NewsWhore
04-19-2010, 04:00 PM
Political analyst Juan Bolivar Diaz writes that President Leonel Fernandez seems to be on the campaign trail, and "wants it all." As reported in Hoy, the President has been campaigning in the municipal and congressional election of 16 May as if he were the candidate. "Traveling around the country as if he were the candidate, it is obvious that President Leonel Fernandez seeks absolute power and this generates confusion and speculations after his recent statements in Colombia suggesting that there should not be limits for election of a President with popular support."
Diaz comments that there is consensus among political observers that the opposition party, with its internal divisions and errors, has not been able to create an illusion of change, so its electoral coalition has slim chances of making gains in the May election.
"Acting in the ruling party's favor is that fact that in almost 6 years in government it has increased the spending in subsidies of all kinds. Last year subsidies cost RD$7.75 billion," he comments. He makes the point that this has come at the expense of other sectors. He says that the government "has not invested the minimum necessary in education, health, energy and potable water, or in promoting production and jobs. But to date it delivers subsidies to 1,441,888 million people, or almost 25% of 6 million voters".
Diaz says that only the "Food comes First" welfare program awards RD$700 a month to 525,511 people, 61,000 more than last year. Another 207,403 people, mainly the same group of people, receive another RD$150 a month as an incentive for sending their children to school, and another 74,990 receive a food supplement for RD$400. Added to this is the RS$228 subsidy for propane gas that benefits 757,817 households, he says.
"The clientelistic conception of government becomes evident when in recent months, instead of improving the very low wages of police and navy officers they have been enrolled in the social assistance programs. "These favors have high political yields in a country where thousands sell their vote for as little as $500".
www.hoy.com.do/tema-de-hoy/2010/4/17/322066/... (http://www.hoy.com.do/tema-de-hoy/2010/4/17/322066/Abuso-de-recursosLeonel-lo-quiere-todo)
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#5)
Diaz comments that there is consensus among political observers that the opposition party, with its internal divisions and errors, has not been able to create an illusion of change, so its electoral coalition has slim chances of making gains in the May election.
"Acting in the ruling party's favor is that fact that in almost 6 years in government it has increased the spending in subsidies of all kinds. Last year subsidies cost RD$7.75 billion," he comments. He makes the point that this has come at the expense of other sectors. He says that the government "has not invested the minimum necessary in education, health, energy and potable water, or in promoting production and jobs. But to date it delivers subsidies to 1,441,888 million people, or almost 25% of 6 million voters".
Diaz says that only the "Food comes First" welfare program awards RD$700 a month to 525,511 people, 61,000 more than last year. Another 207,403 people, mainly the same group of people, receive another RD$150 a month as an incentive for sending their children to school, and another 74,990 receive a food supplement for RD$400. Added to this is the RS$228 subsidy for propane gas that benefits 757,817 households, he says.
"The clientelistic conception of government becomes evident when in recent months, instead of improving the very low wages of police and navy officers they have been enrolled in the social assistance programs. "These favors have high political yields in a country where thousands sell their vote for as little as $500".
www.hoy.com.do/tema-de-hoy/2010/4/17/322066/... (http://www.hoy.com.do/tema-de-hoy/2010/4/17/322066/Abuso-de-recursosLeonel-lo-quiere-todo)
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#5)