NewsWhore
10-10-2007, 02:00 PM
Today's A.M. column on Page Two of the Diario Libre deals with political basic instincts. According to editor Adriano Tejada, this election campaign will be one of basic instincts. On one side PRSC presidential candidate Amable Aristy Castro is expected to campaign handing out money and offering everything possible because he "is the candidate of the poor."
On the other hand there is Miguel Vargas Maldonado who he expects will be promising to cut taxes, subsidize jobs and other things that the PRD has always promised.
In his corner, Tejada writes that current President Leonel Fernandez will try and control the basic purple instincts (purple is the color identified with the PLD) that are calling for lower taxes, a lower crime rate, and getting the Metro to work without anything bad happening, and not giving away the country before May 2008.
Tejada, known for his Voltairesque satire, says that the reality is that in this campaign the fate of a society that wants to live like a rich person without making the sacrifices needed is in play. He says that we (the Dominicans) are the heirs to a tradition of "dolce far niente", that is, the sweet Spanish laziness that Calvinism rebelled against, and that, according to Max Weber, is at the basis for the capitalist revolution.
Tejada writes that when a Dominican has a couple of bucks he only thinks of pleasure. The money is spent on parties and beer, or plans are laid for a weekend at the beach or the purchase of a plane ticket to Miami. Those that have less will buy an appliance or continue saving for a vehicle. All of which are activities that imply more expenditure and, because of this, conspire against savings and longterm welfare.
Tejada says that there is another point: the locals live for today, the short term. Dominicans do not look further than next week because they don't know what will happen.
A country that lives by basic instincts, therefore cannot hope to be promised "blood, sweat and tears". Dominicans want heaven and they want it now.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#11)
On the other hand there is Miguel Vargas Maldonado who he expects will be promising to cut taxes, subsidize jobs and other things that the PRD has always promised.
In his corner, Tejada writes that current President Leonel Fernandez will try and control the basic purple instincts (purple is the color identified with the PLD) that are calling for lower taxes, a lower crime rate, and getting the Metro to work without anything bad happening, and not giving away the country before May 2008.
Tejada, known for his Voltairesque satire, says that the reality is that in this campaign the fate of a society that wants to live like a rich person without making the sacrifices needed is in play. He says that we (the Dominicans) are the heirs to a tradition of "dolce far niente", that is, the sweet Spanish laziness that Calvinism rebelled against, and that, according to Max Weber, is at the basis for the capitalist revolution.
Tejada writes that when a Dominican has a couple of bucks he only thinks of pleasure. The money is spent on parties and beer, or plans are laid for a weekend at the beach or the purchase of a plane ticket to Miami. Those that have less will buy an appliance or continue saving for a vehicle. All of which are activities that imply more expenditure and, because of this, conspire against savings and longterm welfare.
Tejada says that there is another point: the locals live for today, the short term. Dominicans do not look further than next week because they don't know what will happen.
A country that lives by basic instincts, therefore cannot hope to be promised "blood, sweat and tears". Dominicans want heaven and they want it now.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#11)