First off some good news from Iraq here. An article about a Marine sniper doing a great job, let’s pray for him. I just can’t believe the article made it into a mainstream newspaper.
In any event, I had stated upon my return from Mexico that I wanted to post some observations from my trip there. I think this is pertinent since the international left is attempting to organize massive protests in Mexico City this weekend over the apparent victory of Felipe Calderon in the recent Mexican Presidential election. The leftist candidate is even referring to himself as the Mexican President. Why is it all the lefties are delusional and suffer from narcissistic impulses? For you political newcomers let me advise you that Calderon is the Mexican equivalent of a Republican. He is business friendly, anti-socialism and he believes in providing Mexicans with jobs in order to staunch the flow of illegal immigrants to the US. I mention this because what I saw in Puerto Vallarta did much to convince me that this just might be the correct solution.
First thing I noticed as I lounged poolside enjoying an adult beverage and fine cigar was that there were many more private yachts and sailboats in Banderas Bay than I have observed in the past. To my mind this is good. Some of those are undoubtedly private pleasure craft but many of them represent entrepreneurial spirit, charter boats for fishing and diving. In any case, a boat is a large investment, this means that cash is flowing into the Mexican economy and they are spending it. As we have seen here, consumerism can drive an economy and believe it or not, Mexico is currently the 12th largest economy in the world. It will get bigger.
The next thing I noted was construction. Everywhere there were construction projects going on. In the past I have seen the same being done with archaic tools and no particular hurry. Now there is modern equipment being put to use and things are going up in a rush. New roads and bridges and massive new resorts including a Venetian like the resort in Las Vegas. Once again that means capital investments and that means money and jobs created which in turn just go to fuel the economy further.
While in downtown proper I noted a couple of subtle things as well. First of all, the lack of pobrecitos. One of the cherished American stereotypes of Mexico is the small child rushing up to you entreating you to buy Chiclets. Well in the past you were swarmed and in border towns this has probably not changed much. Well I was in Puerto Vallarta for a week and I was approached by only one (1) child in this manner. Granted, this is merely anecdotal evidence but to me it points to improving conditions for the Mexican poor. The last thing I noted was something so subtle that only a cop would pick it up and it has to do with the Mexican police.
In the past, I have observed Mexican police in mismatched uniforms and leather gear. One would have shining leather and the next would be moldy. One would have a revolver and the next would have a rusty sixgun. Radios were a dream and most cops had a whistle to summon assistance. A Chevy truck would drive down the Malecon with 3 cops in front and 3 more in the back. Not now. I noted Mexican police in new uniforms with standard nylon webgear. Glocks were standard issue and each two man team had a radio assigned to it. Whereas there had been 6 cops to a truck only 5 years ago, now there were three police trucks with two cops inside instead. This points to money getting to the lowest rungs of government. That is good, since we all know how rife corruption is in our southern neighbor.
Some of you all know that I am conversant in Spanish. I took the opportunity to talk to many workers, mostly cabbies and maids and hotel staff. They all wanted Felipe Calderon to win. Now granted, this was Jalisco, which is the Texas of Mexico and is a conservative state but then again I wasn’t interviewing the cream of society either. They almost universally agreed that while they may not like Vincente Fox, that things are better in Mexico, they have more money and better jobs available and few of them wanted to see the leftist Obrador come to power and piss off the United States. All of them feared his friendship with the nutbag Chavez in Venezuela. One cabbie I talked to agreed that there are fewer poor in the streets and he said this was due to the availability of jobs. He told me that I wouldn’t know it but there was a drought in that region. In the past the poor farmers would have come to town to beg but now with all the construction they come to town and they go to work instead. That is progress folks and I hate to think that a leftist who hasn’t learned that socialism is a failure threatens it because he can’t understand that he lost an election.
Hmmmm….sounds like someone I’ve heard of before…and you just know he’s a democrat….
