The model for the public intellectual includes, preeminently for liberals, I think, Arthur Schlesinger, Jr. Sad news that he’s passed away. I’d only started the reading the first volume of his autobiography, “A Life in the Twentieth Century : Innocent Beginnings, 1917 – 1950″ (Jr.”, Arthur M. “Schlesinger, Jr., Arthur M. Schlesinger), a kind of human monument to the liberal life, who, as Taylor Marshal points out, didn’t vote for Jimmy Carter because he found him too conservative (and the best the conservatives can do is promote Conservapedia).The classical historian Michael Meckler wishes Schlesinger had been more grounded in classical antiquity. A fond appreciation by Evan Thomas comes out in Newsweek. An anecdote from 2004 from Josh Marshall -how he tried to explain what a blog is to Schlesinger.
Perhaps trumpeting everything is peachy was a bit premature. After some bargain hunting yesterday, the market decided to drop some more, today. The peso, too, continued its slight dip. Is it just me, or is government’s pointing to OFW remittances and downplaying the overall importance of the stock market, a bit of a retreat from its past talking points?
(Here’s hoping consumer groups monitor power rates to see if rate drops last as long as guaranteed: 10 month in Luzon, 18 months in Mindanao, visayas for 3 months, and at the biggest drop, 31 centavos per KWH, seems to me pure electioneering in the President’s bailiwick right there).
Slate Magazine tries to pin down the causes for the selloff in the US market, and it thinks it wasn’t really about China:
U.S. stock markets have routinely shrugged off negative information during the recent bull run. What made yesterday different? This time, the signs of a slowdown – not a recession but a slowdown – are clearly evident. The plunge in durable goods orders indicated that the manufacturing sector may be in danger of recession. (Thankfully, the U.S. economy relies less and less on manufacturing for growth, which is why a manufacturing recession may not trigger an economy-wide one.)
And the twin turbines that have driven the U.S. economy in recent years are clearly sputtering. When housing is doing well, it stimulates a great deal of economic activity, creates jobs, and makes people feel wealthier – and hence more likely to spend. When housing is doing poorly, the opposite holds. And as today’s new home-sales report confirms, housing is still struggling. Prices and home values are down marginally, but when assets are encumbered with huge amounts of debt – as houses are – it doesn’t take much of a decline to make an impact. (If you put 10 percent down on a house, and it declines 10 percent in value, you’ve lost your entire investment.)
Second, and more important, there has been a precipitous decline in the business of housing-related credit. In recent years, cheap and abundant mortgages have allowed people to buy ever-more-expensive homes with little money down and to borrow against homes they already own to expand and renovate, thus fueling consumer spending. The huge volume of so-called mortgage-equity withdrawal, Alan Greenspan and his Federal Reserve colleague Mark Kennedy have argued, has been a significant contributor to the late consumer-spending binge.
Here, too, the trend may no longer be the economy’s friend. Interest rates are still low. But with subprime-lending operations failing, and with big banks taking big hits to their mortgage portfolios, pressure is mounting among regulators and investors for lenders to become more parsimonious.
Anyway, in finally accepting an opposition challenge to debate, the administration wants to keep the discussion to the economy, while denying the other side any opportunity to discuss inconvenient truths (that the opposition would do well to focus on). This is typical (and comes from an appreciation on which side its bread is buttered). As the Inquirer editorial today puts it (referring to something else),
The thing is, the President could answer all of these questions with grace and intelligence, but she always chooses to question the motivations of those posing them, always espying dark shadows behind the queries, and always demanding that the questions be made along her own line of inquiry, which is predictably favorable to her government. She does not only want to be President, she also wants to be stage manager.
Meanwhile, the Vice President is methodically, but quietly, building his own power base for 2010. JB Baylon points out the attractiveness of Ang Kapatiran.
WTF Department: Danton Remoto, according to an interview he had with Twink Macaraig, didn’t file his candidacy for senator. So he can’t run for senator. And the Comelec has rejected Ang Ladlad’s bid for party list accreditation. Which leaves Danton mulling over running for congressman in the 3rd congressional district of Quezon City. So that leaves me and faithful reader of this blog in the lurch, doesn’t it? Neither of us can vote for Remoto for senator. Which leaves me back to voting for Kiko Pangilinan, I guess…
Technorati Tags: Blogging, elections, history, ideas, philippines, politics, president, Senate
If she is not the real President, then she has no business working in Malacanang at all. -CVJ
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Matagal na nating pinag usapan to. Issue mo yan, OK . Pero hindi ko issue yan and there are millions more who dont share same issue with you.
