Why So Many Republicans Are Retiring: NRA Quiet On Their Role As Russian Conduit In Butina Charges

[sandensea]

12. Excellent point. Foreign leaders (even dictators) that back profitization are lionized

while those that oppose it are dragged through the mud - especially if renationalizing firms hollowed out by private owners (much like Toys-r-Us, PanAm, Eastern Airlines, and Circuit City were here in the U.S.).

Right-wing outfits always point to Chile as an "example" of how this can work (neglecting to mention the disaster it caused in neighboring Argentina in the late '90s).

But they always leave out a key fact: Chile is a resource-rich country that gets most of its export income from copper - much like Arabian countries get theirs from oil. It's a lot of money.

Copper has always papered over most of their problems - particuarly their disastrous privatized social security.

It's "private" in that the companies that run them reap 30-40% commissions. But when it comes time for retired Chileans to collect, guess who pays their ($150) pensions?

The government, using the copper revenues - which, luckily for Chile, remained in state hands. Their contributions? Gone to the Caymans.

I'm surprised Bitchy Mitchy hasn't brought up Social Security privatization yet. I guess he's waiting for Putin to stel the 2018 midterms for him.