As I feared, it looks like this crisis is continuing to gain energy. With supposed death threats against the governor and the truckers unions threatening a general work stoppage as well, this looks like a bad situation which continues to get worse. As I explained in a comment yesterday, it looks like the prime objective in these protests is to create as much chaos as is humanely possible.
However, bad this gets. Here's a small little prediction. It occurred to me that the protests against the proposed government layoffs are based on a weak premise. That weak premise will eventually limit the effectiveness of the protests and at best will only end up in a situation where the layoffs happen, the protesters get bored, go home, and everything goes back to "normal" with both sides claiming victory.
Let me explain. When Puerto Rico decided to protest against the bombing in Vieques, we were on the moral high ground. We were making a stand FOR something; something which defended our right to not have our island be used as a bombing practice range. The civil disobedience conducted then was effective because it brought into the light, the injustice being conducted by the U.S. Navy.
However, take as an example the general work stoppage and protests that occurred when then Governer Anibal Acevedo Vila proposed a shutdown of the government. In my opinion, those protests were ineffective. While they did get Acevedo Vila to end the shutdown (mostly because he had no backbone), in the end nothing was GAINED. What was being protested was the continuation of the status quo.
We have the same situation again with the proposed layoffs. There is no moral high ground. If anything the government, may have the moral high ground because the cuts are aimed at improving the future of Puerto Rico. All of the current protests are aimed at keeping things the same. Historically, any protest against change has lost or at best resulted in a tie, where the issue is merely buried for a few years only to rear its' ugly head again (Hey! That's just like our budget crisis!).
So what?
Another way to see the weakness of the protests is to examine the situation by assuming the protesters achieve their goal. All layoffs are canceled or reversed and the 17,000 stay or return to work. Essentially, that would be like saying to the credit agencies, we don't have a solution to our budget crisis and the people have spoken. They want everything to stay the same. Then what happens?
Ok, so if we say "screw you El Cuco, you can take your credit rating and go to the lookout basket in the top mast of a Spanish galleon (look it up...). This will most likely result in Moodys and Standards and Poor lowering our bonds to junk status.
Well here's one possible scenario if "El Cuco" drops our bonds to junk status. Since we don't have enough money to pay the extraordinarily high interest rates junk bonds require, then we won't be able to borrow any money to pay the $3.5 Billion we owe.
Since we have outstanding bills and no money, our government will have to do what most families do (remember my analogy...). If that's the case, then our old friend zero-sum theory raises its ugly head again, but in a slightly different manner this time. In this scenario we have too little pie. Still only one pie, but in this case we have too many people asking for pie. Well the government must then decide who doesn't get any pie. After you account for essential services like public health, public security (police, fireman, civil defense), and public education, oh and don't forget the politicians large slice of the pie, my guess is that there won't be much pie left.
Well then, the government will be forced to lay off all non-essential personnel (either temporarily or permanently. And the layoffs will not be 15,000, or 30,000, but probably more like 100,000 employees. It's either that or everyone within the government decides to take like a 30% pay cut. What do you think will happen then. Yep, we'll be back to the exact same place we are right now, which is exactly like it was in 2006.
The sad moral of this story is that there is no way to defend the status quo. Change must come, our government must drastically decrease in size and increase its efficiency. The complex problem which took 50 years to create, is not sustainable. There too few people and companies paying taxes to support the size of government that we have. It's a simple numbers game. We don't have enough money flowing into the government to pay all of the expenses (or debts) that they have. If this were a company it would have to declare bankruptcy, most likely to reorganize itself so that it can lower its expenses.
There is one other conclusion we could make. We could make more pie. The government could drastically raise existing taxes and impose new taxes so as to bring income in line with expenses. Nah, never mind, I was just kidding. Really, please put down the torches and pitchforks.
Flickr Creative Commons Contributor: thomwatson
As promised, here's another examination of "Ley 7" and the layoffs it authorizes. Before jumping into that pit of despair, let me share with you a small warning. With tempers rising on both sides of this issue, it looks like either side could lose control at any moment. If I were you, I'd steer clear of any areas were active protests are happening or planned to happen. I would also suggest everyone review the following safety guidelines available here and here. I'm not a prophet, but I got a real bad feeling about this one.
