MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Argentina Sunday primaries a leadership dispute inside the hegemonic Peronist party
On Sunday Argentina will go to the polls to select their candidates for the country’s upcoming October legislative elections. Though it may seem a trivial democratic chapter, the open, mandatory and simultaneous primaries will in fact be the first step in an election that is likely to prove critical to Argentina and most probably a referendum on President Cristina Fernandez’ administration. Read full article
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Disclaimer & comment rules...I predict a riot...
Aug 10th, 2013 - 04:20 pm - Link - Report abuse 0“Though it may seem a trivial democratic chapter, the open, mandatory and simultaneous primaries will in fact be the first step in an election....”
Aug 10th, 2013 - 04:55 pm - Link - Report abuse 0A question to the Argentine contributors to these boards. Does the word 'mandatory' mean that Argentines are forced/obliged to vote?
If so, as KFC has been attempting to emulate Chavezs Venezuela as explained in this article. Will the regime, as we discovered with Venezuela, also know how each voter voted? I’m new to ‘Latam democracy.’ Thank you in advance.
p.s. Stock up on bum wipe.
Argentina is one country of many that makes voting compulsory. That says a lot about freedom of speech. Freedom of speech also entails the freedom not to speak if one so wishes. But not on Argentina. KFC is determined not to undo the destruction of Argentina that she has accomplished.
Aug 10th, 2013 - 05:13 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Argentina........if you love what is in Venezuela........vote for the Victory Party, after all, who needs toilet paper when you have bidets.
It might be compulsory but only 70% of those eligible to vote did so in the last election.
Aug 10th, 2013 - 06:28 pm - Link - Report abuse 0#4
Aug 10th, 2013 - 06:35 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Thank you ElaineB.
Are there sanctions or fines for not voting? I'm just curious.
@5 I have no idea. I doubt it. This is Argentina we are talking about where rule breaking is the norm. That is not said disrespectfully but it is culturally acceptable to dodge rules and laws.
Aug 10th, 2013 - 06:45 pm - Link - Report abuse 0#6
Aug 10th, 2013 - 06:52 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Very nicely and succinctly explained.
I have said in different opportunities that mercopress is a serious website, if it's compared to clarin, la nación and perfil, which are just shamefully corporate, however after reading this mendacious article, made with so much bad faith, i think i should rethink what i think about mercopress.
Aug 10th, 2013 - 08:55 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Respecting the so called re-reelection, cristina was very clear at the harvard conference last year, when she was asked about it, she said that she's not interested in changing the constitution because it doesn't depend on her will only. Beside, she has never suggested changes in the constitution, in order to allow her to run for another period. The so called re-relection, is just a decadent slogan repeated once and again by our mediocre opponent politic leaders, who know that they would never win her any presidential election.
Anyway, beyond c. f. k's expressions, it's necesary to say that if she really wants to reform the constitution, in order to include an emmendation, which allows her to run for a third period , her government will have to get two thirds of deputies and senators, which is hightly difficult to get, especially in a parlamentary election where people often change their vote, it's not like in a presidentail election where there is too much polarization, due to argentina is not a parlamentary democracy like the u. k., it's a presidential democracy, so, all those politic analists should take this fact into account every time they do their analysis, which some of them are too partial and hypocritical.
#3 I must say although I really despise Argentina and Argentine culture I loved the bidets, the ice cream and the pizza.....not surprisingly they are insufficient to redeem the rest of the sh*t.
Aug 10th, 2013 - 10:09 pm - Link - Report abuse 09@I dont like invading pirates, but I like love and rockets band.
Aug 10th, 2013 - 11:44 pm - Link - Report abuse 0#6 Elaine, they are starting a process this year, like a sign in. Those that do not vote will be fined.
Aug 10th, 2013 - 11:44 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@11
Aug 11th, 2013 - 04:12 am - Link - Report abuse 0What, the authorities are going to go into the slums in BA and collect fines, Christ, wouldn't want to be with them when they do.
@11 I just cannot see it working in Argentina, can you?
Aug 11th, 2013 - 04:58 am - Link - Report abuse 0Axel-* - Would query your use of the words “presidential democracy”?
Aug 11th, 2013 - 08:17 am - Link - Report abuse 0How do you explain her son,s “brown-shirt” type mob then?
For me - like many Islanders we hope she wins again- she makes
the International scene nice and easy for us to win the arguments in time!
I heard Massa cut a deal with her to split and make himself look like the opposition as most of his senators he is partnered with are K supporters.
Aug 11th, 2013 - 08:37 am - Link - Report abuse 0This way they can win the majority vote and pretty much do what they want. Botox hag may let him run for president for 1 term then she gets back in, so it is a never ending story.
If you don't vote you only get a 50 peso fine, so it is not even worth getting out of bed for.
@15 But there will probably be bribes available if you vote for CFK like last time. Remember the video footage?
Aug 11th, 2013 - 08:49 am - Link - Report abuse 0No. They still have to turnout (theoretically) but the can slip a blank ballot into the box. But for a 50 peso fine, that's nothing......at least to us.
Aug 11th, 2013 - 09:03 am - Link - Report abuse 0#15.....You live in Argentina?
.
