because it appeared as if the Brazilian State were providing “blessings” to popular orgies and cheap sexual intercourse - whereas it might be considered appropriate for the State to operate in an unqualified fashion, under these circumstances, it is quite another matter when the national authorities appear to be encouraging shameful and/or otherwise questionable activities; it was distressing because the President’s conduct flagrantly disregarded the bare minimum pre-requisites for the type of composure expected from any Head of State, who should always at least appear to be attempting to follow protocol; finally, it was revolting because one must necessarily compare this lame “presidential distribution” - allegedly done in full support of the Brazilian Ministry for Health - vis-à-vis the inexcusable appalling conditions which unfortunately plague and prevail most Public Hospitals (designed for attending poor citizens in need of assistance).

While the Brazilian society has been suffering from the serious consequences of a growing Moral Weakness of unprecedented scale, it has the further misfortune of having a Supreme Leader lacking moral composure, and whose questionable deeds provide the people the worst possible example. Most importantly, this most recent disgraceful episode represents yet another evidence – among several previous reproachable events – that the Labor Administration under “Lula” does not appear to have any conception as to how a government should efficiently utilize (limited) public resources, the sole objective of which should always take into account nothing more or less than the Welfare of the Nation.

* The original author is the current Director of the Faculty of Economics at UERJ – State University of Rio de Janeiro

TRUE BLUE BRAZILIANS - The Armed Forces and the Republic

Following its independence from Portugal in 1822 the political entity called the “Empire of Brazil” emerged as a constitutional monarchy led by the Franco-Portuguese lineage of Orleans e Bragança. According to some historians, the premature termination of this promising South American monarchy and the subsequent foundation of the Republic in 1889 came about primarily as a reactionary development following the abolishment of the slavery in 1888. Because the subsequent loss of slave labor invariably cast the final blow to the political (and economical) interests of the existing Oligarchy - the power base of the regime – some of their key members shifted patronage towards the emerging republican movement, which had arisen from within undisciplined factions of the armed forces.

Taking into account the subsequent destabilizing chain of events, particularly the increasing schism between the monarchist and republican factions within the Brazilian Army, on November 15, 1889 the Monarchy was overthrown during a military Coup d’état successfully led by Marshal Deodoro da Fonseca, the nation’s first President. This significant political development not only replaced the country’s system of government but also inescapably altered the very fabric of its political-culture… Because these dramatic events triggered a relatively long period of “order and progress” (the national logo stamped upon the newly created flag), the concept of a “Military coup d’état” became historically and correctly identified with peace, stability and security.

Following this period (called the “New Republic”), the Brazilian nation twice fell into disarray because of international “philosophical contagion” resulting either from dangerous destabilizing trends spilling from its closest neighbors (Argentina’s Peronist movement) or from concealed endeavors by a global Super Power to perpetrate direct political intervention (the USSR’s geo-political aspirations during the 1960’s). Unquestionably, both incidents (actual and/or potential) represented a significant peril to peace and liberty; yet, each threat was duly addressed and controlled, directly or indirectly, by brave Brazilian patriots - in uniform – who did not refrain from taking whatever steps deemed necessary to readily perform their solemn duty, and rescue the Nation from dangerous foreign interference.

Because the current Brazilian government is led by an increasingly dubious administration with socialist inclinations, the national order and integrity appears to be once again endangered; for its primary elected representative (the leader of a questionable political party) has been gradually falling under the influence of Neo-Marxist, Bolivarian alien elements, thereby potentially exposing the Nation to the perilous northerly wind blowing from Caracas.

Consequently, I fear that the time may have arisen for the Brazilian valiant saviors to contemplate yet another rescue, and carry out whatever may be necessary, at any cost, to save the Brazilian nation one more time!

ALTERNATE UNIVERSE - DREAMING OF AN IMPERIAL (ROMANTIC) 21st CENTURY

The absurd, unsuitable, and overwhelming weight of a technological, fast paced existence within any major metropolitan Western center during the 21st Century is nearly intolerable for the few remaining romantic souls who long for the simplicity of life during the early days of the industrial age… Gadgets, circuits, connections and speed not only twist but also infect the human condition by insulting its very nature… Indeed, nearly every issue appears exceedingly disagreeable, distasteful and/or distressing; at best the entire landscape of modern urban society emerge as a rather unappealing experience, which unquestionably triggers or exacerbates the overall sense of “malaise”, fear, and great discomfort afflicting millions of unwitting victims everywhere today…
For those who worship the Past, most events and nearly all issues currently endured by most metropolitan citizens would indubitably have been signficantly assuaged in case the noble Houses of Windsor, Romanov, and Habsburg were still in charge of their respective monarchies today, and had never lost their grip on power (naturally I have deliberately excluded the Prussian Hohenzollerns for trouble would always have emerged in some nefarious fashion from Berlin - if any Kaiser is permitted to consolidate power over the entirety of Germany – as opposed to remaining confined to the much smaller Prussian Kingdom – unless of course inevitable serious “issues” were somehow much earlier addressed during a Major European conflict – a “War of three Emperors between 1870 and 1885 - concluding with the complete defeat of the Prussian forces, as opposed to our historical World War I in 1914). In such an “alternate world” the United Kingdom (along with France under Napoleon III) would have financed and supported the Russian & Austro-Hungarian empires (a Russia where the State Duma would have been permitted to function and an Austria where Archduke Rudolf would have been the Emperor) to defeat Prussia, thus preventing Otto von-Bismarck (who would have been executed) from creating a German state and further militarizing Prussia.

If these majestic Houses had not “fallen from grace” (which categorically would have also included a Orleans & Bragança sitting at the Brazilian Throne at the “Imperial Municipality of the Court – as Rio was once named), the current Islamic threat (rooted upon an insolvable Arab-Israeli conflict) along with the current financial chaos, which has brought our civilization to the brink of bankruptcy, would not have arisen. Indeed, because the 20th century would have been entirely distinct from what we learned from the History books (NO great depression – NO rise of National Socialism – NO independent Middle Eastern or North African states – NO Soviet Union –and a much less prominent USA) there would not have been any splitting of the atom in the 1940’s, nor any space travel in the 1950’s, transistors would not have been invented around 1960, while personal computers (let alone the internet) would have remained in the realm of Science Fiction...

Rather, we would, most likely, have been accustomed to pleasant, comfortable two-day long crossings of the Atlantic aboard magnificently furnished floating Airships from “Lufthansa, British Caledonian or Pan American; using elegant Rail Express Services to travel inside our respective continents; utilizing gracious metallic telephones that require Human Operators to make connections; and listening to Radio Broadcasts while sending one another telegrams...

If my dream scenario were to have come to fruition, Planet Earth would have been a much more agreeable place in 2009: much more peaceful, elegant and civilized than what we have in its stead…