The political campaign really seems like it is heating up. See lots of new signs for Danilo. What is this going to mean for us ex-pats? All I get from the sign boards is a bunch of slogans and my Spanish not good enough to follow those long winded campaign stuff on TV.
- Thread starter sean
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Politics: What does it mean
My short answer is that if Danilo wins, things will carry on as they have for the past 8 years under Leonel, but under a very "un-dynamic" leader. If Hippo wins, then there will be changes of most government patronage positions and the country is at greater risk based upon his past performance as President. Neither option is good. It is about the lesser of two evils.
What is will mean is probably more of the same for the next 4 years.
Word to the wise, try to stay away from the political caravans, especially on the weekends as unfortunately sometimes drunks will be throwing rocks. In fact one of my best friends here was hit in the face with a rock in his car because he had a Danilo poster and went through a PRD caravan. He required stitches. The person who threw the rock made it a few blocks away before my ex boxer buddy caught up with him. He required stiches too.
Word to the wise, try to stay away from the political caravans, especially on the weekends as unfortunately sometimes drunks will be throwing rocks. In fact one of my best friends here was hit in the face with a rock in his car because he had a Danilo poster and went through a PRD caravan. He required stitches. The person who threw the rock made it a few blocks away before my ex boxer buddy caught up with him. He required stiches too.
Should Danilo win the peso will likely remain about the same position against the dollar. Should Hipolito win the peso will likely bounce around like a superball on steroids. However, as windeguy mentioned, Danilo is a pretty un-inspiring speaker so its reasonable to expect the IMF and Paris Club will be equally uninspired to continue dipping into the rapidly emptying coffers of the world for Dominican investment.
The smart money is backing Hipolito. Smart because the peso will fly into outer space. People who have money will make even more money and those who have very little will have even less.
I was speaking to some folks from the campo who told me they were backing Hipolito. When I asked "why", their explanation was that when Papa was in power they had a lot more coins in their pockets. With Leonel all of the coins went away. What they are obviously missing is the world economic status combined with the fact that the 'lot of coins' was actually worth less than the few coins of today. But that's like explaining hedge funds to a donkey...it just doesn't compute.
I'm just glad I can't vote here and I have such clear choices in the U.S. presidential election. Oh, wait, that's all ****ed up as well. Aw snap!
The smart money is backing Hipolito. Smart because the peso will fly into outer space. People who have money will make even more money and those who have very little will have even less.
I was speaking to some folks from the campo who told me they were backing Hipolito. When I asked "why", their explanation was that when Papa was in power they had a lot more coins in their pockets. With Leonel all of the coins went away. What they are obviously missing is the world economic status combined with the fact that the 'lot of coins' was actually worth less than the few coins of today. But that's like explaining hedge funds to a donkey...it just doesn't compute.
I'm just glad I can't vote here and I have such clear choices in the U.S. presidential election. Oh, wait, that's all ****ed up as well. Aw snap!
The countryside does support PRD more and rightly so as PLD has spent most of the money in Santo Domingo (Metro, overpasses, etc..) Historically PRD has spread it around a bit more and provided more support to sectors such as agriculture. In general I think a lot of people are just ready for a change. Talking to a couple of cops the other day they told me they hadn't received a raise in the last four years Leonel has been in power so they were ready for him to go.
In general what you should know is that both parties are very corrupt and pretty similar nowadays. There's no real ideology gap between the two anymore. It used to be PRSC was far right conservative (Republicans), PLD leaned to the left (Democrats) and PRD was more centrist (Social democracy they called it), but nowadays I would say it's the opposite PLD leans more towards the right than PRD and PRSC is non-factor other than selling their votes to whoever they think can pay them the most (which this year is The PLD party)
If PRD wins every current government employee will lose his/her job and be replaced by a PRD cadre regardless of whether the new employee has the required education or skills to perform the job successfully. If PLD wins again they will continue to borrow us into oblivion and Margarita will get another closet full of hats.
