http://blogs.nyu.edu/fas/dri/aidwatch/2009/01/everyone_should_be_responsible.html
Monday, January 26, 2009
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Bolivian Constitution
Just to follow up, it passed.
The Bolivians also passed a law that says that no individual can own more than about 20 square miles of land.
What's next, in the everlasting drama that is Bolivian politics?
The Bolivians also passed a law that says that no individual can own more than about 20 square miles of land.
What's next, in the everlasting drama that is Bolivian politics?
This may be...
...the most awesome thing I have ever seen. Except democracy. And
pecan pancakes:
pecan pancakes:
http://store.theonion.com/che-wearing-che-t-shirt-t-shirt-p-172.html
Happy Emily's Birthday/Bolivian Constitution Day!
Ultimately, we'll see how the vote goes down today--I haven't seen any public opinion polling, so I don't know with any degree of certainty what will happen. But Bolivia is voting on its new constitution today, which will probably pass, if Evo's 60+% vote in the most recent election--a recall referendum--is any sign.
Because I also know a little about Bolivian politics, a whole bunch of people have asked me what I think of Evo Morales, and the new constitution. Seems like pretty good fodder for a new blog entry, so here we go.
Evo Morales: Good or Bad?
I like Evo. First off, he's got great hair, and what's not to like about a guy who rose to power as the head of the coca-growers' union. Seriously.
There are some things about Morales that I don't like--journalists say they have a hard time in Bolivia because of the Bolivian government's attitude towards journalism, and the Bolivian Constitutional court has pretty much been dismembered through his term. That doesn't mesh with my own personal definition of good government, which carries something about respecting other government institutions.
That said, Evo has been carrying out a policy that caters to the poor, especially the rural poor. That is what you would expect from a guy that was elected by a majority (unusual in Bolivia), heavily influenced by the vote of the poor.
It's about damn time, folks. You can't have a democracy if the poor are excluded from the system, which was pretty much the way things were before his election.
In any event, there are good and bad things here--Evo is neither a saint nor a devil--but his isn't "ignorant," as his critics have often charged, and over the last couple of years, it would be hard to argue that Evo's policies themselves have been any more damaging to Bolivians than the rather extreme policies and rhetoric of the right in Bolivia, which sometimes seems to have more in common with the Black Helicopter People in the United States than, say, the Reaganites in the Republican party.
New Constitution: Good or Bad?
Good. Really good, if I understand correctly. But not for the reasons that the left and the right have argued over in recent months.
Mostly, the Bolivian constitutional debate has focused on the role of indigenous groups in the constitution, natural resources, regional autonomy, and a couple of other things which mostly seem to be codewords for "Who gets the natural gas money?" and "Who controls the system--the rich or the poor?"
Unfortunately, this is the way these issues are framed in Bolivia, which makes it difficult for there to be middle ground.
But the new constitution is important for another reason, which nobody seems to be talking about, probably because it's mostly the domain of nerdy political scientists and is a lot less glamorous than talkin about who gets the natural gas money.
Here's the important thing: Electoral rules.
If I understand correctly, the new Bolivian constitution will do two things that are really important.
First off, it will create a presidential runoff system (about damn time!). What this means is that if no party gets a majority, the two highest vote-getting candidates will run against one another in a second election. The guy/gal who wins this election becomes president.
This is much better than the old system, where any time a president failed to get a majority (every time except 2005, when Evo was elected), the president was picked by the congress, between the two highest vote-getters.
This meant that a small clique of powerful congressional representatives had more say over who became president than anyone else, and the people ended up having much less control over who they would elect.
The second important thing is legislative elections. Bolivia, like most Latin American party systems, has a president, but uses a (mostly) proportional system to elect their representatives. What this tends to do is create a lot of parties. But in the new constitution, the lower body of the legislature will be elected through a first past the post/single-member district plurality system, like we've got in the US. This will tend to narrow the number of parties, making it easier for people to make choices.
It may also help to produce a more stable party system, but that's another story.
There are some other things going on in Bolivian politics that may make it easier for the system to coalesce around a smaller number of parties--relatively popular former president Mesa, a center-rightist, is talking about running if the constitution passes. The right is talking about a single coalitition and a primary election. And pretty much the only major force to deal with on the left is MAS, Evo's party.
