This was an amazing thing to see. Salvadorans seem happy and optimistic. A few years ago it was like: Don’t go to this place; don’t go to that place; you can go to this tourist place, it’s safe. Everything was either off-limits or a walled garden. Someone I know was robbed at gunpoint of her cellphone while sitting in her car with the window down and having a conversation. Everyone says she was lucky.
Now it’s a different country. There is still crime but you can go almost anywhere. The murder rate, once sky-high, is low by US standards. The downtown was dilapidated and dangerous. Now it’s being renovated, bustling, a nice place to walk around.
It’s all because, almost by chance, Salvadorans elected a president who was serious about stopping the gangs that were responsible for most of the crime, and politically skilled and lucky enough (very) to pull it off.
National turnarounds can happen. El Salvador, maybe Argentina, maybe the USA. Europe looks in a bad way, reminiscent of the late 1970s before Reagan and Thatcher. Of course this time is different, it’s worse this time, etc. But this time is always different, and thus rarely different at all: trends, including bad trends, don’t go on forever. Here’s hoping.
Here’s hoping.
Not very optimistic about Trump. Perhaps I’m naive re what prez can do by himself, but I see the razor thin ‘phant majority in the legislature as an almost certain roadblock. Enables single person in house or senate to stop a locomotive.
Regardless of the House & Senate outcomes, I think the electorate sent a message with the election of DJT. Popular and electoral victories seem rather uncommon of late.
That said, it seems a lot of the voters are fed up with DC hijinks, and are ready to pull the plug on those that want to use the thin majority to their personal aggrandizement and, lets face it, filling their pockets with loot.
IFF the voters would send a nice note to their respective Sens and Reps, indicating support for DJT, and noting their willingness and promise to support an opponent any way they can in following elections, they may have effect on how votes are made. Re-election seems to be the name of the game that will draw attention of the officeholder(clerical?). Your PROMISE to oppose them if they wander off the reservation and become “Mavericks’ sometimes can have effect. At least they have an idea that there are SOME constituents that are paying attention and are making known how they want their reps to vote.
Beyond that,promising to expose them as frauds and charlatans, not to mention poltroons, sometimes will influence their votes. In some worlds, not available in all.
That’s great to hear. Since the late 1970s we’ve only heard about El Salvador for the wrong reasons and now the good guys are getting a break.
Though when Kamala Harris talked about getting at the “root causes” in order to solve the immigration problem out of the Northern Triangle, I don’t think she (or any other Democrat) was thinking of someone like Nayib Bukele
A very impressive display. That many people willing to spend fairly significant money for something as ephemeral as fireworks bespeaks a lot of optimism.
We’re starting to see choreographed lighted drone swarms touted as a “clean”, safe replacement for fireworks. Very pretty and very blah. Kind of like kissing your sister. And not that safe, as it turns out:
https://www.foxnews.com/us/faa-places-restrictions-drone-company-after-florida-boy-injured-holiday-airshow-underwent-heart-surgery
“Enables single person in house or senate to stop a locomotive.”
Maybe DJT will take on the role of majority whip in Congress.
The gangs in El Salvador were small enough for the government to take down.
I doubt that is the case in Mexico. Try that in Mexico and the gangs could well take down the government.
In Mexico there hasn’t been a discernible division between the “gangs” and the government for a long time. The frisson occurs when when the fixed government becomes misaligned with the shifting gang boundaries.
Spectacular fireworks display! The people of El Salvador have a lot to celebrate. Part of turning a country around is deciding that it’s possible. The voice that says, forget it, it’s too late, is the enemy. It’s not too late. There, or here.