In general what you should know is that both parties are very corrupt and pretty similar nowadays. There's no real ideology gap between the two anymore. It used to be PRSC was far right conservative (Republicans), PLD leaned to the left (Democrats) and PRD was more centrist (Social democracy they called it), but nowadays I would say it's the opposite PLD leans more towards the right than PRD and PRSC is non-factor other than selling their votes to whoever they think can pay them the most (which this year is The PLD party)
If PRD wins every current government employee will lose his/her job and be replaced by a PRD cadre regardless of whether the new employee has the required education or skills to perform the job successfully. If PLD wins again they will continue to borrow us into oblivion and Margarita will get another closet full of hats.
Can you name a big project in the countryside carried out by the PRD. The PLD has built a number of Highways throughout the country, including the Jarabacoa'Constanza highway.
In a Campesino's eyes that's the difference. The PLD spends all the money in a few "Big Projects" which means in Santo Domingo, whereas The PRD (as much as I don't like them) did do a lot of smaller projects (fixed roads, schools, etc). I know for instance in my hometown they fixed up a bunch of roads that had been neglected by everyone before them, so people remember that kind of stuff. A highway in Jarabacoa is a good thing no doubt, but 10 smaller roads in Cotui may the same if not a bigger impact in people's lives.
Whether there's any truth or not the general perception is that The PLD does not spend any money in the smaller provinces / towns. Politically of course this is a good plan for them as most of the votes ARE in the larger towns.
I have heard some dominicans speak about every government employee loosing his/her job,, i don't see much sense in it. How is a doctor working in a public hospital going to be replaced, or a dentist/ a public school tutor???
You know your area but my impression from the PRD years is that the schools suffered a lot.
politicians meet english speakers
Sean..
I hear that this weekend and next weekend -- Saturday or Sunday, not sure of day, -- in Puerto Plata there actually are meetings where leading representatives of the major parties are talking with english-speaking residents/ seasonal residents/ visitors about how they see the election. They have promised simultaneous translation into english of remarks in spanish. Sorry but i am not sure of time or day -- definitely this weekend though -- but you could get more info through that english resource center in Puerto Plata The Meeting Place. they are likely to have more info. The tel number is 809 261 7393 and the website is something like MeetingPlacePuertoPlata.com
Sean..
I hear that this weekend and next weekend -- Saturday or Sunday, not sure of day, -- in Puerto Plata there actually are meetings where leading representatives of the major parties are talking with english-speaking residents/ seasonal residents/ visitors about how they see the election. They have promised simultaneous translation into english of remarks in spanish. Sorry but i am not sure of time or day -- definitely this weekend though -- but you could get more info through that english resource center in Puerto Plata The Meeting Place. they are likely to have more info. The tel number is 809 261 7393 and the website is something like MeetingPlacePuertoPlata.com
Please let them know that they should privatize the electrical distribution system.
They already tried this (half @$$ I would say) and then Hippo nationalized them again with the subsequent large cost to the Dominican population. Anyone remember Union Fenosa?
I don't know if this applies to medical professionals. The problem is that so many jobs are political patronage jobs that do change with the regime where instead they should be civil service jobs that are granted based upon merit and have no relationship to who is in power. I don't expect to see the current system changing.
Anybody who thinks just privatizing the power will make this problem go away haven't a clue.
To many Dominicans having free power used to be almost a birthrite. Since I've been here they've come a long way and now at least are getting many in the poorer areas to pay something. Some say this isn't fair but then again Dominican politicians are robbing their own people blind and this isn't fair either. That's why when any politician tries to talk about this subject they are ignored. They may try to say they are going to get tough but they know what will happen if they try to make everyone pay for their own power.
Honestly, I feel they have been doing a good job by putting in the high power poles that limit the easiness of stealing the power simply because the wooden ladders that could reach this high are very hard to transport.
Maybe in another 10 years if we somehow have a politician who is willing to do something about corruption the people would pay attention to them on this matter.
In el campo of Las Cabuja in La Vega, my wife said that the roads where built by PRD. So I'm guessing they support them due to that, even though the roads are bad again.