What Democracy Looks Like in Costa Rica

posted by John Nichols on 10/05/2007 @ 10:50am

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Americans may have forgotten what democracy looks like.

Our current president was chosen in 2000 not by the voters -- Al Gore won the popular vote by a comfortable margin of more than 500,000 ballots -- but by a Supreme-Court dictated Electoral College vote. Another Electoral College "win" came in 2004, when George Bush secured a second term on the "strength" of Ohio results that, while more favorable to the Republicans than the 2000 numbers from the battleground state of Florida, were so dubious in their generation and so uncertain in their accuracy that the congressional certification was challenged by Ohio representatives and the ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee. Our Congress, which was elected in 2006 to end the war in Iraq, has rejected the will of the people and handed the Bush-Cheney administration more money than it requested to maintain the occupation of a sovereign land where the people would prefer to guide their own affairs. And even as the vast majority of Americans -- including six in ten Republicans -- oppose trade policies that offshore jobs, devastate communities in the U.S. and abroad and batter the environment, an unconscionable president and an unresponsive Congress pursue new agreements designed to empower corporations rather than citizens.

If Americans want to find evidence of democracy, they might look south to the Latin American republic of Costa Rica -- where voters will decide Sunday on whether they want their country to sign onto the Central American Free Trade Agreement that is currently being promoted by the White House, The Wall Street Journal and the multinational corporations that are the generous the patrons of both those institutions.

Imagine that: In Costa Rica, the people are being invited to participate in the debate over their economic future.

It is a concept so foreign to the United States as to be almost unimaginable. Yet, once upon a time, there was a lively debate in the U.S. Congress and this country's media about measures such as the Ludlow and Bricker amendments to the U.S. Constitution, proposals designed to give American citizens a real voice in decisions about whether to go to war and how and when the country will enter into multilateral treaty agreements.

Today, the members of Congress who are cheering on the democratic process in Costa Rica, such as Vermont Independent Senator Bernie Sanders, are ridiculed by the Wall Street Journal as opposing open markets and U.S. interests. Sanders is savaged for traveling to Costa Rica to reassure citizens there that voting against CAFTA will not mark their country as a pariah in the eyes of responsible U.S. officials. The senator's defense of democracy and citizen engagement is dismissed by the Journal as "as pure a distillation of the case for protectionism as you'll find outside the pages of Nation magazine..." Of course, The Nation has a long history of embracing enlightened internationalism, as does Sanders, but free-trade fundamentalists do not have much taste for the facts -- or for the will of the people.

So be it.

Democracy has never had many friends among the elites. But Sanders is right to celebrate the fact that, as he notes, "On Oct. 7, Costa Rica will become the first country where citizens have the opportunity to vote for or against a trade agreement. Despite being heavily outspent by the moneyed interests, despite opposition from the Costa Rican government and the U.S. ambassador, despite an extremely hostile media, the latest polls have the election as a toss-up. Incredibly, just the other day, in a nation of only four million people, well over 100,000 marched in opposition to the treaty -- a sign of the deep grassroots opposition there to CAFTA."

Sanders opposes CAFTA. But, on his trip to Costa Rica, he did not tell people there how to vote. "That's there business, not mine," he says. So why did he make the journey? "To help counter the lies being spread in Costa Rica that suggested that if the people there, exercising their democratic rights, voted 'no' on CAFTA, the U.S. government would punish them..."

Unlike his critics, Sanders is enthusiastic about democratizing the debate about trade policy. And he does not want Bush-Cheney administration appointees, The Wall Street Journal or multinational corporate interests to stifle the process. "When the people in a free, democratic and independent country like Costa Rica vote their conscience they should not be punished by the world's superpower," the senator says.

Make no mistake, Sanders is being attacked for expressing deeply-rooted American values. Instead of threatening Costa Rica, our leaders should renew those values by borrowing a page from our good neighbor to the south. If Costa Rica can democratize the trade debate, why not the U.S.?