This could all be very helpful in stabilizing the system, and producing more moderate and more consistent policies that will help Bolivia develop. But we'll see.
Here's my prediction:
1. Constitution passes.
2. Mesa runs as the major candidate of the right.
3. Congress is elected under the new rules, and is inefficient, but something of a check on the election.
4. Whoever becomes president faces a divided legislature and is forced to pursue more moderate policies.
5. The Bolivian economy grows and inequality continues to decline.
But we'll see, eh?
On a more important note, happy birthday to Emily! Wish I could be there with her.
Because I also know a little about Bolivian politics, a whole bunch of people have asked me what I think of Evo Morales, and the new constitution. Seems like pretty good fodder for a new blog entry, so here we go.
Evo Morales: Good or Bad?
I like Evo. First off, he's got great hair, and what's not to like about a guy who rose to power as the head of the coca-growers' union. Seriously.
There are some things about Morales that I don't like--journalists say they have a hard time in Bolivia because of the Bolivian government's attitude towards journalism, and the Bolivian Constitutional court has pretty much been dismembered through his term. That doesn't mesh with my own personal definition of good government, which carries something about respecting other government institutions.
That said, Evo has been carrying out a policy that caters to the poor, especially the rural poor. That is what you would expect from a guy that was elected by a majority (unusual in Bolivia), heavily influenced by the vote of the poor.
It's about damn time, folks. You can't have a democracy if the poor are excluded from the system, which was pretty much the way things were before his election.
In any event, there are good and bad things here--Evo is neither a saint nor a devil--but his isn't "ignorant," as his critics have often charged, and over the last couple of years, it would be hard to argue that Evo's policies themselves have been any more damaging to Bolivians than the rather extreme policies and rhetoric of the right in Bolivia, which sometimes seems to have more in common with the Black Helicopter People in the United States than, say, the Reaganites in the Republican party.
New Constitution: Good or Bad?
Good. Really good, if I understand correctly. But not for the reasons that the left and the right have argued over in recent months.
Mostly, the Bolivian constitutional debate has focused on the role of indigenous groups in the constitution, natural resources, regional autonomy, and a couple of other things which mostly seem to be codewords for "Who gets the natural gas money?" and "Who controls the system--the rich or the poor?"
Unfortunately, this is the way these issues are framed in Bolivia, which makes it difficult for there to be middle ground.
But the new constitution is important for another reason, which nobody seems to be talking about, probably because it's mostly the domain of nerdy political scientists and is a lot less glamorous than talkin about who gets the natural gas money.
Here's the important thing: Electoral rules.
If I understand correctly, the new Bolivian constitution will do two things that are really important.
First off, it will create a presidential runoff system (about damn time!). What this means is that if no party gets a majority, the two highest vote-getting candidates will run against one another in a second election. The guy/gal who wins this election becomes president.
This is much better than the old system, where any time a president failed to get a majority (every time except 2005, when Evo was elected), the president was picked by the congress, between the two highest vote-getters.
This meant that a small clique of powerful congressional representatives had more say over who became president than anyone else, and the people ended up having much less control over who they would elect.
The second important thing is legislative elections. Bolivia, like most Latin American party systems, has a president, but uses a (mostly) proportional system to elect their representatives. What this tends to do is create a lot of parties. But in the new constitution, the lower body of the legislature will be elected through a first past the post/single-member district plurality system, like we've got in the US. This will tend to narrow the number of parties, making it easier for people to make choices.
It may also help to produce a more stable party system, but that's another story.
There are some other things going on in Bolivian politics that may make it easier for the system to coalesce around a smaller number of parties--relatively popular former president Mesa, a center-rightist, is talking about running if the constitution passes. The right is talking about a single coalitition and a primary election. And pretty much the only major force to deal with on the left is MAS, Evo's party.
This could all be very helpful in stabilizing the system, and producing more moderate and more consistent policies that will help Bolivia develop. But we'll see.
Here's my prediction:
1. Constitution passes.
2. Mesa runs as the major candidate of the right.
3. Congress is elected under the new rules, and is inefficient, but something of a check on the election.
4. Whoever becomes president faces a divided legislature and is forced to pursue more moderate policies.
5. The Bolivian economy grows and inequality continues to decline.
But we'll see, eh?
