Aquí México
By Humberto Carrillo y Colon
In 2003, in the intermediate elections (just to elect representatives) each vote came out costing $17.24 – that is 18 times more expensive than the average one in 13 Latin American countries.
On that date, according to a study requested of the International Foundation for Electoral Systems by the Federal Electoral Institute, the average cost per vote cast in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Dominican Republic and Uruguay was $0.94 dollar.
The party-ocracy. So that the parties and the government realize what the citizens really want for the power in the democracy to be returned to the people, a blank or void ballot means:
That the number of representatives go from 500 to 300 (like it was before); this business about the parties naming 200 plurinominal representatives without a vote means these can rule without even consulting the citizens.
That there be only one senator per state. Savings would be considerable.
That private health insurance be cancelled for legislators and public officials; these are paid for by the citizen’s taxes.
That the political parties’ budgets (from our taxes) be cut in half, and that their affiliates pay their share for campaigns and general spending. Why are they given money (from our taxes) even from independents and apolitical citizens?
That local and federal representatives and municipal presidents be awarded only two periods (for the presidents to avoid dictatorship). If they do good work, reelect them because with three years in power there’s not much they can do. If not , then they’re out. This would lead to more professionalism in our legislators.
Humberto Carrillo y Colón is a retired professor of the School of Journalism at the Universidad La Salle del Bajío, in León, Guanajuato.