Comments (62)

JOHN NICHOLS: He Lost John, Gore lost. Whether the popular vote was determined to be greater for Gore or Bush, and there are claims from both sides, (one no more or less legitimate than the other) the fact is neither could gleem a decisive enough number to keep the Court from coming in and stopping the circus. It was necessary, and frankly was one of the mechanisms that MAKE the democracy work. And your accusations about Ohio, like the 2000 results, are simply sour grapes coming from someone who would no doubt be conspicuously silent had the results gone the other way. Get over it.

Chip

Posted by CHIP THORNTON at 10/05/2007 @ 09:29am
Posted by CHIP THORNTON 10/05/2007 @ 09:29am

Well, I hate to agree with CHIP, Mr Nichols, but that one thing is true....

"are simply sour grapes coming from someone who would no doubt be conspicuously silent had the results gone the other way"

If Kerry had won Ohio and the Electoral College....he STILL would have lost the popular vote by 2.5+ Million votes. Would you be harping on the fact that "Our current president (Kerry) was chosen in 2004 not by the voters -- GEORGE BUSH won the popular vote by a comfortable margin"?

Posted by Mask at 10/05/2007 @ 09:36am
Whewwwwwwwwwwww...even I never suspected that John Nichols was this far into tin foil hat territory. It explains a lot.

Posted by pontificus at 10/05/2007 @ 10:37am
The real danger of this kind of "Bush stole the election" talk is that some gullible people actually believe it. Then it justifies in their own minds doing illegal things (e.g., voter fraud) in an attempt to ACTUALLY STEAL an election, because 'Bush did it first'. This is the true reason why irresponsible writings such as Nichols' are so detrimental and destructive.

Posted by pontificus at 10/05/2007 @ 10:40am
Nichols epitomizes the hypocrasy of the uber left for those of us in the middle and right....any way you look at it, and all the news groups, lawyers and special interest groups did recounts ad nauseum in FL and the result came up the same....GORE LOST, thank God, he lost...had to be an act of God..

Did more people put an "X" in the Gore box, yes, is that how we elect presidents ? NO.....

And as far as FL and votes going to candidates the voter wanted to vote for but put an "X" in the wrong box? Sorry,..printed samples ballots, help lines, at polls help, all put together by the controlling Dems commitees and the voter STILL votes for the wrong box...then I suggest the problem be solved by not allowing complete idiots to vote at all since they are not bright enough to put an X in the box next to the guy they want, then I do not want them to have a say in anything as large as picking a leader for the future..

I am surprised Johnnie is STILL wasting space with 2000...and as far as 2004...not worth a comment..the problem was the Dem candidate himself..not "errors"..enough said.

Posted by john maasch at 10/05/2007 @ 10:41am
Whewwwwwwwwwwww...even I never suspected that John Nichols was this far into tin foil hat territory. It explains a lot.

Posted by PONTIFICUS 10/05/2007 @ 10:37am

It sure does..must be a slow day..maybe John needs a date..find a nice woman., get out a little, have some dinner in a nice restaturant..IE.,...get a life.

Posted by john maasch at 10/05/2007 @ 10:42am
Imagine that: In Costa Rica, the people are being invited to participate in the debate over their economic future.

It is a concept so foreign to the United States as to be almost unimaginable.

What is even more foreign to the United States - and therefore completely unimaginable - is the fact that Costa Rica doesn't have an army...

And, yes, I have to agree with Mask, Chip and the rest of you. The somewhat strange electoral system in the US is but a minor problem anyway, compared to the fact that the system as a whole is utterly and completely corrupt. I saw a CNN report the other day about the amounts of money raised by Clinton and Obama for their respective campaigns. Clinton's now pulling ahead, appearantly, because of her poll ratings. No use bribing someone who won't win...

Posted by Amsterdam69 at 10/05/2007 @ 10:43am
Chip & Pointy

Try a brief read from Forbes HERE

Posted by leftofcenter at 10/05/2007 @ 10:53am
Posted by AMSTERDAM69 10/05/2007 @ 10:43am

Well, it's trickle-down bribery, AMSTER.

