That's right, President Lardass' team is doing all the right things to assure his reelection. Those of you who think Leonel has him licked just because of little things like disasterous economic and financial policies and an embarrasingly incompetent administration don't understand a thing about DR politics. Here's how the campaign has gone and will go:
- The PRSC is already neutralized. Peynado is in the dust. Eduardo who? Estrella will sell his support to the highest bidder after the first round of elections, and that highest bidder will be His Hipponess! Hundreds of millions of dollars in unmonitored, high interest, short term international bank loans gives him quite the nefareous "leg up" on campaign dollars (and in destroying any long term hope for the country thanks to you Europeans, Canadians and Americans).
- The PRD "opponents", like Fello Subervi and Hatuey de Camps, will all either be bought into the PPH or will make only enough noise to keep their names in the papers and then stay on the sidelines. After the Hippo's next disasterous term, DeCamps will be able to say he was the voice of reason; but he will alway work within the PRD. There will be no party split because everyone's afraid of the PPH and it's a party of lambonosos anyway. Milagros? Who cares, she has nothing!
- Who in their right mind would vote for another 4 years of this turkey? The answer to that question depends on the economic desparation and level of education of the person you ask. Hippo's group has by far the most resources to BUY CEDULAS (voting cards) from the poor (thanks to Citibank, Banco Santander, DeutcheBanc, etc). I've already ordered cement, cement blocks and zink roofing for my new kitchen from my local PRD bagman. He was kind enough to stop by last week to remind me that Hippo will be seeking reelection and to ask me about my needs for construction materials. I told him I didn't need the offered rice, beans and cooking oil. I'll want cash, though, for my cedula come election day. 500 Pesos should do it (more if the Peso continues to devalue).
- And, with all of the above, Hippo will still lose the actual popular vote in the second round of elections. Ah, but who cares about the "actual" popular vote? Since the Hippo controls the Junta (election board), he would have to lose by more than 6% or 7% of the vote before the fraud that the Junta intends to commit would become too obvious and shamefull for even the political hacks serving on it (at least that was a reasonable percentage spread by which Balaguer used to be able to retain control) and for the US Embassy (if even they care anymore - after all, it ain't Jimmy Carter sleeping in the White House these days). The PRD always has a firm 45% to 48% of the popular vote.
Sorry about that folks, but the new Balaguer has sneaked up on us and he ain't going anywhere soon.
- The PRSC is already neutralized. Peynado is in the dust. Eduardo who? Estrella will sell his support to the highest bidder after the first round of elections, and that highest bidder will be His Hipponess! Hundreds of millions of dollars in unmonitored, high interest, short term international bank loans gives him quite the nefareous "leg up" on campaign dollars (and in destroying any long term hope for the country thanks to you Europeans, Canadians and Americans).
- The PRD "opponents", like Fello Subervi and Hatuey de Camps, will all either be bought into the PPH or will make only enough noise to keep their names in the papers and then stay on the sidelines. After the Hippo's next disasterous term, DeCamps will be able to say he was the voice of reason; but he will alway work within the PRD. There will be no party split because everyone's afraid of the PPH and it's a party of lambonosos anyway. Milagros? Who cares, she has nothing!
- Who in their right mind would vote for another 4 years of this turkey? The answer to that question depends on the economic desparation and level of education of the person you ask. Hippo's group has by far the most resources to BUY CEDULAS (voting cards) from the poor (thanks to Citibank, Banco Santander, DeutcheBanc, etc). I've already ordered cement, cement blocks and zink roofing for my new kitchen from my local PRD bagman. He was kind enough to stop by last week to remind me that Hippo will be seeking reelection and to ask me about my needs for construction materials. I told him I didn't need the offered rice, beans and cooking oil. I'll want cash, though, for my cedula come election day. 500 Pesos should do it (more if the Peso continues to devalue).
- And, with all of the above, Hippo will still lose the actual popular vote in the second round of elections. Ah, but who cares about the "actual" popular vote? Since the Hippo controls the Junta (election board), he would have to lose by more than 6% or 7% of the vote before the fraud that the Junta intends to commit would become too obvious and shamefull for even the political hacks serving on it (at least that was a reasonable percentage spread by which Balaguer used to be able to retain control) and for the US Embassy (if even they care anymore - after all, it ain't Jimmy Carter sleeping in the White House these days). The PRD always has a firm 45% to 48% of the popular vote.
Sorry about that folks, but the new Balaguer has sneaked up on us and he ain't going anywhere soon.