PSB: Demonstrations reveal "justified dissatisfaction"

PE247 - The governor of Pernambuco and potential presidential candidate for the PSB party in 2014, Eduardo Campos, issued an official statement from the party regarding the current political turmoil Brazil has been experiencing in recent weeks. According to Campos, it is necessary to "understand the voice of the streets and transform their dreams into effective measures." In a statement signed as party president, Campos says he had been warning the Federal Government about the need to rethink the current national reality, something that led to a misunderstanding by many allies regarding the position adopted by the party at the national level.

In the text, the PSB also positions itself as an important political actor that contributes significantly to the implementation of social achievements and the advancement of participatory democracy. The statement also lists a series of points to optimize the performance of the party's parliamentarians and governors.

Check out the full note:

The PSB and the new Brazil

People occupying the streets is a sign of democratic vigor, and the role of governments, parties, and politicians is to understand their voice and transform their dreams into effective measures.

The recent popular demonstrations reveal the justified dissatisfaction of our society with the degradation of Brazilian public life and the quality of public services, especially in the areas of health, education, security, and urban mobility.

Facing incomprehension from many allies, we had been warning the government and political parties for months about the need for a critical analysis of Brazilian reality. While acknowledging the achievements of recent years, we argued that our people also demanded social progress, which depended on better state governance.

We warned about the worsening international crisis of capitalism and its undeniable implications for our economy. We warned the government about the artificiality of its parliamentary base, which is out of sync with social reality and does not correspond to the purposes of the center-left government.

Without diminishing the considerable work that had already been done, we argued that it was possible and necessary to move forward.

The people, in the streets, are demanding this progress.

While challenging representative democracy, popular clamor strengthens participatory democracy, whose main instruments, incidentally, are already provided for in the 1988 Constitution. Alongside plebiscites, referendums, and popular initiatives in proposing bills, which need to be facilitated, the possibility of recalling elected officials is now being considered.

The PSB and its practice

In the executive branch

Transparency and quality in the management of public resources is a practice of the PSB wherever it holds executive positions. The principle we defend and practice in our administrations is simple: replace bad spending with good investment. Don't let public money get lost in bureaucratic drawers. Ensure it is transformed into schools, daycare centers, hospitals, and credit for those who produce. In addition to spending better, it is necessary to distribute better. Resources are increasingly concentrated in the federal government, while most states and municipalities are bankrupt.

In the National Congress
The Brazilian Socialist Party (PSB) has been contributing to social reforms and the advancement of participatory democracy. In the Chamber of Deputies, through Deputy Luiza Erundina, it promoted the establishment of the Legislative Participation Commission and the Proposed Constitutional Amendment that makes public transportation a social right. Senator Rodrigo Rollemberg authored the Proposed Constitutional Amendment that reduces the number of signatures required for the presentation of popular initiative projects from 1.300.000 to 500. Senator Antonio Carlos Valadares presented a Proposed Constitutional Amendment aimed at introducing recall voting. Senator João Capiberibe is the author of the 'transparency law', which now allows citizens to be informed about public spending.

Without heeding any complaints or protests, but simply aware of its political duty, the PSB launched its own candidacy for the presidency of the Chamber of Deputies, with Júlio Delgado, and in the Federal Senate supported the candidacy of Pedro Taques, from the PDT. We were driven by the awareness of the need to contribute to the autonomy of Congress, its legislative efficiency, and the necessary recovery of its image in the eyes of the public. A weak and worn-out Parliament only benefits the enemies of democracy.

Democracy as a value

The defense of democracy is one of the basic principles of Brazilian socialists. The PSB (Brazilian Socialist Party) was born in the struggle against the Vargas dictatorship and reorganized itself during the redemocratization of 1984. Resistant to the Estado Novo (New State) and the military dictatorship, it understands the importance of democratic values ​​that include freedom of movement, freedom of information and expression, social equality, and the right to happiness.

The party advocates for a broad reform of the State aimed at its efficiency and greater democratization, as a first step towards a regime of social equality. This reform must encompass all branches of government so that the official Brazil comes closer to the real Brazil. Many measures depend on constitutional reform; others, however, can be introduced by our governments and Congress.