Smilin' Paul Villa U.S. Senate 2010
cyber-Congressman, R-Reno
Proud Member of the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy and 2 SUV Family
In any event, I had stated upon my return from Mexico that I wanted to post some observations from my trip there. I think this is pertinent since the international left is attempting to organize massive protests in Mexico City this weekend over the apparent victory of Felipe Calderon in the recent Mexican Presidential election. The leftist candidate is even referring to himself as the Mexican President. Why is it all the lefties are delusional and suffer from narcissistic impulses? For you political newcomers let me advise you that Calderon is the Mexican equivalent of a Republican. He is business friendly, anti-socialism and he believes in providing Mexicans with jobs in order to staunch the flow of illegal immigrants to the US. I mention this because what I saw in Puerto Vallarta did much to convince me that this just might be the correct solution.
First thing I noticed as I lounged poolside enjoying an adult beverage and fine cigar was that there were many more private yachts and sailboats in Banderas Bay than I have observed in the past. To my mind this is good. Some of those are undoubtedly private pleasure craft but many of them represent entrepreneurial spirit, charter boats for fishing and diving. In any case, a boat is a large investment, this means that cash is flowing into the Mexican economy and they are spending it. As we have seen here, consumerism can drive an economy and believe it or not, Mexico is currently the 12th largest economy in the world. It will get bigger.
The next thing I noted was construction. Everywhere there were construction projects going on. In the past I have seen the same being done with archaic tools and no particular hurry. Now there is modern equipment being put to use and things are going up in a rush. New roads and bridges and massive new resorts including a Venetian like the resort in Las Vegas. Once again that means capital investments and that means money and jobs created which in turn just go to fuel the economy further.
While in downtown proper I noted a couple of subtle things as well. First of all, the lack of pobrecitos. One of the cherished American stereotypes of Mexico is the small child rushing up to you entreating you to buy Chiclets. Well in the past you were swarmed and in border towns this has probably not changed much. Well I was in Puerto Vallarta for a week and I was approached by only one (1) child in this manner. Granted, this is merely anecdotal evidence but to me it points to improving conditions for the Mexican poor. The last thing I noted was something so subtle that only a cop would pick it up and it has to do with the Mexican police.
In the past, I have observed Mexican police in mismatched uniforms and leather gear. One would have shining leather and the next would be moldy. One would have a revolver and the next would have a rusty sixgun. Radios were a dream and most cops had a whistle to summon assistance. A Chevy truck would drive down the Malecon with 3 cops in front and 3 more in the back. Not now. I noted Mexican police in new uniforms with standard nylon webgear. Glocks were standard issue and each two man team had a radio assigned to it. Whereas there had been 6 cops to a truck only 5 years ago, now there were three police trucks with two cops inside instead. This points to money getting to the lowest rungs of government. That is good, since we all know how rife corruption is in our southern neighbor.
Some of you all know that I am conversant in Spanish. I took the opportunity to talk to many workers, mostly cabbies and maids and hotel staff. They all wanted Felipe Calderon to win. Now granted, this was Jalisco, which is the Texas of Mexico and is a conservative state but then again I wasn’t interviewing the cream of society either. They almost universally agreed that while they may not like Vincente Fox, that things are better in Mexico, they have more money and better jobs available and few of them wanted to see the leftist Obrador come to power and piss off the United States. All of them feared his friendship with the nutbag Chavez in Venezuela. One cabbie I talked to agreed that there are fewer poor in the streets and he said this was due to the availability of jobs. He told me that I wouldn’t know it but there was a drought in that region. In the past the poor farmers would have come to town to beg but now with all the construction they come to town and they go to work instead. That is progress folks and I hate to think that a leftist who hasn’t learned that socialism is a failure threatens it because he can’t understand that he lost an election.
Hmmmm….sounds like someone I’ve heard of before…and you just know he’s a democrat….
Smilin' Paul Villa U.S. Senate 2010
cyber-Congressman, R-Reno
Proud Member of the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy and 2 SUV Family
posted by Smilin' Paul Villa | 8:35 PM
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