Editor's note: Robert A. Pastor is professor and co-director of the Center for Democracy and Election Management at American University and author of "The North American Idea: A Vision of a Continental Future." The views expressed in this article are solely those of Robert A. Pastor.
By Robert A. Pastor, Special to CNN
The main question asked about the Mexican presidential elections on July 1 is whether victory by the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) means that Mexico will return to its authoritarian past.
The answer is simple: The PRI has changed because Mexico has changed. For more than six decades, the PRI manipulated elections and ruled Mexico in a quasi-authoritarian system. However, between 1988 until 2000, two Mexican presidents – Carlos Salinas de Gortari and Ernesto Zedillo – gradually responded to internal and external pressures and opened the economy and the political system.
I have observed elections in Mexico since 1986 and witnessed the transformation of the election system from the worst to the best in the Americas. The projected victory by PRI candidate Enrique Peña Nieto will not turn Mexico backwards. Mexicans have chosen democracy, and after two terms under PAN presidents, they are voting for change.
Indeed, in this year when the United States is engaged in a ferocious campaign for the presidency, the question that ought to be asked is: How does the U.S. electoral system compare to Mexico's? I undertook a comprehensive study of the electoral systems in North America, and the good news is that the United States came in third. The bad news is that there are only three countries in North America.
In fact, the Mexican electoral system is much fairer, professional, independent and non-partisan than the U.S. system on all eight criteria for assessing election administration:
1. Nonpartisan election administration. Mexico's Federal Electoral Institute (IFE) is a nonpartisan, professional institution in which political party representatives have access but no control. IFE manages a nation-wide system with uniform rules. In contrast, the United States has 13,000 counties and municipalities that manage our national elections with different rules and less capacity. Partisan officials generally control the process, and in a close election, the opposition is often suspicious of the result.
Follow the Mexican election coverage in Spanish at CNNMéxico.com
2. Registration and identification of voters. IFE actively registers about 95% of 77 million eligible voters and gives each a biometric, photo ID card, which Mexicans use as a primary identification. The registration list is audited regularly, and the photos of the voters are on the list in each polling site.
In contrast, U.S. states and communities passively register about 55% of eligible voters, and the lists are flawed with many duplicates and errors, especially between states and counties. Each state has different rules, and in states where Republicans have a majority, their focus on preventing electoral fraud has led them to restrict registration and require IDs, while Democrats are more concerned about voters' access and believe the Republican ID laws are aimed to suppress voter turnout from poor people or minorities. The truth is that we ought to adopt Mexico's national, biometric ID system. That would eliminate duplicates and simplify the registration and voting process.
Related: Voter ID laws: Discrimination or 'no big deal'?
3. Poll workers. Mexico views the conduct of elections like Americans view jury duty – a civic obligation – and they recruit on a random basis a large number of people from each district. They are well-trained in every stage of the electoral process. When I asked a U.S. election official about the criteria for choosing poll workers, he said: "I'll take anyone with a pulse." Most poll workers are very senior citizens without the kind of stamina necessary to manage a polling station for 12 hours, and in most cases, they are poorly trained as compared to their Mexican counterparts.
4. Campaign finance/corruption. Each of Mexico's main political parties receive approximately $24 million of public financing for a three-month campaign. They can also receive 10% of their funds from supporters, but no one can give more than $71,000. In contrast, in the United States, there will be an estimated $6 billion raised privately, and with the Citizens United Supreme Court decision, corporations can spend unlimited amounts of money. Major contributors could have extraordinary access and substantial influence over public policy. Some would define that as corruption on a scale that even the drug cartels couldn't compete.
5. Equitable access to the media/negative advertising. IFE pays for media advertising, and ensures that the candidates have equal access. IFE also tries to discourage any negative advertising. A substantial amount of the $6 billion raised by the candidates in the United States goes for media advertising, and a recent study showed that 70 percent of ads in this year’s presidential contest has been negative. Just think what $6 billion could do as an endowment to a university; it would have lasting positive effects. Who believes that negative advertising can have a lasting positive effect?
6. Neutralizing incumbency. Since its revolution, Mexico's constitution prohibits re-election in order to prevent incumbents from using government to manipulate the electoral process. IFE goes even further by trying to prevent the president from even campaigning in the most indirect way for his party's candidates. In the United States, incumbents have a huge advantage in fund-raising because special interests can contribute to members of Congress while they are writing laws.
7. Judging disputes. Mexico has minutely-detailed election laws, and a professional and independent Electoral Tribunal to judge election disputes. The United States has few laws and no court with the expertise to settle such disputes.
8. Observers. Mexico invites international polling observers while the U.S. government does not welcome any international observers, and only two states allow them.
It was partly because of decades of electoral fraud that the Mexican people decided to construct a completely professional, independent and nonpartisan election organization. This has not eliminated all problems, but as compared to the thousands of complaints received by U.S. election authorities, the concerns from Mexico are minor.
A measure of commitment is that Mexico's IFE spends roughly 10 times more per capita than the United States to manage a state-of-the-art electoral process. The U.S. system is so antiquated, decentralized, dysfunctional, under-funded with public resources, and over-funded with private interest money that it behooves us Americans to stop asking whether the PRI is a return to the past in Mexico and to start asking why can't our electoral system be as good as Mexico's.
The U.S. could and the U.S. should establish an independent national nonpartisan election administration with a national biometric ID, a single national (or inter-operable) registration list, restrictions on private funding, public financing for short campaigns, poll workers that are recruited by lot and well-trained, disincentives for negative advertising, independent electoral courts, and international and domestic observers. There is much work for us to do before we can catch up to Mexico.
- The views expressed in this article are solely those of Robert A. Pastor.
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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We could learn a lot from their Immigration system. You sneak into their country, you go to prison and stay there for years.
That is a lie. Or can you cite the article of the law?
Oh stop supporting the invading terrorists because we don't need you Rodrigo anchor boy..
So people who disagree with you have to provide a court brief, but you can just say "lie" and let it go at that? Read at the following link, you jerk.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/may/03/mexicos-illegals-laws-tougher-than-arizonas/
The Mexicans should let a president stay for another term if he does a good job. If he can't be re-elected, he'll see no incentive to do his best.
You are absolutely right. The only sanction is deportation: article 144 of the Mexican Immigration Act (spanish) http://www.diputados.gob.mx/LeyesBiblio/pdf/LMigra.pdf
so true.
This is seriously the most unintelligent, misinformed comment I've ever read on CNN, and that's saying something! First of all, it's completely untrue. Mexico has a huge immigration problem. People from Guatemala and other Central American countries illegally cross Mexico's southern border for work and security. So, you're just plain wrong, and you have no idea what you're talking about. Please just keep your mouth shut instead of going around showing off your ignorance and stupidity. And also, do you really think it is a good idea to imprison people for illegally crossing the border?? So, instead of letting them work and support themselves and their families, you prefer to spend tens of thousands of dollars per person per year keeping them in jail. Honestly, there is no hope for you. You are simply an idiot, and you will never learn. Please do us all a favor and keep your stupidity to yourself. Thank you.
