AND YOU THOUGHT OUR CANDIDATES WERE STRANGE

By Bob Walsh

 

The chainsaw-wielding far-right libertarian economist Javier Mileil

OK, I admit it, I didn't even know until tonight (nor much care for that matter) that Argentina was preparing to elect a new President.  The run-offs are over and the general election will be in about two weeks.  Sometimes you DO see something interesting and informative on the boob tube.

The man out front is currently running at about 37%.  His name is Sergio Massa.  He is a member of the current government and is mostly an economics guy.  Argentina is right now running an annual inflation rate of about 140% and their national poverty rate is slightly over 40% of the population.  The economics guy is catching some heat about that.  He is a Peronist.  Many of the old farts might remember Juan Peron fondly, though I can not say for sure why.

The number two guy Javier Mileil might be certifiably insane.  He sometimes appears in public in costume.  He often wields a chain saw.  He wants to cut major chunks of the government.  He also wants to make the U. S. Dollar the official currency of Argentina.

He has five huge dogs.  I think they are Dogo Argentinos, which are illegal in many countries.  They are all clones of a dog he previously owned and they are his principle advisors.  Really.  They communicate directly with him.  One is both prescient and clairvoyant.  One is his economic advisor.  One is his principle political advisor.  

His followers love him.  They appear in public wearing masks that appear to be chain saws.  Many may be nearly as deranged as he is.  If you can get it check out the most recent LAST WEEK TONIGHT with John Oliver.  He had a fairly lengthy riff about this guy.  

Remember this guy has a reasonable, realistic change of becoming the President of Argentina.  I am not sure I find that scary but I do find it queer and disturbing.