See, Hillary gets the big donors. Then she promises Ron Dellums and other Democrats that she'll give them Government cash when she's elected AND spreads the wealth a bit by fundraising for them as well as herself. And they go to their various constituents and tell them to vote for her.

So even a the lowliest Dem (or Repub, not partisan) Congressperson gets to have a taste.

It's a beautiful thing to watch....heheh

Posted by Mask at 10/05/2007 @ 10:59am
Wow...it seems that the GOP finally has a candidate that moderates might vote for! See VIDEO CLIP

Posted by leftofcenter at 10/05/2007 @ 11:06am
Posted by LEFTOFCENTER 10/05/2007 @ 10:53am

First, that's Harper's, not Forbes....

Second, do you remember when Barbara Boxer tried to push and investigation into Ohio-2004 and got...NO (as in none, zero) support from her fellow Senators....including KERRY?!?!?

Third, now that Dems are in the majority, why isn't John Conyers investigating Ohio-2004. He's the CHAIRMAN of the Committee now.

and fourth, (on my point), hardly ANYBODY is claiming that Bush "stole THREE MILLION votes"....so even if Kerry had won Ohio and the EC, my point remains....would John Nichols OR Mark Crispin Miller be complaining about the "current president was chosen in 2004 not by the voters"?!?!?

Posted by Mask at 10/05/2007 @ 11:07am
First: Oops...my bad. Mask...you are correct. Had both websites open on different articles and got them transposed.....

Second and third: The Forbe's article notes a Congressional report. Shenanigans uncovered and well known. The real issue then becomes "why does no one seem to care?"

Fourth: I'm sure someone would be complaining!

Personally I'm for "old school" democracy. Elect by popular vote alone amongst all valid candidates - that is "the will of the people", right? Also, no VP candidate. The runner up is VP. That way it may, or may not, be a mixed exec. If so it forces the two sides to at least get along functionally.

Also NO private interest money for campaigns. If private monies want to assist with campaigns, it should be tossed into the public pot and be divided equally. Third (or 4th) party candidates should be allowed at debates as long as they meet the validity requisite. This same old two-party (if we can even discern between the two) BS is NOT what the founders intended.

Posted by leftofcenter at 10/05/2007 @ 11:36am
MASK

You Hate to agree with me ?? WELL!!!!!!

I know when I've been insulted! I know when I've been insulted!

:)

Posted by CHIP THORNTON at 10/05/2007 @ 12:05pm
message to schmuk america - as the stock market goes up, your median income has gone down...

whats good for wall street is good for you?

the median income has declined since 1970...even as the stock market has skyrocketed...

why? very simple...

allowing countries who pay their laborers less than a dollar an hour means that if you make more than around 5 to 6 an hour, even taking into account transportation costs - your employer cannot compete...

easy...simple...

so does business give any back to help you get retrained/re-educated (pointless ultimately, by the way), or to ANY social program that might offset the net domestic median loss of income?

NO!

whats good for wallstreet is good for wallstreet, but, according to median incoe, without some redistribution...impoverishing the rest of america...

in the 90's under clinton I, they said, "hey...you gotta go back to school, get re-educated...learn new skills - its going to be a service economy..."

so lots of middle aged family types who found themselves out of work as a direct result of having their jobs shipped overseas flipped burgers and cut grass and went to tech schools, community colleges and learned how to program computors or the new service sector touted by mr. clinton and our economic overlords...

but now even these service sector jobs get shipped overseas!

what next? and while this happens, wall street laughs all the way to the bank, and its ceo's pay themselves buzillions...and bristle at giving some back in the form of social programs that might offset the loss of income...

bushclintonbushclinton....

they dont care...they just represent the investment/ceo class...

keep watching that dancing with the stars, and vote for your destruction, schmuk america...thy destruction has a name...

BUSHCLINTONBUSHCLINTON....

Posted by ibbleblibble at 10/05/2007 @ 12:28pm
Why with such sterling little platitudes and supremely infantile babble about "democracy" it's no wonder the American talent for idiocy prances onward with no shortage of trailblazers! What do get when puerile gullibility conspires with mindless patriotism? Absurdity masquerading as sagacity. Democracy went down for a dirt nap many moons ago. It's nothing but money, humbuggery and burlesque. You can boo and hiss, clap and cheer, but please don't think you have any greater purpose than that of spectator to the gross production. The circus never leaves town here...