Hey Andy, what happens to the Guatemalans, Hondurans, etc who are in Mexico illegally, if they get caught? (Assuming they don't have any bribe money handy)
Andy thinks he knows everything. Go back to Mexico with your cartel family.
amen
Right Andy, in the Us there is a belief that everybody is bad, so they must go to prison. US is the country with most people in prison average. There is no pardon, The system is cruel. I remember Marion Jones, she spent a few years in prison and did not let her to reinsert into society. It is a social revenge pure of puritans, frustrated people.
Excuse my grammar, won't double check. I thought this article was about the presidential campaigns and not immigration to the U.S. Oh well, Mr. Pastor, I would not compare Mexico to the U.S. I am an American living in GDL, and let me tell you there was violence in many of the "casillas" in many different places. There were tons of bureaucracy, I went with some friends who were going to vote and there were people waiting in the lines to vote at 4 pm who got there at 10 am; some were all frustrated and others were leaving and saying F*^# it. Many of the casillas were real crappy too, I know there is poverty in the county, but in my opinion there is definitely money to show more professionalism. Also, there were some ladies who got into a fight and got arrested because one was trying to cut in line.
I read people criticizing and favoring other parties, but in my opinion none of these presidential candidates were of my liking. Summary: One candidate represents one of the most corrupt parties to rule Mexico, apparently he is a liar about his accomplishments in the country. Another candidate never supported any of the proposals he made, not even in the debates; he only said he was going to bring change and create jobs and etc but never got into details as to how (and it seems he wanted a more socialist country). Another candidate represented the current party which has not created anything substantial to better the economy; and worse of all they keep saying the country is the safest in years while the security is real real real!!! bad. Basically all of the border part and Monterrey a lot of innocent people die. I don't want to say too much but even tourists get it, basically some place you can't visit if you can't stand a having a 50/50 chance of dying. At least with PRI there wasn't all this security issues. The last candidate had really good proposals and explained everything excellent, he is educated and very professional. This candidate has ideas from good benchmarks countries to help Mexico jump to a first world country in many years of course. But supposedly this candidate was completely controlled by some Gordillo lady who is the devil or something. Other than this I think this candidate was, not the best, but yes the best option. His mistake was that Mexico is too under educated to understand him. I have a masters in international finance from the U.S., and I think his ideas were too harsh to be done asap, but some if done slowly and properly it would help the country, it would change the country. I had to explain to my friends the proposals he had and what they would do to the country. Mexico needs smarter and more ethical people to rule it people, the country has a lot of potential in many sectors like tourism, resources, and financial, but it is always exploited by its leaders.
The last time I voted in the U.S. I did not take 5 hours to vote and I did like at least one of the candidates. Debates I think are a little more professional in the U.S. When I voted in the U.S. the building had nice cubicles and air conditioning, Mexico voting was mostly "third world countryish." In the U.S. you don't live in fear of getting killed whenever wherever. I agree Mexico has implemented a better system for voting than before, but not necessarily better than that of the U.S. I am in Mexico mostly for business and since tomorrow is 4th of July I say !!! God Bless the U.S. !!!
I agree, It's ridiculous to think that the Mexican electoral system is better than its U.S. counterpart....plain stupidity..For one, in the U.S. corporate media does not try to brainwash its citizens as it is done in Mexico. Additionally, There is no such thing as vote-buying over there...Two things which make the Mexican Electoral System, the worst in the west!!
Did it happen to you? The United States has nothing to learn from a corrupt, third-world country. You should know better.
THE U.S. COULD LEARN HOW TO DEAL WITH ILLEGALS BY LOOKING AT HOW FOREIGN COUNTRIES HANDLE THEIR ILLEGALS...IRAN-CHINA--THEY KNOW THE PROPER WAY TO DEAL WITH PEOPLE WHO CROSS THEIR BORDERS.. JAIL–DEPORTATION.
dear laughing bird: I challenge you to compare how many people there are in Mexican prisons and how many millions in US prisons. Well, it si possible no one knows because counties are so important in the Us they can do whatever they want. There one thousand rules so there is no justice in the US. Justice is blind and for everybody the same, equalitarian. Of course, they can ask the identification if they seems Spanish> discrimintaion and no Justice
Let me tall you I am European and I when I flied from Mexico to San Francisco for connecting a flight to Hong Kong, the guard told me I was not going to Hong Kong, I would stay In the US, I told her I had no interests in the US and although I know more than 30 countries, I only know San Francisco airport and was afraid about the rudeness of guards.
You are not my brother Jesus. The real Jesus is sweet, kind and considerate.
As opposed to a Corrupt first world country? America chooses not to learn anything from any country, regardless of economic status. This is why America is going down the crapper. America will no longer continue to thrive if it's citizens ( Much of whom are room temperature IQ) continue to mass populate. They don't know diddly about their own history, let alone someone elses. Please come down off your pedestals and realize you're not the trail blazing people you once were.
Carlos, the more you talk, the less you sound Mexican.
Are you sure you are Mexican or are you a jihadist trying to raise a whole bunch of crap?
Hey, guys? Why are you talking about immigration?
The subject of the F* article is Mexico's election system, take your rants somewhere else.
The US is a corrupt soon to be third world country ( for the former middle class).
What a condescending remark! If the U.S. wants to win the hearts of the international community, it has to be able to learn from the others.
THEY WILL DEPORT YOUR ASS OUT, FOR SURE..WHAT AMERICA SHOULD ALSO BE DOING. BUT DON'T COUNT ON DEMOCRATS AND ON OBAMA TO DO THEIR JOBS. WHY ARIZONA HAVE TO DO IT.
Nobody believes you, Im A critic of the mexican government but that is a flat lie111
Do you realize the non-sense you just spewed? If Mexico if in fact kept them imprisoned for years, their judicial system and prisons would be overflowing with immigrants! They have it on paper, but it isn't enforced to the extent you so ignorantly exclaim. They are provided with transportation back to their country of origin, just like America does. I suggest you know what you're talking about first before you try and educate others with non-sense.
It is amazing to me that this is an article comparing/contrasting elections in the US/Mex and all anyone can talk about is immigration. On thing Fareed forgot toe mention is how in Mexico, like other democracies, but unlike here in the US, the PEOPLE elect the president. I know a lot of people will say the US is a REAL democracy, but they should ask Al Gore how HIS presidency went...
