Posted on 02/14/2018 8:24:17 AM PST by Red Badger
Leading presidential hopeful López Obrador seeks to broaden his appeal and soften his reputation as a hot-headed populist _________________________________________________________
MEXICO CITYAndrés Manuel López Obrador, a nationalist who built his career blocking oil wells and railing against the political elite, is trying a third time to achieve what he failed to do twice before: win the Mexican presidency.
The 64-year-old leftist candidate is leading in the polls ahead of the July 1 election after trying to reinvent himself with a new party, unlikely allies and as a champion of national unity who doesnt threaten Mexicos traditional economic powers.
Although once a member of the ruling party and a Mexico City mayor, Mr. López Obrador is benefitting from an outsider image at a time when Mexicans are weary of the violence, corruption and a slowing economy that has hurt the ruling partys popularity.
The stakes for the U.S. are substantial.
Mr. López Obrador has supported the North American Free Trade Agreement but has warned that the current renegotiations between the U.S., Canada and Mexico should be suspended until after Mexicos election. As president, he said he would renegotiate any deal that harms Mexicos interests.
He also has vexed U.S. and other investors by promising to freeze the recent opening of Mexicos oil industry to private investment while he reviews the 91 exploration and production contracts the government has awarded over the past three years for any signs of graft.
Although Mr. López Obrador says he would keep balanced budget deficits and respect the central banks autonomy, his victory would signal a new economic and social model for Mexico. He proposes fostering growth with more government spending, import-substitution policies and higher salariesshifting from the export-based model that has prevailed here during the last 35 years.
(Excerpt) Read more at wsj.com ...
He may be a Leftist, but I hope he wins.
He couldn’t possibly be any worse than the folks currently running Meh-Hee-Co.
What’s the story with the evangelicals mentioned in the title? Can’t see this because of the paywall.
He’s a Chaves/Maduro clone.....maybe worse for Mexicans......EXCELLENT!
Although Mr. López Obrador says he would keep balanced budget deficits and respect the central banks autonomy, his victory would signal a new economic and social model for Mexico. He proposes fostering growth with more government spending, import-substitution policies and higher salariesshifting from the export-based model that has prevailed here during the last 35 years.He's keeping balanced budget deficits? Whew, I was worried those were going to go!
And thrice as deep!..................
FWIW, I hope he wins, too. The US is on the verge of becoming the #1 oil producer -- and offshore drilling hasn't yet begun to expand, and we haven't started drilling the ANWR -- and this aspiring mexican prez wants to "review" (cancel or indefinitely postpone) 91 drilling agreements with (mostly US?) drillers? The only chance any gubmint of Mexico has is if the US does build the wall -- or uses every resource it has to nationalize drug smuggling and processing.
Mexico’s president is elected by plurality in a single round of voting with 6 major candidates in the race:
Current president Nieto, PRI, Chicago style corruption is term limited. PRI candidate is José Antonio Meade Kuribreña, just as corrupt. He will be in the top 3, likely #3.
Obrador is like the Bernie Sanders of Mexico with Trumpian speaking style and much more populist than Bernie, but more far left crazy. He is described as the Hugo Chavez who will turn Mexico into the next Venezuela. If he wins, expect massive immigration to the US. PAN and PRI are scared stiff of what he will do in Mexico. He should be defeated at all costs. We shouldn’t wish him on our worst enemy, let alone our closest neighbor.
Cortés, PAN Party. PAN had the 2 previous presidents. 2006-12 social conservative Pat Buchanan style Calderon. 2000-06 libertarian leaning Club For Growth type Fox. Cortes seems to be less an ideologue than Fox and Calderon. He could be compared to an establishment Republican, a Ryan or McConnell. He and Obrador seem to be competing for the #1 spot. He will try to convince the independents and PRI to back him by scaring everyone about Obrador.
Cortes will be hurt by Calderon’s social conservative wife Zavala who is running as the Pat Buchanan independent. She has no chance of winning. But she cold take enough votes from Cortes to make Cortes come in 2d.
Cortes will be helped by former associates of Obrador in the PRD party who are equally scared of Obrador emulating Venezuela.
Other Independents Piter and Calderon will peel off only a few votes (I think), mostly geographically in their area. Most voters inclined toward ex-President Calderon know that his wife Zavala is the real Calderon social conservative candidate and are not likely to be fooled by the troll co-incidentally named Calderon.
That only a plurality with 6 candidates running is very significant, of course. The President has little power with the Mexican Congress controlling everything.
3,400 other offices are also up. Will it be a wave election? Or will it be a zoo in Congress with nobody having a mandate for anything?
Well it just might be bad enough to convince more people that we do need a wall, so it just might be useful if he does win.
Venezuela 2.0
Coming if he wins.......................
Let Meh-Hee-Co feel the Bern.
a Venezuela on our border is not good, no matter how you look at it. Many anti-Marxists will immediately sympathize with the people the Marxists will persecute.
It could be the 1920s in Mexico all over again.
See the movie FOR GREATER GLORY (aka CRISTIADA) to see the way Obrador thinks. Andy Garcia and Eva Longoia star in it. It is historically accurate.
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