Between a huge budget deficit and an angry mob
Let's begin by setting up the assumptions for this situation. First, the main problem we have, just like 40 or more other states, is a major budget deficit. Many people like to complicate this issue, but it is quite simple. Think of your family's finances as if it were the government. If you're like most households, both Mom and Dad work and together earn, let's say $50,000 a year. If, at the end of the year, you've paid all your bills and you have some of the $50K left, you have a surplus. However, in the case of the Puerto Rican government, it's the end of the year, you've spent your $50K, but you still owe $3.5 billion. That's a deficit.
The difference between our families and the government, is that they are allowed to have that deficit. However, bills are bills, they have to get paid, so our government is able to use a variety of financial tricks, which allow them to borrow the money they need to pay all of their bills.
The most popular trick is issuing a bond. And a bond is a formal contract to repay borrowed money with interest at fixed intervals. For example, an investor "buys" a Puerto Rico Government bond, for which the investor receives an "IOU" from Puerto Rico for their initial investment plus interest in 5 years.
El Cuco
Here's where the credit rating agencies come in. Moodys and Standards and Poor are the most powerful of these agencies. They grade financial investments by their belief that the issuer of the bond will be able to successfully repay those investments. The higher the rating, the lower the interest rate the bond issuer must promise. A lower rating means that the issuer has a higher risk of not being able to pay back the IOU. As with most investments, the higher the risk, the higher return on the investment. In the case of a bond, it means a higher interest rate. Another way of looking at low bond ratings, is that it ultimately costs the issuer more money to borrow the money. (Which for an institution that is already having a budget problem, is not a good thing)
Finally, just to be clear, the Puerto Rico government's budget didn't grow $3.5 billion since January, when Luis Fortuño became governor. This is the budget and deficit he inherited when he took his oath of office. The budget has been growing through many administrations both Red and Blue.
But what's different now? While the deficit has been growing through all of these administrations, our credit ratings have been dropping. The last two administrations, however, have faced a new threat. Moodys and S&P have been aggressively threatening the reduction of Puerto Rico's bonds to "junk" status. The last time this threat occurred, in 2006, Ex-Governer Anibal Acevedo Vila closed the government. He did this hoping that it would be enough action to demonstrate that Puerto Rico was managing their budget and deficit. Much wailing and gnashing of teeth were heard back then, as there is now.
The limits of credibility
While many people accuse Fortuño's administration of falsifying the budget and deficit numbers, all I can say is that it seems improbable. It seems that way for two reasons:
- There was a deficit problem three years ago under the administration of Acevedo Vila. Billion dollar deficits don't disappear quickly. So if there was a problem then, there is a high probability that the problem still exists. Plus, given the over-estimates Hacienda has been making, the problem is probably bigger.
- "El Cuco" in this here story are the credit agencies. In order for them to make their evaluations, I can only assume that they have access to Puerto Rico's complete financial picture. So while politicians may be able to stretch the truth before their constituents and local media, I find it very difficult to believe that Moodys and S&P would risk their reputation by not conducting a complete financial audit. Since they are pressing the issue, I'm inclined to believe that we have a "bona fide" budget crisis.
So now we finally come to "Ley 7." As the captain of this sinking ship, Governor Fortuño is a desperate man. He must provides answers to the credit agencies and demonstrate action that will improve Puerto Rico's budget crisis. During his short nine months in office, I can assure you that this has been his number one challenge. Unfortunately, during those long nine months, very few options have been identified which can fix our budget deficit, and all of them include layoffs.
Since he doesn't have any other options, Governor Fortuño has to do whatever he can, because, "El Cuco" is demanding results. As with any other company that is looking to cut expenses, the easiest and most direct way is to reduce payroll. Enter "Ley 7."
Now to make matters more desperate for the Governor, unions are organizing, universities are closing, a general work stoppage is planned, and a general strike is looming. All of which are aimed at the Governor revoking "Ley 7".
Here's where it gets really squishy. Let's say that "La Colación Todo Puerto Rico por Puerto Rico" is successful. They accomplish the impossible, and get the governor to revoke "Ley 7." What do they pretend that we tell "El Cuco?" What do we tell them to keep them from lowering our bonds to junk status? Nothing, that's what they have to offer "El Cuco." And believe me, "El Cuco" will not say: "¡Ay Bendito! the people of Puerto Rico have banded together to reject a plan that might have helped them fix their budget crisis, let's let them slide for another year."