Carlos, I was thinking the same thing. Although it's only happened in US history, there is no reason for the delegates to elect the president. Why isn't it as simple as the person with the most votes wins. In EVERY other elected office in the US that's the way it works, but not with the president. Can anybody explain why we haven't eliminated that ancient rule??
Carlos, this 2012 have been one of the nastiest of Mexico's Story. They've been building Peña's well-groomed image since 5 years ago. He married an actress of Televisa (the top National TV chain), they've been paying for votes, among other things. Carlos Salinas is one of Peña's best friends, an he's known for ending his presidency with Mexico in a crisis.
It's not really a democracy, Carlos. The Citizens United decision has exposed what has been a reality for years. The ultrarich corporate types pick and fund our candidates. Such an irony that Mexico, contrary to common perception, may be more of a democracy.
It's because none of these doofuses know squat about either US or Mexican elections, so they just let themselves spew about something else that has to do with Mexico.
Obviously you haven't a clue. I have read the entire law covering immigration and dealing with illegal immigration. I can say that your statement is not based on any Mexican law. I Doubt that if you had the the text of the law in front of you that you could read it.
You are absolutely wrong! I have read the entire immigration law of Mexico. I doubt that you would be able to read the text of the low if it were in front of you.
You need to abide by our laws. NOT mexico's.
WOW YOU CAN SAY THAT THATS YOUR HOMELAND LANGUAGE AND YOU PROBABLY ONLY KNOW THAT I KNOW WAY MANY OTHER LANGUAGES AND IM GOING TO YALE COLLEGE THIS YEAR FOR LAW SCHOOL AND YOU PROBABLY FLUNKED OUT OF HIGH SCHOOLYOU SHOULD BE DEPORTED THATS WHAT ALL MEXICANS WOULD SAY IF YOUR NOT EVEN FULL BLOOD american you cross opver here and give birth to some dope child who probably going to be a falure in life and you thought you were winning the laughtery wow
KIRA I hope that going to Yale will enable you to write appropriately.
How did you pass the entrance exam?
Ladies and gentleman, three cheers for Raven's uncanny ability to NOT comment on the article!
It makes me sick. Once in this country, they don't think they have to obey our laws. They think that they can stay here, because they "work hard". The rest of America is out of work, wishing they could work.
You are unstinting in your jihadist oath.
I bet your imam is proud of you.
Only one word ....Bastarrd.
Actually in Mexico you get deported if you enter illegally. Which I think is hilarious, all things considered. If they think you sold your car ( even if you do not have it because you were in an accident) you will probably get thrown in jail unless you can "pay a fee" (i.e. Bribe) or have a lawyer... At least that is how things were in the 80s and 90s.
Zakaria you forgot the most important thing we could learn from Mexico, they know how to treat illegals crossing their southern border, no free education, ER visits and all the other goodies Obama's illegal buddies get.
And you could use some remedial comprehesion skills. Start with the authors name and work from there. Maybe that's unfair, perhaps your hood obscured your vision.
Your grammar sucks. "Authors" should have an apostrophe there you loser.
I I am replying to Tee< how can you reprimand someone called Athos, a Greek name, when using a Greek word?
@Athos
Your comment is just pathetic. Enough raises some good points, right or wrong and all you have is to insult him and call him a racist. Seems a rather obvious sign you have no rebuttal worth stating.
Illegal immigration has been an issue way before Obama was President. So calling illegals OBAMA's buddies is biased and petulant. Mexico treats illegals horribly. Really? This is what you want? Let's just ship'em to Guantanamo... I don't want to live in a country like that. Yes! The illegal immigration issue must be stopped, but like the drug problem it starts at the source. STOP the demand that brings them here and get ready to pay $12/lb of tomatoes.
By Robert A. Pastor, Special to CNN <- I think that's why Athos went off.. at the end of the article, it identified an additionally related article from F. Zakaria, which Enough, somewhat foolishly, thinks is the author of this article... Reading comp rules!!
With that said, yeah, Mexico gives no free ride, you earn your keep, and if you're not supposed to be in that country, they don't play nice, they either kick you out, or imprison you.
With that said, both parties pander to illegals, at least to their faces. When their backs turn, one side says "send them home! We don't want them here!", and the other says "You're here, we'll keep you.. just tell everyone else following you to stop. please?"
@Tom Tom– What gives you the right to do the same thing to Athos? Seems your pretty much a hypocrite yourself. Me I've always been, just not to give you the honor of saying it. Your spout off about what they say and turn around and ridicule someone yourself. I'll bet your even a Romney fan aren't you. Typical.
What can I say, I am a Muslim and my Cooooran gives me the right to say anything and allah the magnificent will absolve me and give me 72 sturgeons, noo fish, nooooooooo Virginian, nooooooooooooooo Virgins–yep that is it.
WHY ARE MEXICANS VOTING FOR OBAMA ???/THEY LOVE OBAMA BECAUSE OBAMA WANTS TO GIVE THEM AMNESTY-THE DREAM ACT.. NO DEPORTATION...MEXICANS-OTHER ILLEGALS LOVE OBAMA AND DEMOCRATS...KEEP THE FREE HOSPITAL CARE COMING SO WE CAN HAVE MORE KIDS TO TAKE OVER AMERICA.
II think you are sick> Enough raised a good things? You are so catatonic as him. Even you said is related to the article. I wonder if you were a couple of year at the school.
You should ha ve a look to US prisons. What do they learn?
@ D
You’re an idiot. My comment is that all Athos has is insults. I only the other hand had more by supporting Enough’s previously stated comments. So I’m not a hypocrite. But nice try dingus.
@ jesus
Enough raises some good points, right or wrong<
You are as much a moron as your buddy D.
The issue this article addresses is elections, not immigration, so please stay on topic and save your anti-immigration rants for an appropriate forum.
It isn't anti-immigrant to be against illegal immigration.
Maybe get on track with reality like Jorge
This article is by Robert Pastor not Fareed.
don't tell liberals that ! LOL
Enough is enough... Immigration issues in this country started when Europeans decided, in the name of God, to still this land to the American natives, which now are secluded to reservations... the rest of civilizations were exterminated!
So go back, to your ancestors, those who probably came suffering hunger, then, and only then, throw a stone! Besides, your reading comprehension is null, the article wasn't even written by the person you named as the author, as well as immigration problems didn't start with Obama.
And free... what do they obtain for free? If most school charge even to teach English... My sister works in a Public Hospital administration, and even illegal aliens are charged for ER services, besides, most of them work and pay taxes, with no return. Did you know that? I know many people under that condition, The pay thousands of dollars, and get nothing in return!