You have exhausted all arguments about it the past years and months. You intellectualized it, presented all data and qoutable qoutes that you can pull out from all the sources that you can find in the net and everywhere. You call people name, invneted and coined all labels that you can think of. You did all the tricks….
Those who doesn’t agree with have also presented all their counter arguments, debated with you. Lahat na…
Until now the only thing that we can agree is to disagree.
We can continue doing this if we both want to. But meron pa ba tayong hindi napagusapan tungkol sa issue mong yan????
Supremo,
First thing first, Are you and Justice league one and the same?
Now lets go to your issues with me:
Freedom – the right or the capacity of self-determination as an expression of the individual will. The US is definitely the country that promotes freedom.
>>>>> So what about it? anong issue mo or ninyo ni Justice League as akin? Did I curtail yours and anybodys freedom? Did I do something that prevents you from exercizing any of your freedom. Ano at papano?
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What about rego’s standards?
rego loves Gloria who prefers EO 464, CPR, Extrajudicial killings, libel cases left and right.
>>>>>>When did I say that I love Gloria for EO 464, CPR and extra Judical killings,libel cases?
And sine when did these soci-politcial issues becomes the standards in life?
Kung ang standards nyo ay hangang EO464, CPR, Extra Judicial Killings, libel case at kung ano ano pang issues na hindi nyo siguro naiintindihan ng husto, O pulezzz, inyo na ang standards na yan. Definitely cannot share that kind of standards in life..
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Prosperity – Situation of Economic Growth, low Unemployment, and general sense of well-being of most of the economy’s population. The US is definitely the country to beat when it comes to prosperity.
>>>>>Jaaawsscohhh!
Low unemployment?, general sense of well being? US is defintely the country to beat when it comes to properity? Huh?
Di ko ma gets! pwedeng pakitagalog na lang. sensya na huh mahina ako sa math.
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rego again loves Gloria who prefers OFW remittances to sustain economy, trickle down economy, 100 students per classroom, count one hour of work in a reporting period as full employment.
>>>>> If you can find some one from the opposition who can stop pinoys from migrating, make the country to stop depending from OFW remittances, who was able to do something build more classrom, (mas maganda yung nakpagpagaw na ng maraming classrooms) at kung ano anu ang sa tingin mo mas makakabuti sa bansa. Let me know because I will not only vote him, but will also campaign for him and even send some contibutions for his/her campaign kitty. Deal? or No Deal?
Reports like this from a country with a despotic leader are doubtful.
I rather believe the news about Cubans risking their lives to get to the US and avail the benefit of immigration policy by the USA thru the Cuban Adjustment Act of 1966 or otherwise known as wet feet/dryfeet policy. One such survivor from the sea was a five year old boy whose mother died before the boat was rescued from the seas.
When the father came to get the son, he would not also go home because it was only in the States where he saw a color TV.
As far as I know, no Filipino immigrants are given that privilege because they are not so desperate to get out of their countries using dinghy boats for Cubans and refrigerated vans for Chinese and Mexicans.
Hey MB, there is such a thing as world news. Read.
The recovery (in per Capita gdp) was the cumulative result of 20 years of growth during the Aquino, FVR, Estrada and GMA administrations. It is disingenuous for Arroyo (and her family lawyer) to grab credit just because the final steps happen under her watch especially that she is precisely the one who is undermining the foundations for future growth.
We cannot call it an oversupply of doctors since their exodus is causing a shortage on the local health care system.
As part of Cuba’s humanitarian program, their doctors are being sent overseas. Since they have a relative abundance, the Philippine government would do well to ask assistance from Cuba so that the latter can assign some over here. Win-win.
Courtesy of the Western economists who insisted on them following the “American Way” ignoring the fact that institutions and class structure matters in the formation of a market economy.
That’s not what the surveys say. Besides, in matters concerning truth, numbers are secondary. Kahit mag-dedmahan tayo, hindi makakaila na nangyari ang nangyari.
I notice that it’s your specialty to pretend to be stupid or feign ignorance to wriggle out of an argument. Bumenta na iyan.
Rego,
Si Manolo lang ang kilala ko dito. Di naman mahilig magsalita dito si Toots pero napakilala na kami sa isa’t isa pero sigurado ay di na nya ako mamumukhaan.
