Good morning Karen,
That list was prepared "on the run" answering to that post (which by the way, I did not mean for it to be all in bold, I missed to close the "bolding" somewhere and never realized my mistake).
The list contains obviously issues that are important to me, but by no means it represents an "absolute" I would be open to include others where a consensus is strong to override others (assuming a "priority order" were to be applied).
Why some of those are important to me ?
I belive that free enterprise best fits our human nature, yes, to a degree it should be "overlooked", but not regulated in excess. I think that an "ethical" businessman in the long run is better than a "regulated" businessman.
For example:
The "green" movement has forced many companies to be environmentally conscious and in their respective manufacturing process, they have stopped impacting the environment. Before, they did not mind the environment at all, partly due to plain ignorance. The market has changed all that, (at least, in the USA),
For this, we need an "educated" marketplace. This means we, the people should be educated in order to learn what benefits us, then, demand that the companies that want to service our needs do it in a way that are mindful of the environment or whatever the issue we may be talking about.
Rather than daddy government with the big hammer forces the companies to do so. Yes, I understand that in some instances such action may be necessary. The problem I see is that the government, in most cases oversteps its bounds.
The EPA is an example that has become a bigger monster than even the feared IRS. Personally I have seen the EPA come in and close businesses (and killed job sources), giving the owner little opportunity to correct whatever action put him outside the law. In many instances, small businessmen do not have the resources that take to cure such problems.
I understand the need to change specific manufacturing processes, but I think there should be a different approach. After all, prior to these laws, many of the very expensive changes that today are required to do business, were not necessary.
As to what other people want... well, I do not know that, I can only speak for myself. However, I do know that people need jobs, if you have a friendly attitude towards business, then jobs will be generated. At the same time, you have to understand that capital that takes risk MUST have a return without being forced to "cover" the needs and wants of all. Excessive demands to pay for the social good of all will, at some point, drive said capital elsewhere. Particularly in today's environment in which at the stroke of a computer key, capital will flow to the best environment for its growth.
I never heard anyone suggest Mexico before. It's hard to imagine that any sovereign country, with states of its own, would want to become a state of another sovereign country no matter how dire its situation. I haven't spent significant time in Mexico in a very long time. All I know is what I read in the biased mainstream media. But I thought things were improving in Mexico in terms of a growing middle class and a reduction in corruption. Is that not so?
All right... you asked, I answer:
Well... I say so half in jest, [and secretly] half seriously.
The truth is, I simply do not see how Mexico can overcome (by itself), its current problems.
I do not know where have you read that corruption is "down" but let me put this, in "perspective":
Corruption in Mexico, (and I suspect, this applies to Lat Am in general --in my recent trip to Argentina, there was not one individual whom I talked to, that indicated that corruption did not exist, they were all frustrated with it), is ingrained in the system, in the mentality of the people, since "it is expected".
Let's assume, for the moment, that corruption, by the "regular" citizen is on a "downtrend".
However, in Mexico, corruption takes a different dimension.. WHY ? because Mexico and the USA are neighbors and share a 3,000 kmts. border. AND it affects the USA as much as Mexico.
THere is a popular saying in Mexico that says:
"Mexico: So far from god and soooooo near the US"
This was meant to say that Mexico had a golden opportunity because it is the neighbor to the strongest economy in the world. In other words, business would prosper and with it the entire country would as well. Unfortunately, the forces of "evil" have been the ones that have taken advantage of this geographical fact.
What is different today, is corruption originated by the drug trade.
