West Coast wisdom

21 October 2010 By Martin Hutchinson

Workers Party candidate Dilma Rousseff pays lipservice to cutting Brazil s debt. But both she and the opposition s José Serra have expensive public spending plans, though the economy is booming and commodity prices are high. Chile s example shows there is a better way to wealth.

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Workers Party candidate Dilma Rousseff currently holds a lead of 51 percent to 39 percent over São Paulo state Governor José Serra in opinion polls for Oct. 31's Brazilian runoff presidential election.

In the first round of elections on Oct. 3, Rousseff captured 47 percent of the vote Serra 33 percent and Green candidate Marina Silva 19 percent. In congressional elections, the Workers Party gained five seats to become the largest party with 88 of the 513 seats in the Chamber of Deputies while Serra's PSDB party lost 13 seats to 53.

In 2009, Chile's gross national income (at purchasing power parity) was $13,430 compared to Brazil's $10,260.

Serra has proposed boosting the minimum wage more than 15 percent. The cost of Serra's proposal is estimated to add up to 24 billion reais ($14 billion) to current annual expenses.

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