Posted by chimichenga at 10/05/2007 @ 12:33pm
but i was slightly wrong...

the eternal re-education is not ultimately pointless...

eventually we will end up with a highly educated under-employed, under-payed DISGRUNTLED NATION.

its already under way...look at the 2-3 million behind bars now...

the more our economy dries up for the average schmuk, the worse it will get.

the question i have is when does it reach critical mass? when do enough idiots lose the ability to pay the cable bill and start looking around and lashing out in fury and frustration - at their real tormentors rather than each other?

Posted by ibbleblibble at 10/05/2007 @ 1:07pm
Posted by LEFTOFCENTER 10/05/2007 @ 11:36am

I'm just saying that those who complained about 2000 and "no popular vote mandate" or even "illegitimate because he was only the EC winner"....

would say nothing if Kerry had won Ohio (and the EC) and lost by 2.5 Million popular votes.

Posted by Mask at 10/05/2007 @ 1:12pm
Posted by CHIP THORNTON 10/05/2007 @ 12:05pm

Ah, come on, CT....you know I love you more than my folks! .

..

.

...

.

..

. .

.

(they don't like you at all!....heheh)

Posted by Mask at 10/05/2007 @ 1:13pm
LOL

Posted by CHIP THORNTON at 10/05/2007 @ 1:17pm
Benajmin Franklin, when asked what kind of government had been formed behind closed doors he reportedly said, "You have a Republic if you can keep it." The Founding Fathers HATED democracy as much as Americans hate Communism or what we think is Communism. They thought it was basically nothing more than mob rule. Having said this, they realized that goverments become corrupt so they drafted the Bill of Rights and the Consitution. I recommend everybody tries reading it instead of only just talking about it!

http://www.constitution.org/constit_.htm

Posted by johnbyk at 10/05/2007 @ 1:35pm
well, nichols is simply being historically accurate when he says elections were stolen. but don't let historical accuracy get in the way of "the way democracy works", and all that.

and sanders is being disingenuous when he tells the costa ricans there will be no repurcussions from the u.s. gov't if they reject this version of central american nafta. rubbish. how can he promise that? the u.s. gov't - along with its corporate agitprops - always launches counter-measures when their corporate/statist economic hegemony & dreams are rejected or threatened. i'm not sure there's ever been a case where they haven't, in fact.

so for a socialist congressperson to go promise costa ricans that there will be no repurcussions from the u.s. government if they reject cafta is nothing short of amazing. you'd think he'd know better by now, him of all people. i'm serously curious as to how he thinks he's going to keep that promise. in fact, i'm pretty sure he won't be able to.

what next. let's just say i hope i'm wrong...heck, i used to live in costa rica and have many friends there. making false promises to them about the nature of American power is the last thing they need; it pretty much shocks me that that a man of sanders' stature would do such a thing...

Posted by Scrub at 10/05/2007 @ 1:36pm
perhaps if mr. nichols had focused on

a comparison of the peoples of

costa rica, canada, mexico, and the united states,

and WHO got to DECIDE

whether to accept

SHAFTA* etc.,,,,,,

his article would have been more effective

in highlighting the fact

that democracy is an ever evolving art,

and that any nation, place, or township

can rise up and perform that art with more skill and integrity.

Posted by frosty zoom at 10/05/2007 @ 3:07pm
What's next?

"The former aide, who has himself signed up with Sen Edwards, said: "The question is: where have all the Kerry people gone? The answer for most of them is nowhere. Now ask yourself why."

Among the senior officials not yet committed is Michael Whouley, who was national field director for the successful Clinton-Gore 1992 presidential campaign, national campaign manager for Mr Gore when he stood for re-election as vice-president in 1996, and then a senior adviser to Mr Gore in 2000.

Considered one of the most talented Democratic "ground war" experts, he masterminded John Kerry's political resurrection in the New Hampshire presidential primary three years ago, putting him on course for the nomination. Last year, he oversaw the Democratic victory in the mid-term elections.