Di ko kakilala si Supremo at di ko gawain ang magpanggap na iba. DAGDAG GAWAIN LANG YAN para sa akin!
Di ko alam kung bakit dinadamay mo ko sa diskusyun nyo pero wala akong alam na sinabi sa diskusyun nyo.
rego,
I don’t know justice league but I’m pretty sure he/she is better than you.
cvj,
you’re right on about rego’s tactics on getting out of arguments. He already painted himself in a corner.
That’s not what the surveys say. Besides, in matters concerning truth, numbers are secondary. Kahit mag-deadmahan tayo, hindi makakaila na nangyari ang nangyari -CVJ
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Again, napag usapan na rin eto sa mga nakaraang thread. Manolo wrote something about Erap consituency, came up the the term “great undecided” and the Gloria loyalist. There were millions for Erap as there were millions for Gloria And there are millions who are non partisans. Eraps million is higher than Glorias but both are minority. Now both camps are fighting bitterly to get the “great undecided” to ther side.
All surveys showed that Gloria has lower dissatifaction rating. But it did not show 100% are dissatified with her performance. There are still the ones millions who believ in her. And lately most foriegn businessmen organization are expressing confidence in her government.
Wala namang komokontra sa mga surveys na tinutokoy mo ah. Kahit si Gloria mismo aminado naman sya na mababa talaga ang rating nya. And she just choose to react positively by working harder to improve her ratings.
So ano pa ang gusto mo pag-usapan tungkol sa mag surveys?
I notice that it’s your specialty to pretend to be stupid or feign ignorance to wriggle out of an argument. Bumenta na iyan. – CVJ
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Oh please! if that is your impression so be it.
“I notice that it’s your specialty to pretend to be stupid or feign ignorance to wriggle out of an argument. Bumenta na iyan.” – CVJ
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Oh please! if that is your impression of me so be it. Basta hanggat wala kang bagong issue na interesting. I have all the choice not to argue with you. Paulit ulit lang eh.
Justice Leauge,
Sorry. Its my mistake. I just thought youre the one originally aks that question raised by Supremo. I myself was surpised because I know you for a well thought comments here and evenin other blogs. Again my apologies.
Supremo,
Binagbigyan kita sa mga tanong mo sa akin except for that one about prosperity kasi di ko talaga mainitindhan ko ang ano ang tinutukoy mo na nasabi about that prosperity that favors gloria. All I was asking was to clarify it further. Kung maari san paki cut and paste yung nasulat about it para madali ang usapan. Pwede?
BTW, where did you get the idea the Pinoys in the US should follow the same set of standards. I even have an impression that you expect us to have better values than our kabayans in the Philippines. Para kasi sa akin pareho pareho lang wether you are in the Phils or in the US or anywhere in the world. Our being in teh US or out of teh country should never ever make us better than the people who choose to stay in the country or the peopel who wanted to go out of the country but they can’t.
And also where did you get the idea that I or anybody is beholden to follow your set of standards? Subjective kasi ang values eh.
rego,
I don’t know justice league but I’m pretty sure he/she is better than you.— Supremo.
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Oh that’s good! I myself has so much respect for Justice Leaugue even when I dont agree with his opinions expressed on this blog or share the same set of values?
rego,
I don’t know justice league but I’m pretty sure he/she is better than you.— Supremo.
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Oh that’s good! I myself has so much respect for Justice Leaugue even when I dont agree with his opinions expressed on this blog or share the same set of values
rego,
I don’t know justice league but I’m pretty sure he/she is better than you.—- Supremo
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Oh that’s good! I myself has so much repsct for Justice league even when I dont agree on his opinions expressed in this forum. Even when we dont share the set of values.
Oooops so sorry for the multiple post……
The UNDP report on quality of life are believe and respected by every one except alley cats.
The AFP admitted fielding troops to 27 barangays around Metro-Manila. They said the soldiers were unarmed. I just saw a news clip of those soldiers doing community “outreach”. One of them had an M-16 slung on his shoulder. I immediately concluded that the M-16 was a toy gun. Meeow. meeow.