And if you want to keep paying cheap fruits and vegetables, please, keep quite, because those immigrants the ones you despise are the ones who do the dirty job, they collect them, for a few dollars a day, then you can enjoy them with your family while you praise the Lord saying thank you for them. If an American citizen does the job, for sure he/she would be charging 25 to 30 dollars the hour, plus they would receive all kinds of other free services and benefits for themselves and their families (many more than the ones the immigrants receive, practically none), because working under extreme conditions is not healthy at all... And you will be paying your food 50 times more! So chill out! For sure, you won't do the kind of unhealthy job immigrants do under precarious conditions!
@Jaqueline, the point isnt whether illegal immigrants work for peanuts or not, its that they dont belong in the country. Many others try to immigrate LEGALLY. These ones take time and effort to enter the country through the proper process. You say fix the problem at the source, make it so they dont want to enter America, but when Americans interfere in other countries I bet youre one of the first to complain. The US isnt not responsible to to fix Mexico, they are resonsible to provide security, prosperity and Law in their own country.
J is an illegal alien herself.
For your info, most of the ignorant comments came from islamists who hang out here 24/7 and spew all kinds of crap in order in order to raise all kinds of crap. For months I have kept an eye on them and they are jerks.
Do not take them seriously and, unfortunately, they will still be here tomorrow. If they were in their own country (any muslim country) they would have had their heads off by now.
I dont know how these islamists got into the country. Obviously, they lied.
Thank you for letting us know.
I knew it. These islamists never stop. They harass, lie, cheat, ridicule-anything to get people in a fight.
One of them admitted it to me one day.
ooh . its really great guys.why is it every time the poor ar more supressed than ever. i think we should focus so much on how we can tame thesocial economic and healthisuess rather putting more trust to those unrealistic politicians who ar after their personal ,selfish interests.
OOH GOD.
FOR GOD AND MY COUNTRY.
Alexander(Uganda +256774866285,+256705756730)
As a good jihadist, I tell everyone to go small so that we can divide and conquer them all easier than when so big that nobody can beat them.
That sure is a long post...that has absolutely nothing to do with the article.
and Tee sounds like an idiot!!!!
ILLEGALS SHOULD ALL BE DEPORTED..E–VERIFY IS THE ANSWER. STRICTLY ENFORCE WITH JAIL TIME FOR ANYONE WHO HIRE ILLEGALS.....E-VERIFY IS THE WAY...THEY WILL SELF DEPORT THEMSELVES IF THEY CAN'T GET A JOB.
Mexicans aren't in love with Obama. Mexicans are religious, hard working people that lean toward the conservative side of politics....until they reach Romney that is.
That is where they draw the line. Romney's family was kicked out of Mexico as are all cultist polygamists. Romney has spoken out against Mexicans, even though his own father was born there. Obama hasn't made any friends in Mexico deporting and sending back the worttless criminals that were expected to stay in the US. But voting for Obama is the lesser of two evils. Obama isn't great but he's a heck of a lot better than having a rich racist in the White House.
Y que viva la raza!
I I think even retroactively, looking into the gens the former inmigrant brought to the US. I am sure you would not be born. I am sorry.
FYI, Romeny's great-granpa practiced polygamy, but Obama's grand-father AND his own father practiced polygamy. But of course the facts dont really matter do they.
Gee Jose, did it ever occur to you that you aren't even commenting on the matter discussed in the article?
well start with mcdonalds i know that they dont care if people present fake papers they just dont want to pay more to citizens every other fast food place has illegal immigrants working so start there and we'll see how everthing starts falling down
@miguelgenius, these bloggers can put down Mexicans all they want but, MOST Mexican immigrants (legal and illegal) are humble, proud, good, spiritual people, that work hard and live low. They usually come across the border merely to survive. The Mexican's I know that have come legally and illegally are too proud to be on welfare or government services, they will drink herbs and eat sopas to heal if they can't afford health care, and if they can't pay for something they don't buy it. They do not rack up credit card debt and file bankruptcy, and they don't go around suing each other or companies, or doctors.
If they weren't contributing to the U.S. economy then why do most companies and businesses offer service in English and Spanish; because companies know that the legal and illegal immigrants have buying power, and it is those same American companies that will turn around and send American jobs overseas because they don't want to pay American wages and don't want to provide Americans with health insurance because it is too expensive, but the immigrants will get the blame for NO jobs. It is all sooo hypocritical. I would rather pay for fresh fruits and vegetables that legal or illegal immigrants pick, than pay for preservative ridden packaged foods that come out of factories that just make executives rich!!!!
It is not until Mexicans (legal and illegal) have been in the U.S. for generations or start interbreeding with Americans do they start becoming something different.
Mexican's and all other nationalities or people of color should not be ashamed of who they are or how they got here because of prejudice and racist people like the ones on these blogs, because their ancestors all migrated at some point to...legally and illegally!!
You say "The Mexican's I know that have come legally and illegally are too proud to be on welfare or government services"
How many Mexicans do you know?
The stats show that most legal or illegal Mexicans request all kinds of health related services the second they arrive in the US.
Irregardless of your lie, I am sure that Mexicans are good Catholics who abide by the law and are extremely hard working.
We could learn, also, what a really bad idea it is to let organized crime take over one's government.
Organized crime for theirs and Corporations for ours. Not much difference really in terms of the negative impact.
@fistface there isnt even a comparison between organized crime and corporations, and if you really believe there is you need to do a little more reading.
What do you call the Republican and Democratic parties? These people should be doing hard time for all the corruption and fraud the perpetrate on the population!
You mean NIxon? or Bush? selling weapons and killing poor Arabs only to satisfy and satiate the revenge because they wnated to kill his daddy? And all US like puppets going to war because of Bus jr. Although the father was as ignorant as him. Alcoholic and almost die eaten peanut butter. Poor boy.. Poor country
and yet despite all the bloody politicians std of living is higher in US n mexs keep crossing the border
It won't be long before the US is a Third World nation.
MEXICANS CLAIM TO BE HARD WORKERS WITH PRIDE ??? WHY DO YOU PEOPLE MAKE MEXICO WORK FOR YOU ?? APPLY YOUR HARD WORK THERE.
Jose, I bet you're one of those American kids born from Mexican parents that think just cause you're parents came and pooped you in the US, you can just be like "hey go back to your country.' People like you are just plain pathetic!
Why didn't white people do that in Europe? They have the largest immigration rates of all races, but yet have the testicles to tell people they don't belong somewhere? Mexicans have a superior work ethic to Americans, Kids these days just play video games and eat McDonalds. Someone has to keep this country running.
Carlos, you be idioto.
I am arab and I hate all white, black, red, yellow people.
They stopped this year. They realised the US is falling down> no jobs, drugs, and China in the horizon. i am sure they will migrate to China because they do not have children, so tehy need workers. They wuill contribute to the new Empire.
You forgot a 9th element: the absolute separation between church and state, which prevents priests from talking politics, something that could tilt an election in a country where 98% of the people are Catholics.