Two months ago, a former Gore aide, Elaine Kamarck, convened a group of former aides in Boston to consider the possibilities of a Gore campaign."

http://tinyurl.com/2dokls

Ok, so 6 months later...

http://tinyurl.com/38hyfl

Hhhmmmm...

Posted by hsuBfools at 10/05/2007 @ 7:39pm
Posted by HSUBFOOLS 10/05/2007 @ 7:39pm

To all newcomers...HSUB has been predicting BOTH "Bush/Cheney impeachment" and "Gore runs in 2008" by THIS Halloween for 10 months.

27 days left!

Posted by Mask at 10/05/2007 @ 9:23pm
Hi Everyone I am from Costa Rica and you have no idea what we are going through, we dont know to believe in Bush´s ultimatums or if we should trust the democrats, who tells us that we are save and that CR will not be punished by the US people. Actually our president says that Americans will see us as terrorists our stuff like that, even the Tourism sector thinks thats that US people will not feel free to come here if we say No to CAFTA.

Posted by varelachang at 10/06/2007 @ 12:57am
VARELACHANG,

I wish I could reasure you that hsuB/cHeney were honorable men, however they are anything but honorable. I can say that they are pretty occupied destroying what's left of our country and constitution and our military. A majority of the people here in the USA are against hsuB/cHeney and wish our representatives in congress would get rid of them-- soon. Our mass media are pretty cowardly for the most part but have started getting more agressive with the lying that hsuB/cHeney do habitually. Perhaps that's some solice.

Are you familiar with Al Gore?

http://pbrla.blogspot.com/2007/09/al-gores-fall.html

http://tinyurl.com/2mqc3x

http://www.pollingreport.com/right.htm

http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/polling

http://www.democrats.com/bush-impeachment-polls

Posted by hsuBfools at 10/06/2007 @ 01:36am
http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/07132007/profile.html

Posted by hsuBfools at 10/06/2007 @ 01:44am
John, you started with a great headline and rambled on for half the article like someone on Rosie Pills. Much has already be said about your election hallucinations, so I want to try and clear your your head about our current trade status arising from Bush/Cheney.

Let's play a little association game and see if anything seeps through the fog.

Clinton/Gore

Democrats signing tons of trade agreements

Suspected campaign contributions from forign governments

Attorney General refused to investigate

Witnesses leaving the country

Governments who may have contributed to Clinton/Gore getting extremely favorable agreements

Buddist nuns writing checks

John, just blink if any of this rings a bell.

Posted by RAGGEDSTEP at 10/06/2007 @ 10:16am
Hi Everyone I am from Costa Rica and you have no idea what we are going through, we dont know to believe in Bush´s ultimatums or if we should trust the democrats, who tells us that we are save and that CR will not be punished by the US people. Actually our president says that Americans will see us as terrorists our stuff like that, even the Tourism sector thinks thats that US people will not feel free to come here if we say No to CAFTA.

Posted by VARELACHANG

Varela, NO ES VERDAD! Por touristas Americanos como yo, Costa Rica es mi vida y me amor. Pero, los companias americanos lo que negocios in Costa Rica teine alternatavos in Panama, Mexico y otra pais con CAFTA y NAFTA....Mas Trabajando por los jentes americanos & los Ticos con CAFTA!

(Please forgive my broken Spanish!) in English, to sum: we need more trade & commerce between Costa Rica and the US, and CAFTA will help bring it about. Don't believe propaganda about americans thinking anyone is a terrorist for voting aginst CAFTA, this is a distortion. CAFTA will be good for jobs and trade between both countries, but it won't be the end of the world if Costa Rica says no to CAFTA...

Posted by davebarlett at 10/06/2007 @ 12:56pm
when are you complainers going to get over the fact that Gore won Florida? Hello, the newspaper recount, which would have been done if SCOTUS had not illegally interferred with states' rights, showed Gore won under all four vote counting scenarios. Just because the New York Times put it on page 10 with a misleading headline doesn't make it deniable.

