If Mexico were ever to rid itself of the rampant corruption and bureaucracy that stifles its economy, the most enterprising poor Mexicans might decide they don't need to abandon their own country to better their lives.
***
That's a very big if, and I'm not holding my breath. I would be willing to bet that the victory of either just means the winner will just get a bit richer than the loser. The corruption will continue, Mexico will not take care of its poor, and Mexico will continue to send their poor people to Uncle to be cared for.
1_Inch_Group; 2sheep; 2Trievers; 3AngelaD; 3pools; 3rdcanyon; 4Freedom; 4ourprogeny; 7.62 x 51mm;
Ping
Ping
Fox's hands were tied by a hostile congress throughout his term of office. Still, in a Mexican context, he was a breath of fresh air.
The election of Calderon continues the process. PRI control of congress has not yet been broken, and PRD threatens its own brand of obstruction, but at least the country is not going back to the days of the PRI dinosaurs. The dinosaurs have to compete now. The younger, up and coming dinosaurs are looking to PAN and PRD for cues.
The challenges are huge. PRD is backed by Chavez now, and must be tempted by the examples of Chavist revolutions further south to go outside the law. The borders are an open war zone as the drug lords gun down anyone they want with impunity. A potentially wealthy and dynamic country is shackled and impoverished by indemic corruption and the errors in its founding myths that no one in Mexico can disavow openly and remain in office.
Mexico's number one problem is very simply the lack of legal clarity, and open corruption. It is an oil giant, an industrial producer in its own right, and should be the first choice for industries wanting to plant themselves in North America, were it not for the unavoidable fact that its executives and truckers are each in mortal danger every day. You can't grow an economy if your trucks are getting hijacked every day, and your execs must operate in a high-risk-of-kidnap environment.
I'm still glad that socialist scum was not elected though.
FACTBOX-Mexico's Calderon: what he stands for
July 6 (Reuters) - Conservative ruling party candidate Felipe Calderon won Mexico's presidential election in an extremely tight race, final official results showed on Thursday.
Here are some of his main policy proposals:
ECONOMY
* Pro-business and pro-foreign investment. Proposes maintaining the fiscal policies of President Vicente Fox but wants to persuade businesses to open up jobs to young people aged between 16 and 28 through one-year tax exemptions.
* Wants to boost economy by building a more extensive highway and road network across Mexico and by making tourism a priority.
* Proposes a lower and flat rate income tax, with no income tax for workers on minimal salaries. Tax benefits to employers who hire workers between the ages of 16 and 28.
ENERGY
* Backs complementary private investment by Mexican and foreign companies in the natural gas, oil refining and petrochemicals sectors.
* Wants state oil monopoly Pemex to form technology-sharing strategic alliances with foreign oil majors, although state to keep control. Aims to achieve self-sufficiency in natural gas.
* Backs further easing of Pemex's taxes so it has more to invest, and to grant Pemex more autonomy. Says Pemex needs to triple investment to restore oil reserves.
POVERTY
* Plans to tackle poverty by expanding public health services, especially in rural areas, and providing universal health insurance through public and private agencies, as well as improving education in poor and indigenous communities.
* Promises to extend pension schemes for the elderly and to stem illegal migration across the U.S. border through job creation in housing and infrastructure.
* Cut the cost of agricultural seeds and fertilizer.
FOREIGN POLICY
* Proposes a very active foreign policy, with a firm voice in multilateral organizations and a strong relationship with the United States.
* Pledges not to be a pushover for Washington, however, and opposes U.S. proposals to build a border wall and deploy National Guard troops along the frontier. Says U.S. immigration reform is crucial.
* Vows to defend rights of migrants in the United States by setting up a special office to give them legal assistance. He says NAFTA trade partners United States and Canada should
* A critic of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, Calderon would likely continue Fox's policy of aggressively supporting free trade in the Americas.
CRIME
* Vows to use tough measures to combat crime, to clean up, better train and better recruit police forces, to modernize the justice system through oral trials and other measures already proposed by the outgoing Fox.
* Plans to create a central data base for crime information and, like Fox, backs a strong military role in fighting drug trafficking.
My fear is that Calderon's best idea for economic development will be to put pressure on the US to accept immigrants just as it was Fox's.
It's a good thing we've never had an election that lasted an eternity. Oh! Wait! We HAVE!!! (Gore vs. Bush)