In principle we have that too, but the feckless FEC does a poor job of enforcing it.
I am not jewish I am MUSLIM.
Good trick hu!
Do you want to impose a community of believers in the US? of Muslims? Well ,they are fanatics, I mean those who count, the others do nto count.
First off, that is a horrible idea. Most people, clearly you are one of them, do not understand the purpose of separation of church and state. It is just as much about protecting the church from government as the other way around.
For the government to tell religious leaders like priests that they are not allowed to talk politics would be a massive violation of religious freedom as well as freedom of speech.
Obviously though, I can tell you are a Democrat, as the Left loves to silence people with whom they disagree.
II did not understant your statement. Do you hint that churches has the power in the US? Weel they put Bush and maybe they will put Rooney, and even something worst if they want although is debatable they can find it. Perhaps you are referring to Israel. Netanyahu is taking advantage of religion as well.
Quite insightful article, nice to see a clear contrast being explained with facts, not just opinions. Quite amazing to think how antiquated and faulty the US election system is and how much is at stake to get it right. One idea: a percentage of all campaign contributions should go towards a non-partisan fund, which improves the US election system in ways the author describes.
Did I read this right? Mexico requires a photo id to vote? wth!
Yes absolutely! I lived in Mexico ten years. They got their system down pat. Also when you vote they color your thumb with purple inedible ink so you can't vote again. Mexicans are just so distrustful of everything, do you blame them?, that this is the way they designed their system. BTW, the consult with the UN and visit other countries to help them with their voter registration processes, including Irak.
the corrupt unamerican repugnant party would go NUTS if such a system was implemented, imagine, 3 months of campaigning and restricted funding......robney is going to have to repay those billionaires BIG TIME and who will end up paying for it???? YOU, the american voter, think about that, YOU will reimburse the billionaires for that corrupt volture capitalist, the cultist bishop from Utah.
Romney is from Michigan.
Hmm, so Obama didn't owe any debts to billionaires when he ran against John McCain. John too public financing but Obama didn't and could out spend John five to one.
I doubt if Romney will owe anything more than Obama.
The Top Ten Things I've Learned from Mexico :
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9.
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1.
You've obviously never been to Mexico or taken the time to meet Mexican people. One can learn from everything. Now if your mind is closed, you never will.
I have learned it has the cult of being freaking theives.
Ramirez, I completely agree with you. American's love to judge for other nationalities especially those of Mexico. I lived illigally in Mexico for 3 1/2 years and I didn't get put in jail, just paid 2.00 fine. LOL. The people who are writing on this board are very closed minded!!!!!
Mexico. Fail.
The 10 things I learned in school:
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5.
6.
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9.
10.
I see the last commentator that used my name "Doodad" is too chicken hearted to use their own pseudonym.
It figures !!!
learn this : STAY OUT OF MEXICO . NEVER GO THERE . NEVER TAKE A VACATION IN CANCUN OR CABO. OTHERWISE MEXICANS WILL SELL YOU A TIME SHARE ! never mind the beaches , nice weather and friendly people.
give it ten years, Mexico will teach you a lot once their influence has taken over where you live. Be sure to learn Spanish soon.
You would be surprised how much learning about Mexico would enrich your life. But, since you are an idiot, I don't think it would help.
WHAT I LEARNED FROM MEXICO ?? THEY MAKE GOOD TACOS. THEY WANT THEIR POOR PEOPLE OUT OF MEXICO.
Another thing we can learn from Mexico: Gun Control laws don't work.
Guns are COMPLETELY illegal for law-abiding citizens to own in Mexico, and yet they are getting massacred on an almost-genocidal scale. Is this what you want?
Americans could learn that lesson from any number of countries... you know, if we paid attention.
And guess who exports those guns illegally to Mexico... the USA.... you Americans are blind, don't look further than your nose.
The Mexicans should control their borders. Just how are illegal guns from the USA getting into Mexico except that the border officials close their eyes. Most I bet come from other South American Countries. Mexicans elect the same old political party and then expect things to be different.
From their buddies in China and other communist south american nations.... Because full auto AK's are sooooo easy to come by in the USA.
they get their guns from the U.S
From the ATF to be more specific.
i do not know shyatt.
I just talk and talk and talk...
MEXICO GOVERNMENT BANNED GUNS FOR A GOOD REASON ???? NO GUNS, THEY CAN'T OVERTHROW THE GOVERNMENT DUH.
Guns are not banned in Mexico.
Most guns in Mexico come from US. The guns would not be used if we were not such a good market for the drug cartels. So ironically WE are the bad guys and the Mexicans are victims of our decadent narcissistic culture
Nothing to see here folks, just another muslim talking trash.
Guns are legal in Mexico, unless you want a rocket launcher, of course, the issue is that most people do not care to take their time to get their license from the mexican army.
And a lot of the regular people killed in the so called "war on drugs" were well armed, being with guns didn't help most of them.
Voter identification? The democrats told us that is racist.
OK! So what happens with that here is the by voter ID we mean a DL or state ID which cost time and money to get. Plenty of poor don't have the resources or access to this. Therefore you are disenfranchising them. In Mexico the government provided the ID free, it is the same ID across the country. If you move, you changed the address and get a new one. That way you name is not duplicated across different counties. Makes sense right?
Lets see, the DMV fee for a DL in NJ is $6 a year. DMV is open on Sat and one night a week. The county issues a photo ID free. Its the same in most states. Sorry, but even the homeless manage to get photo ID. No one is disenfranchised. The reason that so many in our gov't don't want to require proof of ID to vote is they would loose the illegal's votes, as to get a DL, you do have to show proof you are here legally.
@ catmomof17 - There's no problem with illegals voting. That's such a tired - and false - argument. Try again.
yeah, it's not the illegalls (yeah, right), but the dead who are voting for the Democrats.
DEMOCRATS ARE FULL OF IT.. VOTER I.D. KEEP ILLEGALS FROM VOTING. DEMOCRATS WANT THE ILLEGALS TO VOTE. I BEEN A DEMOCRAT ALL MY LIFE I KNOW THAT TO BE A FACT.
HOW CAN ANYONE BE AGAINST VOTER I.D. ???? WHY DO YOU THINK DEMOCRATS WANT TO GIVE MEXICANS AND OTHER ILLEGALS AMNESTY ?? THEIR VOTES DUH.
When it becomes a last minute requirement as a result of a hastily passed law of course it's racist
pkupp is another muslim puke.
All that "fairness" in their polling system and they STILL end up electing an agent of the cartels. Fat lot of difference that fancy electoral system made, eh?
"Agent of the cartels"? Would you care to back that accusation up with some facts?
Whether the independent polling system is fair or not has nothing to do with who the voters put in office. And this holds true for any democratic country, the US included.
knucklehead is the same jihadist who has made these bloggs stink with his putrid comments meant to hurt and create fights.
