Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Formerly About Advanced Micro Devices -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Mani1 who wrote (239005)	6/28/2005 4:06:15 AM
From: tejek	Respond to of 1571929

Despite how it has mostly been reported in western media, this election was a lot more about people frustration with economy and political corruption, than it was about religion and foreign policy. Ahmadinejad got elected because he was perceived as Robin Hood of Tehran. I read that somewhere........that he was very honest and very concerned with the poor. He still leaves in a small house in the old and poor part of Tehran and unlike his competitors is not known to have amassed any wealth. During his short tenure as mayor of Tehran, he consistently tried to fund programs for the poor and unemployed and enacted many social welfare programs. So fiscally he is very liberal. He campaigned on this platform and I think did a phenomenal job of campaigning. None of his opponents could match him in this area that happen to be very important to the voters. Despite high oil prices, Iran unemployment is high, and many people do not earn a living wage. I read one article that was a replay of "its the economy, stupid!". You have to wonder where all the oil money is going. It doesn't sound like its creating jobs or helping out the poor. It could be the ayatollahs are saving it up in case of another US/Western embargo. Socially he is a religious hardliner. He believes in complete integration of church and state. That's the hard part to swallow.........his conservative views on theocracy. Before I had a real understanding of his background.........the things you cite above.......I assumed his win was handed to him by the ayatollahs. But now that doesn't seem as true. How honest do you think the election was? He also takes a very hardline stance toward US. I think his hardline stance toward US also got him some votes due to the perceived motives of US in Iraq. Apparently, Bush's criticisms of Iran on the eve of the election also helped Ahmadinejad get elected. In the short term, Iran’s prospect has clearly taken a step backward. Too bad! It is too bad. I see Iran as one of the major hopes for the ME and an important leader..........much more important than Turkey, and potentially on the same level as an Egypt or Saudi Arabia even though the Iranians are not Arab and are Shia. I read another article written by a 20 something guy who was in Iran in the late 90s when reform was very much in the air. I believe this guy was an Iranian American. If I remember correctly, he came back to the States in 2000, and then went back to Iran just before the recent election. He said that the change in attitude was very palpable. Essentially, the reformers of the late 90s had gotten either 'burnt out' or had been 'bought' out. Burnt out from pushing and pushing and making very little progress. Bought out in the sense that the ayatollahs are giving the young reformers some freedoms.......allowing them to play their music publicly; to go to clubs and be more like Westerners..........in fact, a few months ago, I read an article in the LA Times where they showed three hot looking Iranian women in Tehran with just scarfs loosely draped over their heads and wearing clothes very typical of the West. I was surprised and I now think that's what this guy was saying in his article. The reformers have some superficial freedoms and that has taken away some of their urgency. Its hard to take a reformist stance indefinitely.......plodding alone year after year when you see your contemporaries moving ahead quickly in their careers. I can understand their frustration. Nonetheless, its too bad. Real progress is postponed probably for another decade. ted