As I see it A most illiberal libertarian 07-09-2024 06:06 Is Milei a democrat? Probably not; it is increasingly clear that, by instinct, he is an authoritarian who does not take kindly to even mild criticism. by James Neilson
As I see it A window of opportunity for autocrats 31-08-2024 05:37 Donald Trump is far from being the only North American politician who would like to see his country leave the rest of the world to its own wretched devices. by James Neilson
As I see it When whites play at identity politics 10-08-2024 05:55 To the alarm of many not just in the English-speaking countries but also in many others, hard-up whites have decided that they too can play at identity politics.
As I see it Goodbye to all that, perhaps 13-07-2024 07:32 Like Mauricio Macri before him. Milei is convinced that for Argentina to prosper he and his supporters will have to win the “cultural battle.” by James Neilson
As I see it The US and Europe in meltdown mode 06-07-2024 05:50 All this political turmoil reflects what is going on beneath the surface. In every Western country, people are dissatisfied with the way things are and fear they could soon get far worse. by James Neilson
As I see it A bad time for politicians everywhere 29-06-2024 04:19 Once upon a time, successful politicians were held in high regard. This is no longer the case. by James Neilson
As I see it Milei may have to come down to earth 22-06-2024 05:53 When talking high theory, the president is in his element, but he is far less self-confident when it comes to practical matters; he must feel they are beneath him and can be left to his sister. by James Neilson
As I see it A sea change in the Western world 15-06-2024 06:40 Abandoned to their fate by leading Democrats and socialists, people are turning towards politicians who are willing to take on the system they think has betrayed them. by James Neilson
As I see it The country needs a proper civil service 08-06-2024 05:36 Rather than merely slimming down a pathologically obese public sector, it would be far better to concentrate on greatly improving its quality. by James Neilson
As I see it The greatest show on earth 01-06-2024 05:56 Milei is playing the leading part in an imaginative cosmic drama he himself dreamed up in which, backed by heavenly forces, he battles the leftist foes of everything that is good. by James Neilson
As I see it The perils of cyberspace 04-05-2024 05:37 A world in which everybody is electronically connected to everybody else and to the Internet is not one in which people feel closer to one another. Engrossed as they are with the talking pixels they see before them, they do their best to steer clear of flesh-and-blood creatures. by James Neilson
As I see it Give us more education 27-04-2024 05:07 Though academe has been on iron rations for decades, with professors long being accustomed to having to survive on a pittance, the feeling that Milei had it in for the universities because he thinks they breed lefties gave teeth to Tuesday’s demonstrations. by James Neilson
As I see it The worst journalists in the world 20-04-2024 06:07 Milei wants to control the narrative and, by doing so, change the way Argentines think about the world. Does hurling insults at journalists help win him more adherents? by James Neilson
As I see it Looking for unity offshore 06-04-2024 06:54 Despite the diplomatic points that can be scored, the current status quo looks likely to prevail for some time to come. by James Neilson
As I see it The dragon is getting older too fast 23-03-2024 06:32 Not that long ago, many took it for granted that China would soon overtake the United States to become the world's top nation, but there are plenty of good reasons to think they were mistaken. by James Neilson
As I see it Politicians in the dog house 02-03-2024 05:01 Business, especially big business, has long had a bad press in Argentina. This is partly due to the willingness of politicians to blame it for their own failures, as happens whenever inflation gets out of hand. by James Neilson
As I see it Milei runs into a roadblock 10-02-2024 06:51 In most places, the old guard has managed to fend off those besieging it. Even if on occasion the establishment’s forces have had to beat a retreat, they have usually retained enough power to thwart their enemies. by James Neilson
As I see it An outsider at the centre of things 03-02-2024 08:11 Milei’s game plan is straightforward enough. Unfortunately, as governments the world over are well aware, squeezing the money supply is always a painful process. by James Neilson
As I see it The dreaded Orange Man is on the way back 27-01-2024 06:16 Versions of the same drama, in which upstarts successfully take on those who believe themselves entitled to lord it over everybody else, are being staged in many parts of the world where ordinary folk feel they are getting a raw deal. by James Neilson
As I see it Milei goes to the Magic Mountain 20-01-2024 06:53 What goes down splendidly with teenagers in La Matanza does not necessarily appeal to fabulously wealthy individuals who could be persuaded to invest in Milei’s ambitious project. by James Neilson
As I see it The Kirchnerites have Milei in their sights 13-01-2024 06:21 The fate of the new government will depend largely on Milei’s ability to persuade people that the fearful emergency he goes on about is not just a figment of an overheated imagination but something terribly real. by James Neilson
As I see it Doomsday prophecies are back in fashion 06-01-2024 07:28 There are signs that the current vogue for doomsday prophecies is having a more demoralising effect than previous ones. by James Neilson
As I see it For many politicians, payback time has arrived 31-12-2023 08:16 President Javier Milei, who wants to reshape Argentina from the ground up, is already being besieged by furious Kirchnerites, trade union bosses and “social movement” activists. by James Neilson
As I see it People everywhere want change 23-12-2023 06:09 As democracy depends on the majority feeling satisfied with its lot, the sour mood that is affecting large chunks of the population in high-income countries is causing anguish among those who fear that authoritarianism could make a comeback. by James Neilson
As I see it Javier Milei meets Mr Micawber 16-12-2023 06:23 As happened to Mr Micawber on one occasion, Argentina continues to languish in debtors’ prison. People here are well aware of this unfortunate fact, which is why Milei has won popular backing for the ruthless cost-cutting programme that is now underway. by James Neilson