There is such a thing as diplomacy. Polite people do not scream and reject reports submitted to them but it does not necessarily mean, they believe them. Do not be too naive.
surveys and ratings don’t really matter if she’s already sitting in malacanang. that’s the fact we have to live with today.
cvj, as i said…a short-term solution is just that. no, kicking out gloria is not THE solution. we have to change a multitude of sins and mistakes made over the decades since independence.
but in my view, the first step is to get the government in better financial shape because then we can concentrate on empowering more people with quality education and opportunities, whether it be foreign or local employment or small enterprise. after our debacle with Erap, stability is even more important now than ever. we’re a new nation and we have a lot to learn and fix before we get to a better place.
while it’s natural to sometimes be impatient, it doesn’t do us any good to ALWAYS be impatient. punishment of one leader (or the next) can mean punishment for the whole nation if instability is the price we have to pay. i just cannot accept that.
Re: “kicking out gloria is not THE solution.”
Quite incomplete: “kicking out gloria is not THE solution, it is THE ONLY solution.”
the undp report was not commissioned to please or to downgrade any country. the report contains measurements that are meant to capture indices of quality life. whether a member country accepts the report or not is immaterial. as to its accuracy, its a statistical model–and as such there are parameters which are deemed valid to approximate what it intends to measure. it’s not as if the un is making empty claims. whether the philippine govt accepts the report or not, the fact remains: that according to standard variables used in the report, there is basis to claim that indeed we rank–in relative terms–beneath some countries. ilusyonado na lang na gobyerno ang maniniwala sa nais paniwalaan ang sarili kung wala naman itong reliable survey instrument and robust database to make comparative studies with other countries. may pa diplomacy ek-ek ka pa.
There you go again Vigil, being too simplistic. Be a little more “intellectual”, like your felow travelers in this blog. I think you are capable than most of them if you really try.
– Bencard
Bencard, first off, I want to make it very clear I’m not a communist (far, far from it), although I will not mind being considered an activist).
All I’m basically saying is that the system brought to us by the Americans more than a century ago has benefited only a few and therefore has failed the greater majority of Filipinos, with so many of the unfortunate ones today are dying on a daily basis of preventable diseases, hunger or by just plain neglect by the government. It therefore make sense, I am suggesting, to look beyond the American model.
Have you ever wondered if the political/economic system, so planted in our country essentially by conquerors, had better chances of growing to maturity in other climes than in the Philippines?
We have noted in this blog that after 40 years of American rule, Justice Jose P. Laurel – whose erudition I’m sure you, as a Filipino lawyer, are familiar with – might have thought in 1943 that not only Japan could possibly give us a better deal (as actually it did to its colonies, Taiwan and South Korea), he also tinkered, philosophically at least, with “moral and intellectual aristocracy” as a mode of governance for the Filipinos. Today, we are hearing the same sort of wistful thinking from such well-meaning citizens as Washington Sycip or others who see certain merits in other systems such as modern Confucianism.
Among the great what if’s of our history is: What if Rizal survived the Philippine Revolution, or those who fought imperialism in the US Congress garnered enough votes against the sending the GIs “to Christianize and civilize” the Filipinos? Would we be better off today if – the Philippine Revolution not having been snatched from the jaws of victory – the process of experimentation in nation-building had been driven primarily by our innate sense of nationhood free from the interference of foreign interests?
Post-People Power II, I wrote something like this: One possible alternative to America’s robber baron, the Japanese ,zaibatsu?, the South Korean chaebol or Taiwan’s countryside industrialization model is: whether the gateway to national development could also be accessed by way of people power democracy that’s willing to learn from what’s working as the best practices and based thereon and rising above ideologies, eschew things that are not, or challenge even established notions and practices when concrete realities and the complex necessities for change in the service of the common good demand.
Now, do you lose or gain anything by investigating how ordinary people in Venezuela are somehow gaining the upper hand in terms of controlling their agenda of Bolivarianism through their champion Hugo Chavez, the same people who theretofore had allowed themselves to be stupefied by stooges of foreign powers? Do you see the same stooges in the Philippines today – in the media, in the government or elsewhere?
Maybe this will make you understand better where I’m coming from. While Manolo had my post above under review for moderation I have enhanced it, to become my new entry in my blog, in the following:
As you see I’m just really trying to be imaginative, perhaps even as I begin to entertain thoughts the Philippine case could be one of a failure of imagination.
sorry for the mix up but the above is my post
Bencard,
“Be a little more “intellectualâ€Â, like your felow travelers in this blog.”
You mean like you? Heaven forbid! No, thanks.
Abe… if you know any Koreans or Chinese, any suggestion that they should be grateful for having been a colony of Japan will be met by derision, if not a spit into your face.
And in regards “what if???”, what if Chiang Kai Shek’s troops had prevailed? What if Hitler’s Germany had won?
