Forbes Article on Brazil from 2013

To be clear, this was 2 years after Tariffs were imposed

In Brazil, Strong Labor Market, Weak Economy

http://www.forbes.com/sites/kenrapoza/2013/05/03/in-brazil-strong-labor-...

Notable Quotes:

-The actual economy on the ground is doing quite well. People are getting richer. Lower income earners making minimum wage are watching their paychecks rise by 10% or more. Unemployment is a record low, around 5.5%.

-The continued tightness of Brazil’s labor market in the face of persistently slow growth has become one of the key puzzles in assessing the economy. Despite growth falling from an average of 4.1% between 2008 and 2010 to 2.2% between 2011 and 2013, the unemployment rate has continued to fall.

-Changes in trade, Brazil’s shift to an even bigger consumer society than before, with more jobs available for entry- and mid-level professional and retail service jobs, plus more young people sticking it out in college for higher pay down the road has created a super tight labor market in Brazil.

-For now, Brazil’s labor market will continue to look nothing like the dismal GDP numbers and its boring Bovespa counterpart. If you could trade in Brazil’s job market instead of equities, you might be better off. This is the one aspect of Brazil’s economy that investors can count on to remain solid for years to come.

Ckrob, the system of advice and consent should be changed to deal with the Senate refusing to do its job. If the senate doesn't vote on a nominee within a certain amount of time, say 4 weeks, that nominee should get into office automatically as if they were a recess appointment.