On a more important note, happy birthday to Emily! Wish I could be there with her.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Coffee
Sigelman over at the Monkey Cage believes that God doesn't want us to drink coffee, since it tastes bad at first.
This really strikes a chord with me. Unfortunately, it strikes a chord in two directions.
On one hand, I do feel as though I have been divinely guided to coffee drinking.
On the other hand, I also feel like I've been divinely guided to eating Taco Bell, Ben and Jerry's, and other stuff that tastes good right from the get-go.
Is God trying to tell me to drink urine-colored beverages like Mtn. Dew and Inka Kola? Because you can't argue with the Big G.
This really strikes a chord with me. Unfortunately, it strikes a chord in two directions.
On one hand, I do feel as though I have been divinely guided to coffee drinking.
On the other hand, I also feel like I've been divinely guided to eating Taco Bell, Ben and Jerry's, and other stuff that tastes good right from the get-go.
Is God trying to tell me to drink urine-colored beverages like Mtn. Dew and Inka Kola? Because you can't argue with the Big G.
Another day in Huerta
Got out to Huerta again with the Cusco 'fam. Had a really good time, got some pictures, and got in a short but very helpful interview.
Turns out, the nearby village of Mosoqllacta uses a communal land system in part of the village, and one of the ways they enforce local rules about forestry (among other things) is by using the credible threat of taking your access to community lands away. If this happens, it sounds like you also lose your voting and speaking privileges in community decision making.
A pretty good system, I think.
Anyways, if you're interested in the pictures of cute Peruvian kids playing games, click on the link in the sidebar. There are also some other random Glenn-related photos in there.
Turns out, the nearby village of Mosoqllacta uses a communal land system in part of the village, and one of the ways they enforce local rules about forestry (among other things) is by using the credible threat of taking your access to community lands away. If this happens, it sounds like you also lose your voting and speaking privileges in community decision making.
A pretty good system, I think.
Anyways, if you're interested in the pictures of cute Peruvian kids playing games, click on the link in the sidebar. There are also some other random Glenn-related photos in there.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Dentistry Fun!
Faithful readers, as some of you may have gathered from my Facebook page, I had to make something of an emergency trip to the dentist yesterday, as one of my fillings came out the day before.
I was quite nervous about going to a 3d world dentist--in the end, it worked out pretty well. It turns out I needed a second filling (pretty bad cavity in one of my back teeth), and I got the two fillings done for about $60. Lucy tells me this is a little steep for here, but that this guy does a good job. Still, not bad at all. It also took about an hour, including time spent in the waiting room. I guess when they don't use any medication, they don't need to ask you if you're allergic to any medicines, etc.
The bad news is, Peruvian dentists don't use novocaine. Not unless you're screaming. So I got two fillings done without any anesthetic. It was awesome. To be fair, the dentist was pretty good about asking "Does it hurt?" pretty regularly, and stopping when necessary.
In other news, like my Quechua instructor, all of the other teachers at the school, the taxista I rode downtown with, and the old lady who sells jelly door to door, the dentist was an Obama supporter.
I was quite nervous about going to a 3d world dentist--in the end, it worked out pretty well. It turns out I needed a second filling (pretty bad cavity in one of my back teeth), and I got the two fillings done for about $60. Lucy tells me this is a little steep for here, but that this guy does a good job. Still, not bad at all. It also took about an hour, including time spent in the waiting room. I guess when they don't use any medication, they don't need to ask you if you're allergic to any medicines, etc.
The bad news is, Peruvian dentists don't use novocaine. Not unless you're screaming. So I got two fillings done without any anesthetic. It was awesome. To be fair, the dentist was pretty good about asking "Does it hurt?" pretty regularly, and stopping when necessary.
In other news, like my Quechua instructor, all of the other teachers at the school, the taxista I rode downtown with, and the old lady who sells jelly door to door, the dentist was an Obama supporter.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Take that, Economists!