What if Ninoy survived the assasin’s bullet? What if Dado Macapagal won a second term?
What if they called a war, and nobody came?
Rego, Supremo,
Ok then.
Yes, Arroyo has no right to be in malacanang and needs to be replaced. But kicking gloria out is but a first step to make gov’t more accountable– not the final goal or destination.
Our work to reform the system and make gov’t more transparent doesn’t end after GMA is gone– but is just only the beginning.
I think you’re working on the assumption that Gloria is a benign presence, which far from the case. She is an active, and at this point, the primary contributor to the rot.
If the respondents are afraid for consequences if they tell the truth in the surveys to fill in because the administration is very repressive, what would they do?
Between surveys in the US and the surveys in Cuba, which one would reveal the real facts.
THINK.
Regarding Cuban doctors for the Philippines; I can’t put my finger on it but it reads so bad.
I watched the movie “Milan”. I read a comment about the movie somewhere in the net that Filipinos were working as domestic helpers in Italy so the Italians can leave their country to work as domestic helpers elsewhere. I don’t know if that’s true but I’m reminded of that in this issue.
There are actually more than a hundred Indian and Pakistani physicians waiting in the wings for acceptance to practice Medicine here in the Philippines. One of the problems (and I guess there are many) is that there is no reciprocity. If it is to be allowed for one profession (without reciprocity as in not allowing our professionals to work the same in their country) shouldn’t it be allowed for all?
The government is currently thrusting the program of “Medical Tourism” wherein a package of “health” and recreation are being offered to “rich” foreigners.
It is a joint project of at least 2 government departments and aims to get a “slice” of the pie being enjoyed by other SEA countries. It is sold on the idea that it is still cheaper to have medical/surgical workups/management done overseas than in their own countries. In many instances, the foreigners health coverage covers their hospitalization. THere is also the benefit of not being on a long queue in their own country. With a recreation tour to boot.
So in a sense the Filipino government is gearing a health care system to be delivered by Filipino doctors to “rich foreigners” while the government is being advocated/or advocates foreign doctors to treat the “non-rich Filipino patients”.
It seems embarassing for Filipino doctors and unfair to both Foreign doctors (esp. if we will ask Cuba for humanitarian assistance for their doctors) and non-rich Filipino patients.
Like I stated, I can’t definitely put my finger on it but it reads so bad!
And I believed the story about WMDs, yellowcake, and all that.
I guess I didn’t THINK.
Ca T, the UNDP’s Human Development (HDI) Index is computed as a composite of objective measures which include (1)life expectancy at birth, (2) Adult literacy rate, (3)combined primary, secondary and tertiary gross enrollment, and (4) GDP per capita. These statistics can be cross-checked and verified so the scenario that you paint where “ respondents are afraid for consequences if they tell the truth in the surveys” is improbable.
Justice League, if you are finally able to put your finger on why you are against cuban doctors in the Philippines, i’d be interested in knowing what is behind your sentiments. On the hundred Indian and Pakistani physicians, i wholeheartedly endorse their entry. Aside from their critical contribution to our health services sector, their presence (and that of their families) will provide more business opportunities for the locals. In commerce, reciprocity does not have to be bilateral. What matters is the free movement of goods and services to wherever it is needed in accordance with market forces. In fact, if we limit ourselves to bilateral reciprocal arrangements, the opportunities for commerce and trade would be artificially and severely restricted.
I can see it now… Spanish-speaking Cuban doctors assigned to the poor Spanish-speaking barrios of the Philippines, like, say, Forbes Park????
cvj,
Would you care to give your spouse’s, siblings’, parents’, and your own profession and a general idea of where they are practicing (as in here or abroad)?
What is your sentiment on the idea that cheap goods from China are being dumped here to the detriment of local industries?
I can’t promise though that I’d definitely put my finger on my sentiments but your answers could help me find it out.
cvj,
additional query;
There was a time when Australia banned our agricultural products yet we still were importing Australian beef. The government lobbied to get the ban off (can’t remember if it was successful though I still see Australian beef or sheep in the supermarket).
Do you feel we should even lobby for our products?
Justice League, my parents are both retired, a third of my siblings are in the United States and the rest are in the Philippines. They are a mix of salaried professionals, proprietors and retirees.
My bias is for free trade so i have a somewhat high threshold as to what i would consider ‘dumping’.
Definitely we should lobby for our products. For this, we should make full use of our membership to the WTO.
Hope that helps.
