Sphere of Influence: How American Libertarians Are Remaking Lat Am Politics

[Neo-JacobitefromNewYork]

https://theintercept.com/2017/08/09/atlas-network-alejandro-chafuen-libertarian-think-tank-latin-america-brazil/

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Very detailed Intercept investigation, a whole libertarian think tank ecosystem with American libertarian and USAID/NED assistance.

[mvd10]

I love the Atlas Network! If only Atlas was a bit more like Atlas... Anyway, I don't see the problem of this (apart from the government funding they might receive maybe, but we subsidize all kinds of activities). All partisan think tanks want to promote their ideology, and (luckily) these have been very succesful (though I wonder whether these think tanks actually have a lot of influence on the situation). Doesn't the left also have it's fair share of hyperpartisan think tanks? I also think the influence of these think tanks is overstated. Sure, they might have educated some opposition leaders, but in the end it's bad economic conditions and (perceived) failures of left-wing governments that caused the resurgence of the right in Latin America. It's hard to find any group as incompetent as actual movement libertarians (well, the Trots could give them a run for their beloved money).

[vanguard96]

I love the Atlas Network! If only Atlas was a bit more like Atlas... Anyway, I don't see the problem of this (apart from the government funding they might receive maybe, but we subsidize all kinds of activities). All partisan think tanks want to promote their ideology, and (luckily) these have been very succesful (though I wonder whether these think tanks actually have a lot of influence on the situation). Doesn't the left also have it's fair share of hyperpartisan think tanks? I also think the influence of these think tanks is overstated. Sure, they might have educated some opposition leaders, but in the end it's bad economic conditions and (perceived) failures of left-wing governments that caused the resurgence of the right in Latin America. It's hard to find any group as incompetent as actual movement libertarians (well, the Trots could give them a run for their beloved money).

There are plenty of scholars from the Woodrow Wilson institute and others that advocate for center-left and globalism. Just listen to opinion on NPR, Democracy Now or other outlets.

The Intercept has gotten a bit antsy in their tone especially following Trump's election and when not reporting on core issues like NSA, Wikileaks, Syria, etc they are hit or miss especially when it is not Glenn Greenwald.

The main libertarian activists in S America are not Americans any more - a lot of Latin Americans and Spaniards.

It's a big deal when the libertarian party in Cuba is getting arrested and books still being banned, confiscated. That is a big deal to me.

If Cato or Reason or Ron Paul listeners or Ayn Rand OCON groups and others want to give money to people in S. America then I have no issue with that either.

[RodPresident]

MBL ("Free Brazil Movement") is weakest than this journalist thinks, but they're a arm of Koch brothers in Brazil. Their main figures are getting big money employment from anti-PT local administrations. His town councillor in Sao Paulo, Fernando Holiday (DEM, same party of speaker Maia), was elected paying electoral worker without putting into campaign official account. They're dangerous, but they're a fraud.

[vanguard96]

I want to clarify that private action and cooperation with individuals is acceptable & encouraging given the military junta, right wing corporatist/statist, or socialist bloated welfare state are the three norms.

It is cool to talk with people interested in individual rights, private property, limited government, and decentralized rule that are making strides in other countries outside of N America, East Asia/Oceania, and Europe - particularly sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America.
 
As for using US government taxpayer funds I would say definitely, no.

On the Ron Paul Liberty report the other day they called out the Atlas group for doing so using public funds citing the Intercept report the OP mentioned. They noted the best thing is to show a positive example and be there to spread the message to those who want to learn more. However, the key thing is self-determinism as the US has done too much on a governmental level.

[Neo-JacobitefromNewYork]

I want to clarify that private action and cooperation with individuals is acceptable & encouraging given the military junta, right wing corporatist/statist, or socialist bloated welfare state are the three norms.

It is cool to talk with people interested in individual rights, private property, limited government, and decentralized rule that are making strides in other countries outside of N America, East Asia/Oceania, and Europe - particularly sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America.
 