I have heard comments that the government, (on the lower levels, where detection and actual arrests, are more difficult to obtain), is run by the different drug lords. They call it "Narco-Democracy". (Drug-Democracy)
Some samples:
fas.org
Many phrases have been used to describe the complex and sophisticated international drug trafficking groups operating out of Colombia and Mexico, and frankly, the somewhat respectable titles of "cartel"or "federation" mask the true identity of these vicious, destructive entities. The Cali organization, and the four largest drug trafficking organizations in Mexico ? operating out of Juarez, Tijuana, Sonora, and the Gulf region ? are simply organized crime groups. They are not legitimate businessmen as the word "cartel" implies, nor are they "federated" into a legitimate conglomerate. These syndicate leaders ? the Rodriguez Orejuela brothers in Colombia to Amado Carrillo-Fuentes, Juan Garcia -Abrego, Miguel Caro-Quintero, and the Arellano-Felix brothers ? are simply the 1990?s versions of the mob leaders U.S. law enforcement has fought since shortly after the turn of this century.
But these organized crime leaders are far more dangerous, far more influential and have a greater impact on our day-to-day lives than did their domestic predecessors. While organized crime in the United States during the 1950?s through the 1970?s affected certain aspects of American life, its influence pales in comparison to the violence, corruption, and power that today?s drug syndicates wield. These individuals, from their headquarters locations, undeniably influence the choices that too many Americans make about where to live, when to venture out of their homes, or where they send their children to school. The drugs ?and the attendant violence which accompanies the drug trade ?have reached into every American community and have robbed many Americans of the dreams they once cherished.
<snip>
That is not the case with today?s organized criminal groups. They are strong, sophisticated, and destructive organizations operating on a global scale. In places like Cali, Colombia, and Guadalajara, Mexico, even operational decisions are made, such as where to ship cocaine, which cars their workers in the United States should rent, which apartments should be leased, which markings should be on each cocaine package, which contract murders should be ordered, which officials should be bribed, and how much. They are shadowy figures who send thousands of workers into the United States who answer to them via daily faxes, cellular phone, or pagers. Their armies carry out killings within the United States?one day an outspoken journalist, one day a courier who had lost a load, the next, an innocent bystander caught in the line of fire?on orders from the top leadership. These syndicate bosses have at their disposal airplanes, boats, vehicles, radar, communications equipment, and weapons in quantities which rival the capabilities of some legitimate governments. Whereas previous organized crime leaders were millionaires, the Cali drug traffickers and their counterparts from Mexico are billionaires.
<snip>
CORRUPTION AND INTIMIDATION: TOOLS OF THE TRADE
The corruption of public officials and law enforcement officials is critical to the power of organized crime. The criminal organizations based in Mexico have placed a major emphasis on the corruption
of public officials and have demonstrated an ability to corrupt officials serving in high level positions in both law enforcement and the military. Drug-related corruption is probably the single greatest obstacle that law enforcement faces in its global battle against international drug trafficking. President Zedillo has called this the number one threat to Mexican National secutiry and recently announced a national initiative to fight crime, violence, and corruption.
The following cases indicate how far these crime lords will go to corrupt public officials so that they can continue their trade.
In February 1997, 40 military officers were arrested as part of the Gutierrez-Rebollo investigation. Not one has been brought to trial or convicted to date.
General Alfredo Navarro-Lara was arrested, by Mexican authorities on March 17, for making bribes on behalf of the Arellano-Felix organization. Navarro-Lara approached the Delegado for Tijuana with an offer from the Arellano-Felix Organization for bribe money in the amount of $1.5 million per month ? or $18 million per year.
Colonel Jose Luis Lopez Rubalcava, who had been Director of the Federal Judicial Antidrug Police under INCD, was arrested in 1997 on charges in connection with 2.5 tons of cocaine seized in Sombrerete, Mexico in 1995.
Bribery and corruption may have been behind the withdrawal of Baja state police protection from a Tijuana news editor prior to his November 27, 1997 attempted assassination. The editor had been putting public pressure on the issue of drug corruption.
The December 1997 appointment of Jesus Carrola-Gutierrez as Chief of the Mexico City Judicial Police was cut short when his well known ties to drug traffickers and human rights violations and became a public issue.
Other samples:
indian-express.com
globalexchange.org
transparency.de (scroll down on this one, there are three short stories) |