No my dear readers, "El Cuco" has no heart; only hard cold facts, numbers on a page, are the only thing that can make any lasting impressions. All "El Cuco" wants to hear is how our government is going to reduce its' budget deficit and see those plans in action. And yes it is heart breaking, and yes it is bad for our short term economy, and yes it will make many thousands of people's lives more difficult, but in the end, with great sadness, "El Cuco" doesn't care. We do, and that's what makes this situation even more heartbreaking.
All I can hope for is that these manifestations are conducted with strict adherence to the principles of non-violent disobedience and the utmost respect for the rule of law; from the government, the police, and anyone else who has the unfortunate task of defending "Ley 7", protecting the peace, and the law, may they act with great restraint, patience, and compassion. May the seeds which have been sown within "La Colación Todo Puerto Rico por Puerto Rico" grow to unite us all to work together, identify new solutions, and weather the storm that must pass. May we find ways to share in the sacrifices necessary to calm "El Cuco," so that we all can survive with our dignity in tact.
Flickr Creative Commons Contributor: Mark Berry - Photographer & Graphic Designer
Today marks a historic moment. Today, May 1st, with the multiple work stoppages, boycotts, and demonstrations against the Governor's plans to lay-off 30,000 government employees, we are officially declaring Puerto Rico to be Socialist state.
Why else would so many same people reject reducing a government that is so large it's size is only dwarfed by that of California. Now let's consider this for a moment. California is estimated to have 36,756,666 residents. According to a recent article in the Dia, they have 394,000 government employees, or about 1.07% of all citizens. Puerto Rico on the other hand has an estimated population of 3,927,776 and has 300,000 government employees, or about 7.6%. What about other states?
- Texas = 282,000/23,904,380 or 1.17%
- New York = 249,000/19,297,729 or 1.29%
- Florida = 191,000/18,251,243 or 1.04%.
Disclaimer: I am not immune to the hardship caused by eliminating government jobs, but the fact of the matter is that if we do not DRASTICALLY REDUCE the size of our government, no amount of stimulus spending or economic development can ever rescue us from a catacylismic destruction of wealth in Puerto Rico.
Socialism Defined
Socialism is simply defined as a society where the government owns more than just manpower (the 300,000 workers). Staying with that simple definition here are the reasons why Puerto Rico is a Socialist society:
- The government is the biggest employer (by far)
- They own the water and sewer company
- They own the power company
- And they still own 10% of the telephone company.
Who's in the bubble now?
It is estimated that only about 29% of all eligible workers file a planilla. In general numbers, 4 million residents equals about 2 million eligible workers, equals about 580,000 planillas. If 300,000 are from the government employees themselves, then really you have a mere 280,000 workers funding the government. Of course we need to add in business tax income and the IVU.
With a contraction of the global economy on the heels of the elimination of generous tax benefits, bona-fide businesses and jobs are disappearing from Puerto Rico at such an alarming and consistent rate that our economy is in chaos. In the past three years alone it is estimated that the tax collections have missed their target by more than $2.7 billion, with another 800 million (it'll be more) deficit expected for 2009.
And yet, I've not heard any journalist, nor any politician, come forward and state the grotesque truth. We are socialists and are incapable of facing the "facts" that our government is 6 times the size it should be.
Let's say that anyone who doesn't recognize this is John Travolta. They should be VERY AFRAID that their bubble is about to burst. Someone with authority needs to step forward and lay out the facts. No matter how disgusting, nor matter the wailing and gnashing of teeth, if we don't dramatically reduce our government, the credit agencies will eventually downgrade our government bonds to junk, and then the proverbial fecal matter will really hit the fan.
Following the recent pledge by Puerto Rico's government to convert several of its public properties into "green" buildings, the Puerto Rico Convention Center and the Coliseum of Puerto Rico are to become the first properties on the island to be modified into eco-friendly buildings.
With an investment of $250,000, the Puerto Rico Convention Center and other developments within the 113-acre District will decrease the use of water by 30 percent and the use of electricity by 50 percent, for ongoing savings of $450,000 per year once the project is completed.