As for using US government taxpayer funds I would say definitely, no.

On the Ron Paul Liberty report the other day they called out the Atlas group for doing so using public funds citing the Intercept report the OP mentioned. They noted the best thing is to show a positive example and be there to spread the message to those who want to learn more. However, the key thing is self-determinism as the US has done too much on a governmental level.

I agree that Atlas should stay away from USAID and NED as arouses local suspicions of US Gov. meddling in their internal affairs. Don't want libertarian think tanks to get a Soros like backlash against them with them like in Eastern Europe and Israel. Very good networking and organization building by these American libertarians, they did a lot of hard work. The Pink Tide SA Left failed in many LA countries ignoring dangers of inflation and maintaining suicidal multiple currency rates that were open to massive fraud.

Maybe Second LA Left Wave might take good ideas from libertarians and look to crypto-curriences to manage their monetary policy.

[vanguard96]

I want to clarify that private action and cooperation with individuals is acceptable & encouraging given the military junta, right wing corporatist/statist, or socialist bloated welfare state are the three norms.

It is cool to talk with people interested in individual rights, private property, limited government, and decentralized rule that are making strides in other countries outside of N America, East Asia/Oceania, and Europe - particularly sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America.
 
As for using US government taxpayer funds I would say definitely, no.

On the Ron Paul Liberty report the other day they called out the Atlas group for doing so using public funds citing the Intercept report the OP mentioned. They noted the best thing is to show a positive example and be there to spread the message to those who want to learn more. However, the key thing is self-determinism as the US has done too much on a governmental level.

I agree that Atlas should stay away from USAID and NED as arouses local suspicions of US Gov. meddling in their internal affairs. Don't want libertarian think tanks to get a Soros like backlash against them with them like in Eastern Europe and Israel. Very good networking and organization building by these American libertarians, they did a lot of hard work. The Pink Tide SA Left failed in many LA countries ignoring dangers of inflation and maintaining suicidal multiple currency rates that were open to massive fraud.

Maybe Second LA Left Wave might take good ideas from libertarians and look to crypto-curriences to manage their monetary policy.

At any rate, I always like hearing from actual S. Americans and Africans on their experiences in entrepreneur ventures and liberty - lately I've been lurking on a few Spanish language libertarian facebook pages - my Spanish is not very good but a lot of them have short videos some with English subtitles or translated articles from time to time on subjects like Venezuela and the Colombia FARC situation. Also I do check the Spanish papers too as they also have decent outsider coverage on S. America that is not clouded on the American POV like expat papers here are.

I think there there is a not the same romantic ignorance about socialism as we see in the US and the UK where people have not lived through it like in Eastern Europe or Latin America. They are weary about the promises of socialist party leaders who talk the talk but in the end wind up stealing from the cookie jar like every other politician.

[Kingpoleon]

I love the Atlas Network! If only Atlas was a bit more like Atlas... Anyway, I don't see the problem of this (apart from the government funding they might receive maybe, but we subsidize all kinds of activities). All partisan think tanks want to promote their ideology, and (luckily) these have been very succesful (though I wonder whether these think tanks actually have a lot of influence on the situation). Doesn't the left also have it's fair share of hyperpartisan think tanks? I also think the influence of these think tanks is overstated. Sure, they might have educated some opposition leaders, but in the end it's bad economic conditions and (perceived) failures of left-wing governments that caused the resurgence of the right in Latin America. It's hard to find any group as incompetent as actual movement libertarians (well, the Trots could give them a run for their beloved money).

Kerensky's Trudoviks would like to have a word with you.

[Ebsy]

lol, no one takes these cranks seriously in any part of the Americas. At least the nazis were able to elect a president.

[Kingpoleon]

lol, no one takes these cranks seriously in any part of the Americas. At least the nazis were able to elect a president.

Yeah - twice. I can't believe they pulled for Obama in 2012, too.