Argentina's History Lesson: Is America Next?

1. “Don’t Cry For Me, Argentina” America If We Don't Learn Our History, We're Doomed to Repeat It - George Washington • This is a ‘real’ history lesson • It happened in Argentina • It’s also happening in Spain, Italy, Greece and other Countries • Is America next????? Click for all slides.

2. Like the United States, Argentina was blessed by God with vast swaths of rich farmland producing abundant agriculture, laced with navigable rivers, and an accessible port system. Its level of industrialization was higher than many European countries; railroads, automobiles, and telephones were commonplace. Gen 12:1-3 Now the LORD had said unto Abram (Abraham), Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will show thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. Click for all slides.

3. In the early 20th century, Argentina was one of the wealthiest countries in the world. While Great Britain’s maritime power and its far-flung empire had propelled it to a dominant position among the world’s industrialized nations, only the United States challenged Argentina for the position of the world’s second-most powerful economy.

4. Europeans arrived in the region with the 1502 voyage of Amerigo Vespucci. Spanish navigator Juan Diaz de Solias visited what is now Argentina in 1516. Spain established a permanent colony on the site of Buenos Aires in 1580. Argentina quickly became one of the world's 10 wealthiest capitalist nations based on rapid expansion of agriculture, foreign trade, and encouraging foreign investment in their infrastructure. Conservative forces supporting minimum taxes and small government dominated Argentine politics until 1916, when their traditional rivals, The Radicals, won control of the government with the election of a progressive, Hipólito Irigoyen. The Radicals under the banner of “change” appealed to the low and middle income class citizens with the promise that government would provide more through taxing business and the wealthy.

5. Among Irigoyen’s changes: mandatory pension insurance, mandatory health insurance, and support for low-income housing construction to stimulate the economy. Put simply, the government wanted to usurp their capitalistic system by assuming economic control of a vast swath of the country’s business operations and began assessing new taxes to fund the growth of government. "You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich. You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong. You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift. You cannot lift the wage earner up by pulling the wage payer down. You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred. You cannot build character and courage by taking away people's initiative and independence. You cannot help people permanently by doing for them, what they could and should do for themselves." Abraham Lincoln

6. Personal Income Down! Government Spending Out of Control! With an increasing flow of funds into entitlement programs, the government’s payouts soon became overly generous. Before long its outlays surpassed the value of the taxpayers’ contributions. Put simply, government quickly became under-funded, like the United States’, today. "Government is not a solution to our problem, government is the problem." -  Ronald Reagan

7. The death knell (bell) for the Argentine economy sounded with the election of Juan Perón, a ‘Catholic (?)’. Perón emerged in the 1940s to become Argentina’s most revered, as well as most despised, political figure. He first came to national prominence as head of the National Department of Labor, after a 1943 military coup toppled civilian rule. Perón had a fascist and corporatist (corporative organization of a political unit or community organizer) upbringing – he and his charismatic wife, Eva, aimed their progressive political agenda at the destruction of the nation’s wealthy.

8. Designed and manufactured in Argentina, the Justicialist was part of Perón's effort to take over the auto industry. Angel Borlenghi an erstwhile socialist who, as Interior Minister, oversaw new labor courts and the opposition driving private business out of business and always ruling in favor of Labor Unions.

9. Vast groups of law-abiding pro-constitutional Argentina citizens were quickly targeted by Perón as right-wing “extremists” standing in the way of ‘progress’. Through ridicule, maligning, media control, and new laws, law-abiding citizens suddenly became the enemy of the State. Progressives would now rule by edict using anti-constitutional, anti-Christian, Socialist-Fascistsdoctrines declaring the Constitution was suddenly insignificant. They dubbed themselves to be the elite ruling class that knew what is best for Argentina. During previous sojourns in fascist Italy and Nazi Germany, Perón grasped the importance of keeping the news media fixated upon himself. When in public he also developed his own brand of watered-down Mussolini-style fascism by impugning wealth, Christianity, and good citizenry at every opportunity.

10. Under Perón, the size of government bureaucracies exploded through even more massive Social spending programs designed to take from the wealthy and give to the poor. Of course, the money ended up in his or friends pockets and the poor were never lifted from their plight in life while the wealthy were fleeced and eventually destroyed at every opportunity. He was a major supporter of labor unions and encouraged their growth as an arm of his elite military guard designed to monitor and maintain control of the masses and voting blocks.

11. The legacy of Peron (and his wife) continues to this day. The end of the Peronista period heralded perhaps the darkest period in Argentinian history. Driven by an obsessive fear of ‘Communism’ and ‘subversion’, supported by governments throughout the Americas (including Washington), the military regime instituted a reign of terror in which ‘disappearances’, torture, and extra-judicial murder activism became commonplace. Perón's policies, unlike conventional military juntas, was far left-wing. He nationalizes the banks, railways, and spends state money to speed up industrialization and puts social welfare high among his priorities. The government agency responsible for distributing welfare benefits was administered by Eva Perón – in persona only. This public largesse gives her – in the public's eye, the status of an angel of mercy, instead of a thief fleecing the economy.

12. 1969 student unrest in Rosario, (the Rosariazo). Unable to return to power on his own volition, Perón began rallying besieged leftist students (the very people he had repressed while in office). Left-wing students' support for Perón waned after the leader turned on them to make them guilty by association for the growing waves of violence and street protests.

13. High taxes and economic mismanagement still takes its inevitable toll even after Perón was driven from office. However, his populist (progressive) rhetoric and “contempt for economic realities” lived on. Argentina’s federal government continued to intimidate and steal from law abiding citizens, spending far beyond its means, ensuring chaos and difficult times would follow. John 13:34-35 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you... By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love one for another."