We could learn a lot from the Mexicans. Sounds like a great system. Our's is about 100 years behind the times.
Add a number 9 about how they treat illegals in their country, their laws on illegal immigration, and the "quality" of their prison system.
Add number 10 about turning a blind eye toward illgeal drug lords ruling specific areas of their country.
Just a thought. I really like number 2 about though. Voter ID...go figure.
Hey , as long as we have plenty of alcohol and drugs moving freely across the border we are happy.
Maybe we [The US } should start all over. Can anyone explain to me why a candidate can receive less votes than another and still be elected Pres. The electoral system was relevant before the age of speedy communications but it is now prehistoric. A simple, fair direct election would seem to be the way to go.
Its called a democratic republic. You don't really vote the president into power, you elect the people in your state who in turn vote and determine who will be president.
I agree. There's no reason in this day and age why we should cling to that old system of the Electoral College. It no longer serves any useful purpose and only invites mischief.
We could also learn how to enforce our immigration laws… just as Mexico does.
Probably the most important thing we should learn.
But Mexico doesn't pay $12,500 per deportation (ICE says this was the average cost in 2011). Explain how to decrease this number and we'll have a smoother deportation system. As for voting, I agree that our concept of the electoral system is antiquated and imprecise. We're too stuck in our ways to change things for the better. Border enforcement does need to increase; but you can't accomplish that on our current U.S. budget short of deploying National Guard troops to the border (which individual states must pay for by the way). The truth is that there's no easy solution to America's problems, and the only way to get things done is for our elected officials to work together. This is NOT HAPPENING, particularly in this politically-charged climate.
Interesting how they tried to weasel their way around the voter ID issue. It's a good idea, just not here because Republicans want to suppress the vote? I thought I was on MSNBC's site for a minute.
You seem to be missinformed about the voting system in your own US of A. First of all, ONLY American citizens are allowed to vote in the US, just as in México only we Mexican citizens are allowed the same privilege. And yes, we have a national official ID card that all Mexicans of adult age (18 years) must use for any official matter, including voting. I am also a legal resident in the US and for your information, I am not allowed to vote since to do so I have to be an American citizen. And yes, I pay taxes, just like any of you–You do pay taxes right?–, and yes, just like illegal aliens
do, too (there goes one myth). Any people of any non-anglo ancestry like, Mexican-Americans, for instance, that can vote have to be American citizens by birth or thoruou naturalization. No legal or illegal resident alien can ever get around to voting in the US. It requires proof of citizenship. So the myth that we Mexicans vote or complaint about an ID card is just that, another myth,and a ridiculous one at that. The people complaining about the propossed ID card (which I am totally in favor of, since it would make it easier for ofiicers and other official personel to perform their jobs at any level) are Americans that don't look white and are afraid (rightfully so) of being profiled. I think the US should do like Mexico. It makes things much easier. I just voted yesterday in my hometown of Guadalajara; it was so easy and free, you see, we don't need the electoral college, or some faceless delegate to choose for us, our vote goes directly to the candidate of our choice. Now, who is a democracy and who is not?
We are not a democracy. We are a republic.
The electoral college was devise so that large states could not ramrod a candidate that a collection of small state didn't agree. To be elected president here you must campaign in both large or small states for support. If we didn't have an electoral college then candidates would not need to address the concern of the people in the small states.
people. he's talking about election system. America need's to change.
The more things change, the more the stay the same. Alot of these ideas that Zach sets forth are ripe for corruption and misuse.
And don't forget that they vote on Sunday. One more thing that the US could learn from.
Plus they vote in July when the weather is nice. And not winter when the weather is horrendous!
I agree, having to vote on Tuesday disenfranchises the middle class who actually have to work to pay the way for the bottom 50% and slave to give the top 1% a nirvana existance.
I am an islamist who like to talk carp, no turtle, noooo snake, noooooooooooooo crap.
That biomertic card does sound like a good idea. we're probably ten years away from having that here though.
DO you really think that will do away with fraud ? Just ask my great late uncle Fred how many elections he has participated in lately.
Our voting system and monitoring is really bad. Americans pat themselves on the back all the time, we are very naive.
We MUST require ALL US CITIZENS TO VOTE
The democracy is damaged from lack of voter participation.
The right wing Supreme Court, cites free speech as grounds for limitless spending by corporations due to money being fundamental to speech (Buckley v. Valeo) or in other words, considering the Justices fully understand middle class networth, they cite free speech EXCLUSIVE to EXTREME networths (Buckley v. Valeo)
We have been overrun. Right wing voters don't see the Party for what it has become. They can't fathom case law or nor compare contrasting concurrences/dissent. We must enact compulsory voting for it will provide a much needed incentive to begin educating our youth early on about objective politics. It is our LAST HOPE
We can learn from and go beyond Mexican Democracy.
I AM A DEMOCRACY EXTREMIST, COMPULSORY VOTING IMMEDIATELY 2012
Some countries like Belgium make voting mandatory. They consider voting to be a citizen's responsibility in a democratic society. You can't be forced to submit a valid ballot, but if you don't show up to vote without a valid excuse (e.g., a note from your doctor), you'll have to pay a fine.
The democracy is damaged from lack of voter participation.
First off, we are not a "democracy", second it is broken due to the corruption of the political system itself.
You need some good sedatives fast !
My mother hated me and beat me daily.
This is why I come here everyday hoping to hurt people because I hate myself.
the electorial system has to go.The president should be a democratic system elected by the people. the population of each state should not matter
None of that works if the system is corrupt and people are dishonest.
Something I really give credit the US for is that the majority of people, no matter, their beliefs, like fairness and an honest election.
In Mexico, that's bought by the peso and manipulated all the way. Everything else is just a mimic.
The whole election was just a huge big joke.
I am not Mexican neither from the Us. I am sorry Fernando but this is not true. THe Us elections are a big fraud and the Preseint is elected with the 10% of the population. In Mexico is not perfect but do nor admire the US. Remember what happened in Florida with Bush and McCain> worst than in a Banana Republic. And the Churches paying politicians as corrupt as the churches themselves.
The Us can not teach democracy to anyone.
Our Electoral process is partisan/bias, corrupted, and unequal/unfair. Campaign Finance reform is a complete joke, and there is no mention from Republicans or Democrats in regards to Electoral Reform.. because that is how the two parties hang onto power. If the Electoral process was fair and even, we would have at least been looking at 3 or 4 political parties in the mix during election years.
So, what this article tells me is that if the IFE was corrupt, it could elect anyone it damn well pleases, since it controls every ounce of the election?
