Bob Adelmann
New American
January 28, 2014
While Wall Street declined by three percent over global growth concerns last week, few were noting or even interested in the 11-percent decline in the Merval, Argentina’s stock market index. It hit a high of 5,970 on Tuesday, January 21, the day before the Argentina government devalued its currency. It closed at 5,337 on Monday. The peso itself has been in decline far longer, having lost nearly 35 percent of its value against the dollar over the last 12 months.
In an address to her country the day after the devaluation, Argentina’s President Cristina Fernandez, in a brilliant display of economic ignorance and hubris, announced her solution to the problem: more government spending. This time, she announced a 600-peso ($84) monthly “stipend” to students, to be paid for with more printing-press money.
The Emergency Election Sale is now live! Get 30% to 60% off our most popular products today!