Reason.com
Turning Right or Running in Place?
Mexico's historic, disappointing election
(Page 2 of 2)
Despite President Vicente Fox's inability to enact necessary tax, energy or labor reforms, Mexico's economy improved on several fronts. Inflation dropped below three percent, interest rates also fell Mexicans can now get fixed-rate loans—the stock market soared and the peso remained stable. Calderon polled well among the middle classes, who tired of recurring economic crises.
Fox, a lousy politician, fell short of his goals thanks in part to intransigent legislators, who refused to go along with his reforms. Calderon, assuming he takes office, will have to deal with a divided Congress and Senate, where no party holds a majority.
Recognizing his slim victory and lack of a strong mandate (he only captured 35.9 percent of the vote, the lowest winning number in modern Mexican history) Calderon promised to form a coalition government. With any luck it might pull Mexico out of legislative gridlock and end its seemingly endless mediocrity.
More Articles by David Agren
- Adios, Presidente, David Agren, December 4, 2006
Related Articles (Mexico)
- The 5 Dumbest Things the Obama Administration Has Said About Mexico's Drug War, Mike Riggs, April 18, 2012
- You Are Now (Almost) Free to Discuss Ending the War on Drugs, Lucy Steigerwald, April 11, 2012
- The Five Worst Op-Eds of 2011, Gene Healy, December 27, 2011
- Cartel Involvement in Failed Iranian Assassination Plot Fuels Push for Terrorist Designation, Mike Riggs, October 21, 2011
- Operation Fast and Furious Is Just the Tip of the Iceberg, Mike Riggs, September 30, 2011
Most Popular Stories
- 5 Classic Teen Sex-and-Drug Freakouts: Rainbow Parties, Butt-Chugging, And So Much More (By Which We Mean Less) (5.27)
- Government Beneficiaries and Other Fairy Tales (5.26)
- Do Organic Consumers Shop Exclusively at the Jerk Store? (5.26)
- Sharon Presley on Libertarian Feminism (5.26)
- Here Are the 15 Senators Who Voted to Stop Armed FDA Agents From Conducting Warrantless Raids on America's Farmers (Not One of Them is a Democrat) (5.24)
Reason RUPE: Public Opinion Survey
- Reason-Rupe: Wisconsinites Favor Increasing Public Union Retirement Contributions to Address Budget Deficit (5.25)
- Reason-Rupe Poll Finds Support for Public Union Reforms (5.25)
- New Poll: Obama Leads Romney In Wisconsin, But Gary Johnson Could Impact the Race (5.24)
- Wisconsin Recall: Walker Leads Barrett 50-42 Among Likely Voters (5.24)
- Reason-Rupe Poll: Walker Leads Barrett 50-42, Obama Leads Romney 46-36 (5.24)
advertisements
Get Reason E-mail Updates!
Manage your Reason e-mail list subscriptionsSite comments/questions:
Media Inquiries and Reprint Permissions:
(310) 367-6109
Editorial & Production Offices:
3415 S. Sepulveda Blvd.
Suite 400
Los Angeles, CA 90034
(310) 391-2245
Editor's Note: We invite comments and request that they be civil and on-topic. We do not moderate or assume any responsibility for comments, which are owned by the readers who post them. Comments do not represent the views of Reason.com or Reason Foundation. We reserve the right to delete any comment or disable your ability to comment for any reason at any time.
new39|5.12.10 @ 3:28AM|#
39 health network
http://www.new39.net