No, because there are independent observers (volunteers, journalists, analysts, activists, and even diplomats) both local as well as foreign to oversee the entire process. Any regular citizen can go to the polls and watch the event unfold from start to finish, complain if he or she notices any irregular activities, and dial a hotline to have his/her concerns noted. Naturally, all political parties are welcome to observe as well, since they're made up of regular citizens as well. And although the initial polls are announced in the evening, the final tally takes a couple of days, and every active party in the affair (media, NGOs, and the candidates themselves) scrutinize this phase down to the last vote.
If you want to point at signs of corruptibility in the process, don't look for them in the IFE, look at the parties who purchase votes from disenfranchised or impoverished voters. But, oh, that doesn't happen in other countries... does it?
Do you mean like your US Supreme Court appointing George W. Bush President of The United States of America without permiting complete vote cout? Not a chance, the IFE is an independent body and answers no one but the citizens. Our vote goes directly to the candidate of our choice–no electoral college or unknown delegate to do it for us–Of course, some or our politicians are corrupt, but no more or less than many in the US Congress, where most answer to big business and corporations. It is true that we need to correct many problems of corruption on many levels. We wish all corrupt politicians and police officers were caught, some are, but many aren't, sadly. Since the stabilization of Méxiico as a kind of democratic dictatorship in 1920–10 years after the Revolution–, it finaly was transformed by the electorate, in 2000, into an open democracy. So, despite our problems, we can argue that 12 years of openly and directly electing our own leaders has at least outdone your business friendly (corrupt?) electoral system, notwithstanding its lenghty history–1776–2012–. Three hundred six years of democratic principles pandering to big money. I would say that is a fake democracy, won't you think?
At it seems you want to believe this, as you just think that nothing from Mexico is good, why are you making rhetorical questions? are you a poet?
Zakaria has an opinion on everything from domestic affairs to foreign policy. Ifhe's so smart and knows so much, why doesn't he run for office and fix the world's problems. I'll tell you why; because it's easier to sit back and pontificate than it is to get into the arena and get your hands dirty. The guy is a twit.
And Zakaria is almost always anti-American in his views.
Fareed anti American?
While I agree with what much of what Prof. Pastor says, he's still ignoring some major issues. Sure, Mexico passes some campaign finance laws. But then, party reps are assassinated in Guanajuato. Candidates are kidnapped in Guerrero. Ballots disappear in Nacaulpan. Voting is halted in Chiapas due to outbreaks of violence.
Money can be some elections, but bullets work pretty well, too.
http://ethnocentrized.com/another-election-another-murder/
Umm where did you get your facts? Many of your points may be what is written out on paper as to what is supposed to happen... those of us who live here in Mexico know the truth as to what really happens.
While I agree with what much of what Prof. Pastor says, he's still ignoring some major issues. Sure, Mexico passes some campaign finance laws. But then, party reps are assassinated in Guanajuato. Candidates are kidnapped in Guerrero. Ballots disappear in Nacaulpan. Voting is halted in Chiapas due to outbreaks of violence.
Money can buy some elections, but bullets work pretty well, too.
http://ethnocentrized.com/another-election-another-murder/
This is an excellent article. The U.S. frowns upon other countries, but we could certainly learn from Mexico. Unfortunately, I believe the U.S. is too polarized to even contemplate the wonderful suggestions made in this
article for improving our dilapidated voting system. Wish I were wrong, but the U.S. is in a southern tailspin.
So, if you are illegal in Mexico, you won't be voting. Illegals here stage protests and demand to vote in ours. Actually, its easier for them to vote in our elections than in theirs. Kind of ironic isn't it?
In all the years I have been registered to vote (over 40,) not ONCE has anyone ever asked me for a single bit of proof of my ID. And I don't live in some small town where everyone knows who you are. Its time to realize we need to change how this process works and the suggestions here seem to be well thought out and VERY needed! Its time to change!
That is such complete BS. Where do you get your news?
Yes it is BS illegals are allowed to demostraight for getting to vote
Legalize pot.
Take away the gangs money.
I KNEW this was a Zakaria column before I ever clicked on the link. Yes, there's a handpicked author, but it's got Zakaria's socialist fingerprints all over it. Mexico is a failed state that cannot provide meaningful education, security, basic health (clean water or sewage systems) or transparent government to its people. It is about as stable as Somalia and its most vicious criminals operate in plain view with impunity. Mexico is one of the richest countries in terms of natural resources and a relatively low population pressure, and home to the world's richest man. Time for another revolution.
Low population pressure? Are you kidding? The population in 1900 was 10 million. By 2000 it had ballooned to 100 million.
As for Zakaria – he's a Muslim, doing what Muslims MUST do – lying. If we don't know what this dude really stands for by now, we never will.
But I won't go into that. What I want to say to YOU, Mr. "Paul R", is where do you get your facts?
Your "comment" would be all the better for proof. Of which you have NONE. But I DO have the real facts, since I live in Mexico.
You SAY Mexico is a failed state, because you WANT to believe it. That shows that you're a bigot – and a racist. Mexico can hardly even be called Third World any more. Meanwhile, if our right-wingers have their way, America will descend into Third World very soon. You have no standing at all to judge them.
Mexico is thriving. No wars, no debilitating debt to China or anyone else. In the last 12 years, under Fox and Calderon, Mexico has developed a solid, large, and very VOCAL middle class. Education has mushroomed. And as for health care, Mexico already HAS a federal health care system, and it works very well. And it only costs – for a single person over 60, like me – about $600 U.S. dollars, per YEAR! And it covers everything, including prescriptions and office visits. I spent 9 days in their hospital. No frills. But solid, competent – and caring – medical treatment. I walked out with prescriptions, and filled them, all without opening my purse for the meds or the 9 days. Can you do as well?
YOU have no way to purify your produce. Which, to the Mexicans, is barbaric. If you get salmonella or e-coli from food, it's because you don't have the purification drops that Mexico has used for 50 YEARS! With the drops, they wiped out cholera completely. That, and much more. But YOU can't buy drops like that. You might want to ask the appropriate people WHY that is so. I'd have gladly eaten that disease-infested spinach or tomatoes, etc. And I'd eat them RAW, and not get sick. Because I have the drops.
I've lived in Mexico now for 18 years. I feel MUCH safer here than I did back in the States. Especially when I had to drive on the interstate roads. Mexicans aren't allowed to own hand guns. To claim that THAT is why so many are killed in drug-related homicides is to claim culpability for the U.S., who SOLD them the guns, and who create the DEMAND for the dope. Aside from the cartels (who exist ONLY because Americans WILL HAVE their dope), Mexico is an extremely peaceful country.