Aug 11th, 2013 - 11:11 am - Link - Report abuse 0From the Buenos Aires Herald : With an eye on the Pink House -
I thought Lewis Carols “Alice in Wonderland” was a funny children's story, but there's a modern Latam version.
Quotes:
“In Argentina, the loss of power by a president accustomed to behaving like an absolute monarch of the old no-nonsense school”
“As Cristina and her more rackety followers are well aware, plenty of people would like to see the lot of them clapped in jail for helping themselves to large dollops of taxpayers’ money.”
Have a read.
http://www.buenosairesherald.com/article/138213/with-an-eye-on-the-pink-house
Elaine they are now requiring them to use their national ID's when they vote. At the polling stations they use a list, take their ID on the way in and return it after the drop their ballots in the box. Supposedly anyone on the list not checked off gets fined. We use a ballot list also here in the USA, but it is to see if you are a registered voter because voting is not compulsory.
Aug 11th, 2013 - 11:19 am - Link - Report abuse 0I truly hope this is the last few nails in the mad bitches coffin. A Mussolini death is way too kind for her. If people want socialism, fine and communism....fine. She is just outright corrupt and the corruption in Argentina is an organized event that is pervasive throughout the entire system of government.
OK but 50% of the workforce does not pay tax and gets away with it. People regularly break the law and get away with it. Take bribes and get away with it. If you pay the local police they will steer criminals to the homes that don't pay up. Hook up to electricity supplies illegally etc. etc.
Aug 11th, 2013 - 01:35 pm - Link - Report abuse 0You see, my point is that the Argentines will see this as a new challenge. They like breaking rules. They like the idea of them for other people but don't think they apply to them personally.
(Yes, I realise not all Argentines are the same ....... usual declaimer ........ I am speaking about the general culture).
I am not saying that is untrue. I am merely stating what is in place this year. Want to piss a Argentine retailer off? Ask for a receipt when you purchase something. They get a bit angry then offer a discount for not giving you a receipt.
Aug 11th, 2013 - 02:57 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@21 LOL. Yeah, I was just thinking out loud about the usual reaction from Argentines at being told what to do. I have emailed some friends to ask if they feel compelled to vote.
Aug 11th, 2013 - 03:44 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Oh, I have been offered huge discounts in the past for paying cash, as long as it is dollars. They don't seem to want pesos.
Everything here revolves around dollars, pesos are just for buying food from the peasants.
Aug 11th, 2013 - 07:31 pm - Link - Report abuse 0There is money to be made here with the blue/ official but seems to get harder to do each week.
Capt poppy, yes I am here in this thief infested country.
Elaine, I know my extended family voted. Despite the fact they feel it is hopeless, they do what they are suppose to do.
Aug 11th, 2013 - 07:43 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I find even the higher end restaurants cringe when you ask for an itemized receipt, just to make sure I was charged correctly. I always found the “surcharge” for utensils or what not.... odd. I thought it was a built in tip my first time there. At least tipping is only like 10%......very different from the USA.
Well Klingon, I wish you the best. I will say I never had a bad time in Argentina. It's just the system I do not like. Though I take exception to my system as well. But this forum is for the South Atlantic.
@24 I just had a reply from one BsAs based friend. She is voting, she always does, but she heard there will be fine for not voting - she did not know how much - and that 'other things could happen' if she didn't. Nice.
Aug 11th, 2013 - 08:01 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I am pretty sure this threat is aimed at the lazy people because CFK thinks the vote will be close.
I am loving the stories coming out about the voting - drunk officials, people forgetting ID cards, people with warrants out being arrested, Boudou voting late because he was 'talking' all afternoon with his partner....... Probably the same the world over but always amusing.
@25 “She is voting, she always does, but she heard there will be fine for not voting - she did not know how much - and that 'other things could happen' if she didn't. Nice.”
Aug 11th, 2013 - 09:31 pm - Link - Report abuse 0People who don't vote may have trouble whenever using any public service, sometimes the burocrats refuse doing their job for people who don't vote so you may not be able to renew your DNI, passport or whatever if you don't vote without a proper justification. This is nothing new, it has been going on since forever. The fines are usually very small, the real punishment is the possibility of getting stuck in bureocratic limbo.
There seems to be some confusion over whether voting in compulsory in Argentina. While not knowing the exact details, I have to say that it is impossible to make someone vote.
Aug 11th, 2013 - 09:41 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Though the term COMPULSORY VOTING is used and it is illegal to NOT vote in Australia, due to the nature of the secret ballot there is no way to enforce a valid ballot from someone. You can either leave it blank or write whatever you want. When I worked at a polling station at the last Federal election, one person let vent at exactly what they thought of politicians.
About 1.5% of all ballot papers are blank or defaced in Australian elections.
Enrolment is compulsory and so is attendence at a voting booth to have your name marked off. As you have to put your ballot in the box then if that is considered voting, then yes it is compulsory. Failure to do so is a A$20 fine if you don't have a good reason.
I'm a big fan of compulsory voting as a civic duty and it has served my country well at least.
However there is more to being a full fledged democracy than just filling in a ballot paper. Free media, workable caretaker conventions or legislation, impartial election districting, independent election operations and no use of government resources to electioneer with are all integral to a free and fair vote.
Thankfully my country has all these, however I am not sure that Argentina does.
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