Just because this happened doesn't mean the world is going to fall apart. It happened. Deal with it and stop responding with reality denying complaints.

By the way, I didn't vote for Gore, but I am a reality based person and I do support the laws and Constitution of this country. It is rationally undeniable: Gore won Florida in 2000.

Deal with it.

Posted by neaguy at 10/06/2007 @ 1:50pm
Gore won Florida in 2000.

Deal with it.

Posted by NEAGUY

Just keep telling yourself that, and sooner or later, you'll actually believe it, and then, and only then, can you start to get over it...(heh,heh)

Posted by davebarlett at 10/06/2007 @ 2:06pm
There was a point to this article even though the author obsecured it. Does anyone have any thoughts on how much input the American people should have vis a vis trade agreements?

Posted by RAGGEDSTEP at 10/06/2007 @ 3:56pm
We will never know which candidate won Florida in 2000 because of the machiavelian machinations (gee, I've waited a long time to use that phrase) of Repbublican operatives led by John Bolton who were bussed to Florida to stop the recount.

Florida's constitution requires a 100% recount when elections are close. Gore erred by requesting only a parital recount, but I remain amused by the hypocracy of the "Party of State's Rights" scampering to the Federal Supreme Court to interfere with a State's execution of its own constitution.

BTW: Just to "keep it real," if Gore had won in his own state, he would have had the electoral votes to win the Presidency, even without winning Florida, so the Florida debacle is something of a canard. Gore may well have lost fair and square. 'Tis a shame we'll never know.

Posted by Radscal at 10/06/2007 @ 4:28pm
To all newcomers...HSUB has been predicting "Bush/Cheney impeachment" for 10 months.

27 days left!

Posted by MASK 10/05/2007 @ 9:23pm

and the saddest part is you're right.

Posted by frosty zoom at 10/06/2007 @ 4:44pm
addendum:

not you, the situartion.

Posted by frosty zoom at 10/06/2007 @ 4:44pm
Posted by FROSTY ZOOM 10/06/2007 @ 4:44pm

Never said it was right, just that it was reality. HSUB is growing increasingly hysteric. If Gore doesn't announce (impeachment by Halloween is already over, done with)....HSUB will lose it. It's all he's got.

Posted by Mask at 10/06/2007 @ 8:50pm
Posted by MARKCANYON 10/06/2007 @ 2:56pm

Before anybody feels comfy with MARK...take a look at his other posts. Smells like another LaRoucher in da hou'use!

Posted by Mask at 10/06/2007 @ 8:52pm
Posted by MASK 10/06/2007 @ 8:52pm

Laroucher? You sure?

I've been getting more of an Adolf vibe.

Posted by Malcontent at 10/06/2007 @ 11:06pm
Posted by VARELACHANG 10/06/2007 @ 12:57am

fight it.

you guys turned back the filibusterers of william walker...

make a stand

pura vida!

Posted by ibbleblibble at 10/06/2007 @ 11:33pm
Be practical, what works in an island nation of 5M people will not work in the US.

I agree with most that is said in this article, but it's not as simple as letting Americans vote on nearly every issue. After all, do you want the people who elected Bush in 2004 to vote on a free trade agreement. At most 20% of Americans will be able to say something intelligent about free trade.

The kind of logic in this post is sloppy, and in order to beat the conservatives in the war of ideas, we can't be so careless.

Posted by yoshakezula at 10/07/2007 @ 01:56am
Why is it that the House does not create say a $500 direct tax credit,and for people that get money back a $500 refund if people can show they voted in the last presidential election? It would encourage participation of that 30% that is always missing in the presidential elections (and much more in other elections)and we would get a real democracy with people participating in a level of 95% or more.

Yes, Gore did win the popular vote at that time. And no, if Gore was President certainly the Bush-Kerry thing would not had happened in the first place. Nor had Bush won over Kerry if he had told the truth or forbidden the "swiftboat veterans for truth" propaganda. See, the first requisite of democracy is that people know the truth because if people don't know the truth how can they take a right decision? Reps have certainly initiated these late wave of false statements, inuendos and nuclear threats to work the people to their side. Is that democracy?? I basically agree with Nichols.