My first issue with Cuban doctors is that they are “ordered” by Cuba to go to whereever. The better-option may be to allow Lebanese or Iraqi medical professionals to immigrate to the Philippines. Win-win… US-of-A and UN will look kindly on us for helping with refugee resettlement, and we should be bringing in a group of people disgusted with war and extremism. Plus Lebanese and Iraqis are from a handsome race!
Puwede rin. IMHO, a good idea.
cvj,
I was hoping for more specificity on the professions.
You stated that:
“In commerce, reciprocity does not have to be bilateral.”
Does that mean that it’s ok if it’s unilateral trade then wherein there is a specific barrier on the other side of the flow wherein one side definitely does not allow good or service to be “traded” to their side? Because that appears to be the absence of reciprocity.
How would such be in consonance to “free trade”?
What would be the use of lobbying if its ok that reciprocity not be bilateral? Or is the idea that we should lobby even if in the end its ok that reciprocity not be bilateral?
Do keep the help coming.
Upn, define ‘handsome’.
Justice League, one sister is a retired teacher, another is a housewife, one sister has a small home-based publishing business, one sister-in-law works in a bank, one of my brothers is a pastor in the US, my kid brother is self-employed doing some IT work… unfortunately, i can’t get more specific than that for lack of detailed information on the livelihood of the others.
On balance, yes. Our consumers benefit in terms of more variety and cheaper imports of goods and services. Of course, we should still fight to open up the others’ markets to our products, but putting up barriers is a losing proposition for almost everyone except certain businessmen.
Lobbying is more efficient if it is multilateral as what happens within the WTO. Anyway, in the case of Pakistani and Indian Doctors, i don’t think the point is to open up the Indian and Pakistani market for our doctors so i don’t see why we have to focus on the issue of reciprocity on them in this manner.
Can carry a mustache?
Watchful eye…. Cubans are a stocky-race. Castro was never a handsome-looking man.
Iraqis and Lebanese are… well, handsome.
Go to this
FLICKR website with a picture of a weather-beaten 50-something Iraqi militiaman, plus a few other pictures.
vigil, suit yourself. But I’m not your fellow traveler, if you know what I mean.
“If the respondents are afraid for consequences if they tell the truth in the surveys to fill in because the administration is very repressive, what would they do?”
Hello? It’s not like all surveys have to be conducted on personal level, and if it is done so there are ways of these indices without having to frame your questions in a highly political manner. If Cuba is part of the survey, then it follows that UN has its own presence in the country and therefore can cull relevant indicators it could using its own system without having to compromise the safety of the respondents–if at some instances the survey is made on personal level. Better for you to read up on UNDP’s sytem before you present your haka-haka on political persecution.
“ways these indices can be captured”
Bencard,
You’re right on that score.
I don’t think you’ve traveled much – figuratively and literally.
cvj,
Thanks for the info on your siblings.
So plainly put; none of them seems to be or will be affected by the presence or absence of a reciprocity clause.
But as you are interested in my sentiments, I am also interested in how you are bias for “free trade” though you also accept “unilateral trade” wherein there is a specific barrier on the other side of the flow wherein one side definitely does not allow good or service to be “traded†to their side.
And also on you thoughts on the efficiency of multilateral lobbying even though you accept that trade need not be reciprocated.
You want to center on the issue of the Indian and Pakistani physicians; but didn’t I open up in my first post on the issue on the idea that if it will be allowed in one profession, shouldn’t it be allowed for all?
As I read the issues again; it seems the plan of the government and your thoughts seems counter to applicable laws and/or the Constitution. I’m not definite yet on that but I’ll just elucidate on whether it is or not when I get back from work.
HELLO.
In Cuba, private citizens are prohibited from buying computers or accessing the Internet without special authorization; foreigners may access the Internet in large hotels but are subject to firewalls; some Cubans buy illegal passwords on the black market or take advantage of public outlets, to access limited email and the government-controlled “intranet” CIA FACT
cvj, I didn’t say that at all nor have I ever.
Abe, I agree with your suggestion to look for another model of democracy that will work for us.
We have to, at the very least, start thinking about EVOLVING and start to be our own selves and not a copy of something else. As confused as we sometimes can be, much like the traffic on our roads, we have to stop trying to work the American brand of democracy – when it has failed us time and time again. Our people just don’t have the same temperament, the same history and experiences. If we stumble in the process, that’s part of evolution. I truly believe we can do it without the bloodshed, violence and instability that has marked the Latin American experience.