The problem, as I see it, is in the political culture. Usually, in the US, being an office political holder means a degree of financial sacrifice while you serve, with the pay off being after you leave office, offering your experience for sale, the so called revolving door. In the Dominican Republic, is more get rich while you can and let the next government deal with the mess. Balaguer was not personally corrupt but he did allow corruption to take place, but nothing in the scale that we see now. The last time there was this kind of crises was in 1984 under Salvador Jorge Blanco. Is interesting that all previous PRD governments have ended in disaster: Guzman killed himself over corruption; Jorge Blanco was tried for corruption; Hippo, well lets see what happens...