Posted by Frank42 at 10/07/2007 @ 02:46am
an island nation of 5M people

Posted by YOSHAKEZULA 10/07/2007 @ 01:56am

huh?

"Costa Rica (literally "Rich Coast"), officially the Republic of Costa Rica (Spanish: Costa Rica or República de Costa Rica, IPA: [re'pu?lika ðe 'kosta 'rrika]), is a Republic in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the south-southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, and the Caribbean Sea to the east. Costa Rica was the first country in the world to constitutionally abolish its army.

yeah!

Posted by frosty zoom at 10/07/2007 @ 02:51am
Costa Rica was the first country in the world to constitutionally abolish its army. Posted by FROSTY ZOOM 10/07/2007 @ 02:51am

Yep, and if I remember corrrectly, their nearly bloodless revolution was led by a school teacher who was then appointed president by other leaders of the revolution. Basically, his first action was to ban the military and his second was to resign, saying that a president should not be appointed by a small group of people, s/he should be directly elected by popular vote.

Costa Rica avoided the nearly inevitable invasion by US Marines (as had already happend after popular revolutions in Guatamala, Panama, Haiti, etc.) by not nationalizing the landholdings of the United Fruit Company - now known as "Dole" (yes, THAT Dole family). Instead, it required higher wages and profit-sharing that led to a population with a large middle class and nearly no super-wealthy or super-poor, and with a higher funcional literacy rate than the U.S.

They knew, as FRANK42 noted, that a democracy requires an informed electorate.

Posted by Radscal at 10/07/2007 @ 11:56am
Posted by MALCONTENT 10/06/2007 @ 11:06pm

No, MARKCANYON has all the earmarks of a LaRoucher. Anti-Semite PLUS liberal economic ideologies. "V" was one, but hid the anti-Jewish stuff. "ZERO" might be one, since he's also anti-feminist (another LL trait) and won't comment on global warming (LaRouchers are GW deniers, as well as Holocaust deniers of course).

MARK here is that oddest of all chimera....a leftist bigot.

Posted by Mask at 10/07/2007 @ 2:36pm
Posted by MASK 10/07/2007 @ 2:36pm

Man, you can't help yourself, right? Slapping labels on bloggers must be part of your assigned role!

You know so much damn useless poli-sci stuff, can't you `educate' without sticking people in your `holes'....NOBODY gives a shit if V/MARK/ZERO is this or that!

Posted by Happy at 10/07/2007 @ 5:21pm
Posted by HAPPY 10/07/2007 @ 5:21pm

Sorry, you think it shouldn't be pointed out when someone is a bigot (in this case, an vehement, even honest anti-Semite)?

Posted by Mask at 10/07/2007 @ 7:59pm
Posted by MARKCANYON 10/07/2007 @ 5:15pm

So MARK, question....are you a basic Holocaust denier, or do you just feel the Germans didn't do a good enough job?

(BTW, I'm sure you have done a family tree analysis, haven't you? Don't want to find out you're a "Mischling" and ruin your fun!)

Posted by Mask at 10/07/2007 @ 8:03pm
Sorry, you think it shouldn't be pointed out when someone is a bigot (in this case, an vehement, even honest anti-Semite)?

Posted by MASK 10/07/2007 @ 7:59pm

I don't judge people as quickly as perhaps you.......I did read portions of what that blogger posted.....he's new and unless some consistent pattern emerges, I'm not ruffled! But then, I don't `tune' into this kind of stuff to the degree you do....probably explains in part, why I'm not a Lib!

Posted by Happy at 10/07/2007 @ 10:42pm
Been reading your threads MARKCANYON, and now I have a question. Assuming your correct, if you woke up tomorrow and, through some wierd magic, had the unquestioned power for, say, one year, to fix the situation as you see it. What would you do? Exactly.

Posted by CHIP THORNTON at 10/08/2007 @ 07:33am
".. We need a prisoner exchange: Blacks out, Jews in."