Many of the measures demanded by the masses require prior plebiscite consultation and even a referendum for their effectiveness. But both require an opportunity to maintain legitimacy. Thus, we understand that the plebiscite suggested by President Dilma Rousseff should not be limited to political reform, but should be carried out in a way that allows for broad societal participation in formulating the questions.

In any case, the PSB will demand strict adherence to the principle of annuality for any amendment to the electoral law to take effect. This constitutional provision, whose objective is legal certainty, was inserted into the 1988 Constitution thanks to an amendment by its then-president, Senator Jamil Haddad.

More than ever, it is clear that our country's priority, as we have consistently maintained, is to focus on 2013 so that we can think about the future. The facts demonstrate the accuracy of our criticism when we condemned, and continue to condemn, the early start of the election. Brazil needs to be united to face the challenges that confront us.

We must focus on governability, and this depends on reversing pessimistic expectations about the Brazilian economy. It is urgent to resume growth without neglecting the fight against inflation and income distribution as a means of reducing the persistent social and economic inequalities. Brazil, which was efficient in building stadiums of international excellence, can be efficient in constructing the infrastructure and maintaining the services upon which our people depend.

The PSB recommends to its parliamentarians:

Aware that no service improvement can be achieved without altering the current federal pact and strengthening democracy, we recommend that our parliamentarians forge a broad understanding between the various political forces and Brazilian society, for the immediate voting on bills that expand participation and social control, and improve public services, in line with the message from the streets, and that expand participation and social control as well as the creation of new mechanisms for participatory democracy.

This is the case:
• to implement the use of referendums and plebiscites as a consultative practice
• End of secret voting in Congress and in all legislative bodies;
• Reform of the Judiciary aimed at democratizing justice and improving procedural efficiency;
• A federal pact that better redistributes the resources and responsibilities of the Union, the States, and the Municipalities;
• Unification of elections with the end of reelection and the establishment of five-year terms;
• Extension of the "clean record" criteria to include holding public office or positions at all levels of government;
• Reducing the number of signatures required to propose a citizen-initiated bill;
• end of proportional coalitions;
• support for allocating 10% of the Union Budget to Health as a necessary instrument for strengthening the Unified Health System (SUS), improving it, and enhancing the quality of service provided to the population; include
• Approval of the National Education Plan, allocating 10% of GDP to education;
• Tax exemption for public transportation;
• Constitutional amendment and social responsibility law that define minimum human development indices (HDI);

To the rulers:
• prioritize investment policies in mass public transportation;
• To promote transparency in the use of public resources and facilitate public access to information;
• adopt the criteria of the so-called 'clean record law' for entry into public service and occupation of commissioned positions of any kind;
• It expands the mechanisms for face-to-face and virtual dialogue to deepen and enhance participatory democracy;
• to adopt planning as a rule for administrations.
To the activists:
• To interact, through the organized segments within the party structure (youth, Black people, LGBT, trade unions, women, popular movements) with the various social and popular movements, respecting their autonomy and diversity;

To the João Mangabeira Foundation:

To prioritize, in its various activities, the study of Brazilian reality with a view to formulating public policies necessary for the country's development, of which the following are just a few examples:
• Urban reform with emphasis on urban mobility, basic sanitation, public safety, universal, free and quality healthcare, and universal, public, free and quality education;
• new federalism;
• industrial policy;
• land reform;
• State reform, aiming at its democratization and efficiency;
• Restoration and improvement of infrastructure and logistics.

A new cycle begins, calling for the search for new consensus and dialogue. We have long warned of the need for a more in-depth debate about the direction and future of the country. In the streets, Brazilians demonstrated democratic vigor.
True dialogue begins when silence is broken. And the recent popular demonstrations reveal the people's justified dissatisfaction with the degradation of public life and the quality of public services, especially in the areas of health, education, security, and urban mobility.

Edward Fields
National President of the PSB
Recife, July 1, 2013