After completely incorporating these initiatives, the buildings hope to receive the US Green Building Council's 'Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED)' Certification, considered the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings.
Key elements of the Puerto Rico Convention Center “green project” include:
- The installation and use of automated control systems for air-conditioning and lighting of the facility, as well as the incorporation of natural lighting to reduce overall energy consumption.
- Providing preferential parking spaces around the facility for hybrid cars, as well as enhancing and encouraging the use of public transportation to the District.
- Replacing conventional lamps throughout the facility and District with lighting materials that consume less energy.
- Landscaping the District with native plants and other flora that require less maintenance and require less water, as well as utilizing an automated watering system to conserve the use of water.
- Implementing already-established eco-friendly policies and green standards for the Center. This includes utilizing green products such as recycled paper products and eco-friendly cleaning supplies in the use and maintenance of the facility, as well as requiring contractors to apply and adhere to green standards and practices in their work with the facility and District.
- Maintaining already-established waste reduction and recycling programs.
When I first came to Puerto Rico, one of the first things I tried to find were the libraries. The first one I found was when I moved to Caguas when I discovered the location of the Caguas Municipal Library by accident. At the time the only book stores of any merit were Thekes in Plaza Las Americas and Bell , Book, and Candle. As someone who has spent most of his life with his nose in a book, this was, uhh, a big shock. I remember wondering to myself, how does everyone find a good book to read, or where can they find research materials to read for a project?
I know know the truth of the situation. The reason why there aren't really any good public libraries (well which really isn't true there is the Bucapla Library and the Manati Library), the real reason is that the majority of the populace doesn't read anything deeper than the El Nuevo Dia, which is quickly being replaced by the photo-heavy Primera Hora.
I'm sure I'm not the only one who believes that this might be the root cause of a lot of the challenges we face on the island. So when I heard about the First Lady's program to reinforce reading to children, "Lee y Sueña", I was impressed and pleased.
The Read and Dream Program is an initiative of the Office of the First Lady. It is attached to the Department of Family and is developed by ASPIRA, Inc. de Puerto Rico. It was created in 2006 with the aim to provide parents and caregivers the tools needed to develop the habit of reading to their children every day.
This weekend and next "El tour de lectura" will make stops in the Jardin Botanico de Rio Piedras and the Parque Luis Muñoz Rivera. This Saturday, July 12th, at the Botanical Gardens, celebrities such as Elwood Cruz, Jessica Cristina, and Karen Cintrón will lead families in the reading of entertaining stories. In addition there will be marionettes and theatrical shows.
Then next weekend, Sunday July 20th, at the Bosquecito in the Luis Muñoz Marin Park, the tour will make another stop. The same activities are planned. Both activities are scheduled to start at 1:00 p.m. and last until 4:00 p.m.
For more information call (888) 359-7777 or visit the programs website at www.leelesatuhijos.org.
The Governor, while discussing his grievences with the federal government and his possible indictment indicated that he has the support of "powerful mayors" (meaning mayors who can bench press at least their own body weight)and will continue on regardless of the outcome. However, what was most amazing was his revelation that Puerto Ricans have mystical powers, which include seeing into the future and knowing when some injustice has been committed.
Now seeing into the future, that's special, but being able to determine when there has been an injustice, well, that is right up there with X-Ray vision. I mean, gosh, I have three graduate degrees and I don't even know what an injustice is, much less how to identify it. So I ran out immediately and asked my Puerto Rican friends to help me understand this concept and explain to me exactly is an "injustice". Here were some of the examples they gave me to help me understand (I am still struggling to comprehend this concept, as I possess no mystical powers):
An injustice is when people are appointed to positions not based on their skill, experience, and credentials but rather, who they know, and how willing they are to turn a blind eye;
An injustice is not supporting the right of every Puerto Rican child to have a good education;
An injustice is not being able to live in low income housing without worrying about whether or not your kids will be killed in a crossfire;
An injustice is a local judiciary that hands down arbitrary and capricious decisions and regularly fails to uphold the "rule of law";
An injustice is when elected officials use their legislative power to buy votes;
An injustice is taxing the hell out of local citizens and businesses and then giving a week off to government workers;
An injustice is providing perks and escorts to elected officials and appointees while the rest of us get to sit in the daily "tapon";
An injustice is when the police are allowed to ignore the very rules they promised to enforce;
An injustice is to not enforce the parking laws and force the elderly, children, and those with handicaps to dodge traffic because the sidewalks are occupied by automobiles, including those used by public officials and the police;
An injustice is to take money in exchange for political and financial favors.