Posted by MARKCANYON 10/06/2007 @ 1:15pm

Posted by Malcontent at 10/08/2007 @ 09:02am
Posted by MARKCANYON 10/08/2007 @ 03:32am | ignore this person

what a disgusting piece of shit this poster is. Joseph Goebbels lives.

don't take this quietly Nation bloggers. this is pure hate.

where is the outrage?

Posted by johannesrolf at 10/08/2007 @ 09:29am
Posted by JOHANNESROLF 10/08/2007 @ 09:29am

If you didn't have me or a dozen others on Ignore, you insufferable snob, you'd SEE that lots of folks came out against our resident Nazi....

but your own EGO prevents you seeing "the outrage"!

Posted by Mask at 10/08/2007 @ 09:35am
JR, don't konw if I've made your illustrious ignore list yet.

Don't you think it's odd to have an opinion and comment, on that which you are ignoreing?

Many have challenged MissedtheMarkCanyonsizedchiponmyshoulder. I know reposting pisses you off, but mask (remember him?) said it best;

"If you didn't have me or a dozen others on Ignore, you insufferable snob, you'd SEE that lots of folks came out against our resident Nazi....

but your own EGO prevents you seeing "the outrage"!

Posted by MASK 10/08/2007 @ 09:35am"

Get over the ignore and come join the party. The good the bad and the ugly. (oh yea, and mask to, whatever he is).

Ignore is silly.

Eric

Posted by Malcontent at 10/08/2007 @ 09:51am
It must stop feeling ashamed of hating its worst enemy, and do what must be done, to free humankind.

Posted by MARKCANYON 10/08/2007 @ 03:32am | ignore this person

are you listening Nation bloggers? where are you Katarina?

Posted by johannesrolf at 10/08/2007 @ 09:53am
Eric, so I'm the problem?

OK kids here it is, I'm outta here.this will be my last post.

Posted by johannesrolf at 10/08/2007 @ 10:04am
Eric, so I'm the problem?

OK kids here it is, I'm outta here.this will be my last post.

Posted by JOHANNESROLF 10/08/2007 @ 10:04am

Anybody want to take my bet....that it WON'T?

Posted by Mask at 10/08/2007 @ 10:30am
Posted by JOHANNESROLF 10/08/2007 @ 10:04am

Seriously, JR, I am somehow missing you motivation. I was trying to goad you into fully participating here, not running off.

I never said you were "the problem". Don't think I even said there was a problem. You did. I just pointed out what you were missing. Which is, of course, your perogative. I just thought it odd that you'd mention it, when you weren't looking at it.

The 'p' word I used was "party", not "problem". Lighten up and start arguing with people.

Eric

Posted by Malcontent at 10/08/2007 @ 10:41am
Eric, I think you didn't realize your place and the Professor has permanently left the class room at your insolence, the final straw from us youngsters who refused to learn at his feet!

Atleast I hope he has!

Posted by Mask at 10/08/2007 @ 4:32pm
OK kids here it is, I'm outta here.this will be my last post.

Posted by JOHANNESROLF 10/08/2007 @ 10:04am

no you are not the problem.

markcanyon has been shown for the fool he is. and you couldn't hear what we said to him. to show him that his ideas were trash.

because you ignore us.

we don't ignore you.

Posted by frosty zoom at 10/08/2007 @ 5:26pm
It was a close vote, but CAFTA was ratified [anywherecostarica.com] by the popular vote. Only a 3.5% margin, but the people spoke yesterday.

Posted by tico86 at 10/08/2007 @ 6:33pm
Posted by TICO86 10/08/2007 @ 6:33pm

seems awfully close.....................................

Posted by frosty zoom at 10/08/2007 @ 6:46pm
Posted by MASK 10/08/2007 @ 4:32pm

Kinda hard to believe that JR started out here, as the one who chided us, for taking arguing with Maash too personally.

Then he went and ate with him. I like to bash Maash, but I always thought that was pretty cool...human...made me respect JR more. I dunno what happened to him...

Oh well. His loss.

Eric

Posted by Malcontent at 10/08/2007 @ 7:21pm