Holy crap, we even beat the Sociologists!
http://www.themonkeycage.org/2009/01/hotness.html
Really, I would like to see some confidence intervals around these ratings, but I believe that makes me a nerd.
http://www.themonkeycage.org/2009/01/hotness.html
Really, I would like to see some confidence intervals around these ratings, but I believe that makes me a nerd.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Happy Obama Day!
Happy inauguration day, all. For what it's worth, the Peruvians are (unsurprisingly) interested in the event, and (also unsurprisingly) are very pro-Obama. Our inauguration has been getting more press than the recently enacted FTA with the US, although not more than a wiretapping scandal that's been going on in Lima.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
An unusual day today.
Today, I planned to start my Quechua lessons up again for the final stretch, but after a difficult night of altitude-induced insomia, I woke up to (first) a broken shower in the house (no hot water), and (second), a call from Valerio, my Quechua instructor. The broken shower turned out to be not a big problem, because controversy over the privatization of rural irrigation systems had resulted in a transportation paro (basically a strike), which meant that Valerio couldn't get in to Cusco today from Calca.
On a related note, I was sitting in the Plaza Tupac Amaru yesterday, when the plaza was suddenly filled with people--mostly indigenous folks--running to catch buses and trucks to somewhere. I asked someone what was going on, and they said that the peasants were demonstrating against the proposed privatization.
Pretty bizarre, frankly. If I understand correctly, what the government proposes to do is aution of local irrigation systems (systems that were presumably built by the locals) so that the new owners of the irrigation systems have the right to sell the water back to the locals.
Makes the US "prior appropriation" doctrine look like a shining example of moderation and efficiency, by contrast. Hard to believe that it could be legal or politically viable.
But down here, anything is possible.
I took a walk mid-afternoon, and got a pretty good picture of Tupac Amaru in the plaza--none of my previous pictures have come out so well, so I think I'll post it here.
I like this picture--it really captures Amaru's angy expression (and also his 18th century clothing).
In some ways, a true social revolutionary, the plaque at the bottom of the statue , somewhat ironically, calls his rebellion the "precursor to independence." This is a little silly, because Amaru's 1780 revolution was a movement that hoped to overthrow the ruling (European) class and replace it with some sort of indigenous monarchy a la the Inca Empire. By contrast, Bolivar and San Martin basically replaced one aristocratic class (born in Spain) with another one (born in America). Trying to equate one with the other is a little strange. Amaru would have killed Bolivar and his family if they had lived at the same time.
I also wanted to show off another beautiful picture I took--I have no idea what the name of this peak is, but it really stood out today, shining in the sun, in contrast with the generally quite gloomy weather.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Gloating about Luggage
I normally put the pictures in the sidebar, but I wanted to show off my fan-tabulous packing skills. Here's a picture of me with all of my luggage for the next seven months. True, it's a little bit much, but I'll lose a third of it as I read through some of the books I'm carrying.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Back in Cusco
Made it back to Cusco/Cuzco/Qosqo this morning after spending a lovely
night in the Lima airport. From snowy and 20 degrees to 80 and humid in
Lima and now back to 45 and rainy.
night in the Lima airport. From snowy and 20 degrees to 80 and humid in
Lima and now back to 45 and rainy.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Powder Day
Eldora, after a dry spell of about as long as I've been in town, got a pile of snow last night. The skiing today was simply incredible. For some reason, nobody was up there, despite the fact that vacation's still on for everyone, and I was getting unbroken lines until noon. That plus the fact that the eight inches they got was multiplied in the trees by some strong wind, and the snow seemed to be several feet deep in places.
Every year, there's one day that really stands out. Last year it was a day skiing up at Saddleback in Maine, the year before that, it was up at Copper. This year, it was today--or at least, it would be hard for me to get a better day in since my ski season will be over when I go back to Peru next week.
Eldora's not a big mountain, but I've had more great days up there, I think, than I have at any other place. Of course, it doesn't hurt that it's 25 minutes away...
Every year, there's one day that really stands out. Last year it was a day skiing up at Saddleback in Maine, the year before that, it was up at Copper. This year, it was today--or at least, it would be hard for me to get a better day in since my ski season will be over when I go back to Peru next week.
Eldora's not a big mountain, but I've had more great days up there, I think, than I have at any other place. Of course, it doesn't hurt that it's 25 minutes away...
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