Now my friends have told me that this is a short list, and that the number of injustices that exist here in Puerto Rico are, in fact, far too numberous to outline in such a short time. I think I am begining to understand with their help, but what leaves me confused is this - the Governor says that all Puerto Ricans have this mystical power to recognized something that apparently other cultures cannot, and clearly, my friends have demonstrated to me that such a power exists and that they in fact possess it. Yet why is it that this power to recognize injustice is only possessed by regular people and not the people they elect to be their representatives? I can only guess that the price for being elected is that you lose your mystical powers. Now that is truly a great price to pay to serve the people.
This Thanksgiving we should all give thanks for their sacrifice.
For the first time ever, the World Economic Forum (WEF) has included Puerto Rico in their Global Competiveness Report. Even getting listed, I'm sure, is an honor and mainly a tribute to many hard working people locally that lobbied the WEF to get Puerto Rico included. To come out in 36th position, and 2nd overall in the Latin America region is an honor indeed. I'm ecstatic that we faired so well. But, being the cycnic that I am, I'm left with an unusual taste in my mouth. Sort of like the cheap syrup I recently bought for the MC Don Dees household which promises buttery maple syrup taste, but manages to leave a medicine after taste. Funny how something that seems so sweet (#36) can end up tasting like medicine.
Is this a victory?
The first thing that unsettles me is how the media are making this look like a victory. Victory as in a win, that is unless you count our number 1 ranking for the best place (in terms of cost) to fire someone. I'm not saying this is a loss either. I'd say it should feel something like a tie and who celebrates a tie? It is without a doubt, an outstanding achievement, but where do we go from here? The uncomfortable thing about measuring something is that it permits everyone to start tracking progress. What will happen in next year's report? How will it compare with this year's ranking? Will we ask to be removed from the report if our ranking starts to slip?
But let's turn this around and ask another question. According to El Nuevo Dia, this is proof of the strengths of Puerto Rico as a destination for investment. Let's say for a second that you had $5 million to invest in the stock market. At your disposable you have a generalized ranking of 131 stocks. Where would you put your money? Would you put it in the top ten rated stocks or would you dive down to number 36? Let's say you are interested in investing in Latin America, who would you choose #1 or #2? Of course, you'd pick #2 over the remaining 10 entries below it, but I wonder how Latin America stacks up with other regions? For me, this report does not give a clear sign of why Puerto Rico is a good place to invest.
How about this question. If Puerto Rico is such a good place to invest, why don't more local companies invest here? We rank 34th in R&D by companies.
Says who?
The report evaluates each country on a range of factors organized into general categories (called pillars). There are approximately 104 factors, 25 of which are based on hard data. The remaining 75% is based on interviews of executives. Let's not forget that surveys can be wildly misrepresentative, but generally useful. It all depends on who you ask. According to James Surowiecki, author of the book "The Wisdom of Crowds: Why the Many Are Smarter Than the Few and How Collective Wisdom Shapes Business, Economies, Societies and Nations", the first thing required in obtaining a wise viewpoint on something is diversity of opinion. Do you think that gainfully employed, well compensated, executives is a sufficiently diverse crowd from which to gauge the healthiness of an economy?
Surprises and What Else is New?
Looking through the "National competitiveness balance sheet" for Puerto Rico there are a few surprises and some "No Shit, Sherlock" (NSS) entries. Here were the most interesting:
- NSS Entry # 1: In the first pillar, Institutions, Puerto Rico ranks 130th for "Burden of government regulation" and 105th for "Wastefulness of government spending". We need leadership that has the balls and mental fortitude to stand-up to organized labor and public appeal to clean out the government (and I'm not talking about the politicians). I agree 100% with our good friend "Gil the Jenius" and his recent call to reduce the government in his post "Government Solutions - Part 1".