14. Predictably, hyperinflation exploded in 1989, the final stage of a process characterized by “industrial protectionism, redistribution of income (wealth) based on increased minimum wages, and growing government intervention in the economy…” 1 Tim 6:14-15 That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: Which in his times he shall show, who is the blessed and only Potentate (living God), the King of kings, and Lord of lords (even Jesus Christ);

15. By 1994, Argentina’s public pensions — the equivalent of Social Security, had imploded. • In 2001, the government attempted to rescue seniors’ pensions but those funds had also been raided and replaced with Argentina’s defaulted government bonds leaving Seniors to fend for themselves. Heb 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace (understanding we don’t deserve or earn salvation), that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

16. The President and legislators attempted a “God-like” focus over the people wanting to control every detail of citizen lives through “privatization” efforts. • The payroll tax had increased from 5% to 26%, but it was not enough. • In addition, Argentina implemented a value-added tax (VAT), higher income taxes, more personal taxes on wealth, and additional taxes based upon the sale of public enterprises. • These taxes served only to be the final blow to the reeling private sector, halting business growth and expansions, eliminating jobs, and forcing Argentina’s economy into collapse.

17. By 2002, “…government fiscal irresponsibility… induced a national economic crisis as severe as America’s Great Depression (1929-1939).”

18. From 1830 - 1916, Argentina was one of the wealthiest and most prosperous free market capitalistic countries in the world. In 2002, Argentina morphed into a poverty-stricken Nation. Their financial crisis forced the government to implode amidst riots by citizens that had become fed-up with government abuses. Religions also flooded the area to dilute, deceive, and weaken the dominant Christian teachings. Dan 3:29 Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.

19. Horse-mounted police intimidate, abuse, and murder protestors in Buenos Aires. • The Argentinean government’s practice of printing money to pay its public debt crushed their economy • Inflation hit 3000%, reminiscent of the German Weimar Republic (1918-33) • Food riots became rampant, stores were looted, the country descended into chaos • God’s word was openly challenged and impugned, distorted, and idled – even with the consent of aggressive religions feuding over their share of money demands to enforce “tithing”

20. After people started withdrawing their savings from the banks, panic led to a run on the banks. The government effectively froze all bank accounts leaving financially destitute citizens to protest in the streets. in December 2001, demonstrators protested against President Fernando de la Rua. De la Rua resigned the day after this photo was taken and fled the presidential palace in a helicopter.

21. Helped by her two children, a mother piles up cardboard onto a makeshift cart in July 2001. With unemployment up to 16 per cent at this point, selling these boxes to recycling plants was the only way this Buenos Aires family could earn nine dollars a day

22. Argentina 2001 America 2010 Teachers and university professors gather at the Plaza de Mayo, the square in front of the presidential palace in Buenos Aires, to protest against cuts in education spending in August 2001. After public sector wages were cut by 13 per cent, these demonstrations became a regular occurrence. Six years after mounted police charged anti-government demonstrators in front of the Obelisk, a federal judge charged De la Rua with five counts of manslaughter in connection with the deaths of demonstrators. During December 2001, Argentina went through four presidents.

23. Like America, Argentina has an illustrious history. Once one of the world’s economic powerhouses, a country that gave birth to the tango and to some of the world’s most important inventions like the public bus, the coronary bypass, the ballpoint pen, and more…

24. Unemployment predicts to worsen in 2013 Why are the American Political Party leaders celebrating while unemployment and bankruptcies soar? Are they (Republican and Democrat), unmoved by the Argentinean history lesson? Could their indifference be caused by their insanity to obtain the status of “Royalty” and Americans be damned? Why shouldn’t citizens now be asking if they should be tried for treason, fraud, theft of the American treasury, failing to protect the US Constitution, and bankrupting America? Will American riots, chaos, oppressive government sanctions, and the disregard for civility take place? If so, who will be blamed? Shouldn’t Congressional leaders need to be held accountable for human carnage, disasters, bankruptcies, unemployment, and suffering they have caused through their greed and corruption? 1 Pet 3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.

25. Will America now go the way of Greece, Spain, Italy and the other Euro Countries? At least three people died in Athens Greece as protesters set fire to a bank with Molotov cocktails during massive nationwide demonstrations against planned austerity measures (Government Benefits). The hundreds of thousands protesters across Greece on Wednesday were mobilized by left-wing parties and trade unions who claim that austerity measures agreed by the Greek government with the European Union and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) are unfairly targeting the poor (Labor Union Members). Greece must now pay the Piper for its drunken Government spending sprees while those accustomed to sucking the Government’s teat are now having to face the reality that “Socialism is a great theory – until you run out of other people’s money!”

26. DON'T CRY FOR ME ARGENTINA Sung by Madonna And as for fortune, and as for fame I never invited them in Though it seemed to the world They were all I desired They are illusions They're not the solutions they promised to be, The answer was here all the time I love you and hope you love me {au Refrain} Don't cry for me Argentina The truth is I never left you All through my wild days my mad existence I kept my promise Don't keep your distance Have I said too much? There's nothing more I can think of to say to you But all you have to do is look at me To know that every word is true {au Refrain} It won't be easy, you'll think it strange When I try to explain how I feel That I still need your love after all I have done You won't believe me All you will see is a girl you once knew Although she's dressed up to the nines At sixes and sevens with you I had to let it happen, I had to change Couldn’t stay all my life down at heel Looking out of the window, staying out of the sun So I chose freedom Running around trying everything new But nothing impressed me at all I never expected it to {Refrain:} Don't cry for me Argentina The truth is I never left you All through my wild days my mad existence I kept my promise Don't keep your distance Click to exit.