As I see it Milei steps into the breach 09-12-2023 03:53 Javier Milei will soon find that completely reshaping a long-established political and economic order is sure to be a terribly difficult undertaking. by James Neilson
As I see it A president without money to spend 02-12-2023 09:56 For any government, whether populist, neoliberal, Trotskyite or flat-earthist, catering to the pressing needs of the millions of people who are on welfare would remain a huge problem. by James Neilson
OBITUARY A personal tribute: Maud Daverio de Cox, 1931-2023 02-12-2023 08:44 Maud Daverio de Cox's story is quite rightly centred on human rights, but the late 92-year-old was remarkable woman and loyal wife who shone through her writing despite a brutal battle with blindness. by Michael Soltys
OBITUARY Maud Daverio de Cox, author indelibly linked to dictatorship era, dies at 92 01-12-2023 11:38 Author Maud Daverio de Cox, the wife of former 'Buenos Aires Herald' editor Robert Cox who helped expose abuses perpetrated by 1976-1983 military dictatorship, passes away aged 92. by James Grainger
As I see it Javier Milei has a steep mountain to climb 25-11-2023 14:25 Is a “change of mentality” taking place? We should soon know the answer to that particular question – much will depend on how people react to the hard times that are barrelling towards us. by James Neilson
As I see it Who is the scarier? 17-11-2023 00:27 Seeing that from the very beginning whoever wins will be forced to take measures that make life even more difficult for many who voted for him, he could become very unpopular indeed well before he has settled in. by James Neilson
As I see it What Israel is up against 10-11-2023 14:42 While there can be no doubt that on October 7 the Israelis let their guard slip, the complacency many had evidently come to feel now belongs to the past. by James Neilson
As I see it Mauricio Macri’s takeover bid 04-11-2023 05:36 Why did Mauricio Macri decide to throw in his lot with a certifiable nutcase? One reason is his contempt for Massa. Another, presumably the main one, is his belief that he can take advantage of Milei. by James Neilson
As I see it The chameleon versus the dog-man 28-10-2023 04:14 On Sunday, much of the electorate let Bullrich and her backers know that the last thing it wanted was a dose of realism, no matter how small, and sent her packing. by James Neilson
As I see it Judgement Day finally arrives 20-10-2023 05:11 Nobody has much idea as to which of the three main contenders will come first or second, but all conceivable outcomes look likely to make a terrible situation even worse. by James Neilson
As I see it Wars of religion are far from over 14-10-2023 05:24 When faced by an utterly ruthless movement, half-measures that allow a battered enemy to recover from his wounds and strike again can be worse than useless. This is the dilemma facing Israel today. by James Neilson
as i see it Corruption as a way of life 07-10-2023 06:55 In Argentina, there are thousands of men and women who, like Martín Insaurralde, have grown accustomed to milking the country’s political institutions. by James Neilson
As I see it Swamp creatures have Milei surrounded 30-09-2023 05:50 Like Trump, Milei owes his success to his apparent determination to “drain the swamp.” Many of these slimy creatures, aware of the danger he posed, soon began crawling towards him in search of refuge. He is now surrounded by them. by James Neilson
As I see it Who will wield the chainsaw? 23-09-2023 05:00 The marked reluctance of Peronist and Radical politicians to countenance anything that smacks of austerity has not made many Argentines better off. On the contrary, it is the main reason living standards for most have declined. by James Neilson
As I see it An election campaign like no other 16-09-2023 05:42 As far as Sergio Massa is concerned, the short term is all that matters. He takes it for granted that, once in office, he will be able to do whatever it takes to repair the damage. by James Neilson
As I see it The wild ride of Javier Milei 09-09-2023 05:40 After having given the world such “iconic” political novelties as Evita Perón and Che Guevara, Argentina has come up with another: Javier Milei. by James Neilson
As I see it A sense of impending doom 02-09-2023 06:17 There are plenty of reasons to feel gloomy about the prospects facing not just the West but also the available alternatives. by James Neilson
As I see it Things are getting hotter by the moment 26-08-2023 06:37 It is becoming more difficult for the Peronists to deny they have had anything to do with Argentina’s fall from grace.
As I see it The real campaign is about to start 19-08-2023 08:14 Attractive as letting Milei take a wrecking ball to the established order may be, it would probably be better for most if someone a bit less eccentric took charge. by James Neilson
As I see it Electioneering has become a way of life 11-08-2023 07:20 For most of the rest of the year almost all politicians are preoccupied with electioneering than with anything else even though the country is cart-wheeling towards a monumental disaster. by James Neilson
As I see it The great squeeze is already underway 06-08-2023 19:13 When money is in short supply, even the most talented politicians soon find themselves in trouble. by James Neilson
As I see it Zigzagging on the way to the top 15-07-2023 06:58 Were Massa to overcome the odds stacked against him and win the forthcoming election, he would be most unlikely to let himself be bossed around by Cristina or anyone else. by James Neilson
As I see it Getting from here to there 08-07-2023 06:55 All four serious presidential hopefuls strike financiers and businessmen as “right-wingers” who are properly determined to put an end to populist folly. For believers in free enterprise, it is a welcome development. by James Neilson
JOURNALISM & HUMAN RIGHTS Robert Cox awarded honorary doctorate by Rosario University 28-06-2023 22:42 “Journalism can save lives,” declares the former editor of ‘Buenos Aires Herald’ newspaper as he is honoured for his ethics and quest for truth during the military dictatorship’s era of state terrorism.
As I see it Prospects for demagogues look bright 17-06-2023 06:58 When people come to the conclusion that they simply cannot trust run-of-the-mill democratic politicians to do anything that might make their lives easier because they are in cahoots with the rich, they will turn to populists who at least appear to share their way of thinking. by James Neilson