- NSS Entry #2: Staying in the same pillar, Puerto Rico ranks 67th in "Favoritism in decisions of government officials" and 64th in "Transparency of government policymaking". We are desperate for some strong leadership to reverse these two trends. Unfortunately, none of the four leading candidates for Governor fits that description.
- NSS Entry #3: In the 3rd pillar, Macroeconomic stability, Puerto Rico ranks 124th (almost last) in "National savings rate". This is one of the few rankings based on hard data. I can only imagine that the poorest of the poor African nations save less than we do. But of course, the per capita GDP of the last place country on the list is only $1,600 per year. What does this say about our individual abilities to prosper in the future?
- NSS Entry #4: In the 5th pillar, Higher education and training, Puerto Rico ranks 90th in the "Quality of math and science education", 60th in overall "Quality of the educational system", 57th in "Internet access in schools", and 39th in "Quality of management schools". The crisis here, is that if we don't improve in these areas our prognosis for sustaining our position or climbing in the ranking of world economies is very low.
- NSS Entry #5: In the 6th pillar, Goods market efficiency, Puerto Rico ranks 94th in the "Extent and effect of taxation". Are you getting that bitter mediciney taste in your mouth yet? Let's just summarize: Our primary economic disadvantages by saying, for the most part our Government is the number one obstacle from having a more competitive economy.
- Last NSS Entry, #6: In the 11th pillar, Business sophistication, Puerto Rico ranks 9th, in the "Extent of marketing". Holy over-stating the obvious Batman. Next thing you're going to try and tell me is that Puerto Rico is surrounded by water. On one hand I agree with this completely. I believe that the ability of marketers to motivate local consumers is very sophisticated. My worry is that this marketing goes on much more than we want to believe, like the media latching onto the report of Puerto Rico doing well in their debut in the global competitiveness study and trying to sell it as Puerto Rico having one of the best economies. Just how do you define best? On the other hand, as I've been ranting about lately. Puerto Rico ranks far behind in their acceptance of online marketing.
- 7th in "Time required to start a business", really, really?
- 92nd in "HIV prevalence" This seems wrong. By placing us near Africa in terms of the impact of HIV, you'd think we would hear more about this problem.
- 1st in "Malaria incidence", we have the lowest occurrence of Malaria? Who would of figured?
- 94th in "Female participation in labor force". Being a dude, this is one I wouldn't have picked up on. Would any of our female readers care to comment?
- 14th in "Broadband Internet subscribers". While this is based on hard data, it seems very wrong.
On November 6th and 7th the Administracion de Servicios Generales (ASG) and a large group of sponsors will host the second Encuentro Comericial de Licitadores y Compradores de Puerto Rico. The conference, which has as a theme "Abriendo Las Puertas a tu Negocio", provides an opportunity to present products and services to the Principle Market in Puerto Rico: The Government (their emphasis), estimated to be $4,000 million.
As mentioned, this event is an initiative of the General Services Administration (ASG are its initials in Spanish), which is responsible for promoting the economic growth of the island by involving more businesses in the government of Puerto Rico. The event offers businesses the opportunity to meet the people in charge of the purchasing decisions of the government agencies, as well as complete the rapid registration (Cet-Pymes) for the permits necessary to join the Registro Único de Licitadores (RUL) administered by the ASG. In addition, participants will have an opportunity to learn about the programs and incentives, created by various government agencies, for the benefit of small and medium sized businesses, such as:
- La Llave para tu Negocio
- Ley de Reservas en las Compras de Gobierno
- Agro Empresas
- CET PYMes
- Programa AVANCE del Banco de Desarrollo
Good morning children. Today's lesson is about pop culture. Can you say that, repeat after me. Pop, as in pop goes the weasel (which is actually quite appropriate for today's topic if you are an avid reader of Jil the Genus). Culture, as in the arts, beliefs, customs, institutions, and all other products of human work and thought created by a people or group of people at a particular time.
