Scioli, Macri face to face in historic debate in Argentina.

[forest444]

Victory Front presidential candidate Daniel Scioli and Let's Change coalition hopeful Mauricio Macri faced each other off tonight in a historic debate just a week out from a winner-takes-all runoff scheduled for November 22. Tonight marked the first time that final round candidates ever participated in a formal debate in Argentine history.

At the beginning of the debate, Scioli affirmed that Mauricio Macri's ideas "are a danger to the whole of society." "I feel his ideas are dangerous. When he's said things he hasn't exposed here, like the lifting of dollar restrictions, that means austerity. Who will pay the cost of that?"

Macri said in response: "I believe you are the ones afraid, those who are ruling the country. I am asking you to stop being my spokesperson, to tell us your proposals instead." "We must expand the economy; I never said I will implement austerity," Macri said, despite statements to the contrary by his economic policy team.

The two presidential candidates discussed key topics that are part of the social agenda, divided in four different segments: one devoted to economy and social development; another to security and human rights; another focused on education; and the fourth based on strengthening democracy.

At: http://buenosairesherald.com/article/203036/scioli-macri-face-to-face-in-historic-debate-ahead-of-runoff

[Judi Lynn]

1. This debate would have been very interesting to see and understand,

like watching a human discussing with a complete troll.

I hope there are enough survivors of the Dirty War to communicate to the new ones what on earth happened when these monsters got the upper hand.

[forest444]

2. I wish they'd upload a translated version - but you described the overall dynamic pretty well.

Neither candidate got into policy specifics as much as the viewers would have liked (when do politicians on a debate stage ever, right?).

But whereas Scioli offered at least some policy principle statements and made a point to confront Macri directly about his plans for a sudden, massive devaluation (which would mean a windfall for the wealthy at everyone else's expense) and other Naomi Klein-esque shocks, Macri basically resorted to "how to win an argument every time" tactics: dodge the question; answer with another (non-germane) question; and of course, play the victim ("stop putting words in my mouth," "you disappoint me," etc.).

My favorite Macri moment, however, was when, while cornered on a question about how his "tough on crime" rhetoric squares with his underfunded police budgets as mayor and his using police for cointelpro-style activities instead of putting them where they are most needed, he simply said:

¡Me rindo! - "I give up!"

[Judi Lynn]

3. I can imagine Macri was disgusting. You can tell he's wildly pompous from his photos.

That face would lend itself easily to fake martyrdom. What a creep!

I hope there were a lot of people who have had enough life experience to see through that phony nonsense.

[Marksman_91]

4. Well, apparently most Argentinians agree with his "disgusting" ideas then

Every major poll says he won the debate by a landslide. Looks like we can kiss Kirchnerismo goodbye

[forest444]

5. Nice try - but those are online polls, not scientific ones.

And Mugricio has a small army of online trolls - paid for largely with Buenos Aires taxpayer money, I might add (as well as Paul Singer's, of course).

That said, there's no doubt Macri's media support structure have done a good job playing to people's wishful thinking: that defunding safety net programs for the poor (who many white, middle-class voters resent as "lazy blacks" - sound familiar?) won't lead to a massive jump in poverty and crime; or that his shock doctrine policies will somehow not push the country into a deep recession (while giving his friends a windfall).

If you are indeed a Democrat, you shouldn't want to have anything to do with Macri and his race-baiting or Bushonomics. Argentina's own history leaves no doubt that it would be as bad for Argentina - or any country, really - as Chavismo has ultimately been for Venezuela (for different reasons, of course).