I want to talk, specifically about a little toy that is very popular on the Internet called YouTube. Which is a new version of an old little box we all stare at and are infected by culture. But this new version isn't controlled by the bosses who are currently shaping our culture, it's controlled by Google, who sets some limits on what kind of culture we can receive through YouTube. Which leaves the rest of the task of defining culture up to us, the people. In a small way it is new mirror we hold up to ourselves to reflect our culture. Although I'd have to say it is one of those funny carnival mirrors that makes you look all distorted, because if YouTube is an accurate reflection of our culture, even praying to God isn't going to help us.
And as culture tends to evolve with our adaption of new tools, a new use of YouTube has emerged during the current political election process. First it was recently used to collect and refine questions for political candidates during a recent debate. Which lead to YouTube becoming an important media channel for candidates where they must participate, manage, and converse with the people of the Unites States. If you visit any of the current presidential hopefuls, you'll find videos and YouTube thoroughly integrated.
If you'll ask any of my friends, all three of them, they'll tell you that I have some basic assumptions about life and culture in Puerto Rico. One of my most useful and popular assumptions is that technology adoption in Puerto Rico lags the United States by anywhere from 3 to 7 years. However, one industry nearly eliminates that lag, the political industry. In fact, I think the local political system's adaption of tricks reamins close to the leading edge. As a sample consider the debacle the United States suffered through in 2000 when Al Gore was defeated by the Supreme Court of the United States in his run to become president. Well it was no coincidence that as soon as 2004 the courts had to decide that Anibal Acevedo Vila was elected governor.
So now, as YouTube becomes an important tool in the current presidential election process, so it is with our 2008 gubernatorial election process. Searching through YouTube, there are already videos available for the top three gubernatorial candidates. Here is a quick sampling of a few of the representative videos (btw, I couldn't actually stomach putting the videos inline, so you'll have to follow the links...):
Luis Fortuño
Pedro Rossello
Anibal Acevedo Vilá
I'd have to say things get even stranger when we stop to take a look at the web sites for the 2008 gubernatorial candidates. Of the candidates, only Luis Fortuño has his campaign web site operational at the time of this post. On his web site, Fortuño has a page dedicated to videos where he embeds relevant videos from YouTube. The other two candidates have not launched official campaign websites, but they have setup, get ready for it..., MySpace pages (here for Rossello and here for Acevedo Vila). They obviously pimp out their spaces with YouTube videos as well as a bunch of other mind-numbing crap.
As far as I can tell, none of the videos in YouTube has too many views, all of them are around 1,000 views. Which is really no surprise. First, with nearly 100% saturation in all news media channels of local politics, who in their right mind would actually choose to listen to more from these blow hards? But probably more insightful, while the candidates themselves might be at the leading edge, it doesn't mean their supporters are. A mistake we are all too familiar with here at DóndeEs.com.
I'm definitely down with the general philosophy that talk is cheap, and its many colored varieties such as the all-time favorite money talks and bullshit walks. So I prefer taking action versus voicing opinions. It is my time proven theory that action defines our true character. It is so seductively simple to flap our gums and say things, but it is quite a different story to actually will ourselves into action and do something. So while it may be brash to generalize and say that we are all a bunch of sorry ass liars, but to know what truly lies in the heart and mind of a person, then look at what they do. WARNING: However, under no circumstance should you try to connect what they are saying with what they are doing, or even worse, try to figure out why they are saying one thing but doing another. It is simply beyond the normal powers of humans to make these connections.
So in this line of thought, the upcoming "The Price of Government" workshop implores everyone to "Join, Attend, and Be Part of the Solution". In his return to Puerto Rico, David Osborne, (no not Super David Osborne) author of the bestselling book "Reinventing Government" panel of well-known speakers to comment on how to apply Osborne's recommendations to , will lead a distinguished Puerto Rico. While I'm sure that some of the distinguished individuals invited will have something more compelling to do (see first paragraph) and send a lackey to represent their respective offices, the preliminary guest list includes:
- Lcdo. Jorge Silva Puras, Secretary of the Government
- Sr. William Riefkohl, Executive Vice President, Industrial Association
- Dra. Palmira Rios, Director, Graduate School of Administration, UPR
- Héctor Bernier, CPA, President, College of Certified Public Accountants.
The workshop will be Friday, February 23rd in the Hotel Caribe Hilton from 8:30 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. Tickets are $199 per person and $249 per person at the event. For reservations visit The Cavatina Center home page or call (787) 622-7100.