I drink cleaner water in Mexico than YOU do. You may THINK that it should be safe to drink tapwater everywhere, simply because you CAN. So you'd stupidly drink Mexican tapwater and blame THEM when you get sick. In Mexico, tapwater is NOT for human consumption. But American tapwater is riddled with chemicals. They only filter and kill bacteria, which is only half of the job. You consume chemicals, and the American level of cancer in 20 years or so will rise, while the Mexican rates will plummet. This is because ALL water for consumption is sold in bottles, delivered by trucks that pass your house several times a day. I can buy a brand called Santorini – and for the same price as the others, too. Santorini is as close to pure H20 as technology can get. No chemicals.
Mexico will NEVER make its tapwater drinkable. It's only for washing stuff. They don't need "potable" tapwater; they have bottled, and it's better than what YOU can buy.
So if you want to talk about "clean water," you should concern yourself more with the water YOU drink. Look into the tank of any toilet. See the gray goo? That isn't excrement. It's gunk that is in the water supply. Are your ice cubes cloudy? Mine, made with Santorini water, are crystal clear. And Santorini is taking over the whole bottled water market here, because it's so good and costs no more. It is also a company owned by Pepsi Cola. Ask them why you can't have it.
You obviously don't know beans about Mexico. So why do you talk about it as if you did? Remember what we used to say as kids? "Open mouth, insert foot..."
"He who knows NOT and knows NOT that he knows NOT, is a fool – shun him."
how about corruption in Mexico?
Being Muslim doesn't mean lying... YOU go do your bit of homework.
I am Mexican, living in Mexico, and it is not a perfect country by far.
So you say Mexico is better than the US? Awesome! Just please don't come here. We have enough of La Raza who love and cheris their beloved, perfect Mexico but wouldn't be caught dead living there.
We could learn how to defend our boarders. They don't allow illegals into their country. What a concept.
The main the the US could learn is how to fix elections. This year's election in Mexico was the most corrupt election in our sordid history.
It should be noted that one of these ten items SHOULD be how Mexico treats illegal immigrants.
We can learn many things....of what not to do.
This artical speaks to everything, that we could learn from Mexico, just because u don't want to talk about the double talk comming from Mexico, were there getting killing us for how we want to deal with illegals while, if u enter there country, its thee other way around. Simple said America would be killed by Mexico if they were using Mexican type Immigration policy. Seems like america always gets treated unfairly. Anyhow like the fella said earlier, we should adopt there immigration policy, and see how it works. Americans are no different then Mexicans, if a American decide to do the same things Mexicans do in the U.S over the years and stay in Mexico then they should be allowed to do that, but if not then don't cry when Mexicans get the same treatment.
Zakaria,I am Mexican,and you are so wrong in so many details in this article,we went back to the Los system,that means more corruption,more poverty,and more ignorance,you clearly have no idea what are you talking about,get your facts straight Carlos Salinas is considered one of the worst Mexican presidents,he put my country on debt and made his family one of the richest of the country,sad to read this article.
CORRECTO!!!!
We in America are better. We owe 16 Trillion dollars. Everything is better here, including all 458 Billionaires are white with the exception of Oprah...So dont hate the browns, emulate the white folk. Wait a moment, we DO>>>
So much WIN
The biggest thing wrong with the election process in this country is the issue of campaign financing. Instead of competing ideas we have a system of competing donors hurling slime at each other. This is the biggest argument for prohibiting all outside donations and having the entire campaign publicly financed. Second, some countries like Belgium take democracy so seriously that voting is mandatory. Their reasoning - not entirely without merit - is that a democratic form of government comes with civic responsibilities, and voting is one of those responsibilities. There is no way to prevent you from submitting an invalid ballot in protest if you want, but without a legitimate excuse you will be fined if you don't show up to vote. (Everyone in Belgium is also required to carry their official government-issued ID card at all times.) Third, it's time to get rid of that hopeless outdated Electoral College. There is simply no excuse for maintaining this antiquated system.
Hmm, a national biometric ID system. Think where have I heard this before ? Think , George Orwell, think !!!
I have just heard that the new President wants to negotiate and get along with the drug cartels.
Dear Carlos: even as a joke, I would not say this because Obama is a president with high moral. Us is not prepared for him. Look ath the kind of people here around. I am sure they will vote agaisnt the new Law to give Health to those in need. I am sure the rational of many is 'if they are poor is because they do not deserve to be rich'. This is a big country. A narrow brain was a few neurones
"A biometric photo I.D.!!!!!" OMG, how discriminatory is that, good thing we have Eric Holder who will take racist states life Florida, Texas and Alabama to court for even thinking of a policy.
I think their policy regarding illegal immigration should be on that list!
It apparently escaped your notice, but the article is about voting, not illegal immigration.
you are the only country who ask for the ethnic to which you pertain. This is discriminatory. I am sorry but I do not fit into any of them
We USED to be No.1 in many things,we've been doing something wrong...
Then i found the answer, just needed to read all the off-topic comments in here, I think it's time to America to accept our mistakes and understand that other countries are capable to fix some issues better than us.
Absolut0
Your name tells all we need to know.
Talking about off-topic...
The most important of Mexico's election system is that the vote of every citizen counts as 1, meaning that the candidate who receives the most votes simply wins the election. Quite different from the U.S. system where the one who wins is the candidate with the most "Electoral Vote" and not "Popular Vote". Thinking as to the Mexicans system, in the 2000 elections Al Gore would have won the elections because more Americans voted for him, but was the "Electoral Vote" the one that gave Bush the victory. A system where the vote of a citizen is worth as 1 for the final result is simply better. I agree, if there is something that Mexico has "well-done" and better done than the U.S. is their Election System.
People please stay on topic. This is NOT a migration article, it is about the voting system. I do agree many ideas here are we could take from Mexico's system. We can not rely on our ancient methods forever. To all people here mocking Mexico, shame on you, if the article read France instead of Mexico your responses would have been different. Learn from everyone and everything, keep america with an open mind.
Mexican corruption is so prevalent it's expected by people. I lived in the western United States for many years, and the stories from US citizens who have traveled and / or lived in Mexico are alarming. I've traveled there myself a couple of times but would never go back ; I don't care how good the DEAL would be...hotel and flight for free and I wouldn't go to Mexico again. Old money rules Mexico and average Mexicans, especially rural Mexicans, have little hope of life changing for them and their families. Politics and religion have taken advantage of poor people and repressed their realities to a startling sickness (in some ways). No wonder so many Mexicans risk life and limb to get out......the United States should be doing a lot more about raising awareness in the United States and speaking out loud about corruption in Mexico. Average Americans don't have any idea of the level of corruption as the tourist spots are not to bad, so a brief visit to popular resorts doesn't reveal much, unless you get into trouble! I'll give an example, I knew someone who was driving through Mexico, and stopped to buy gas. He filled his tank and went into the store to pay his bill. The store owner, according to my friend, told him he had to pay a higher amount than the pump showed. Of course, he disagreed and the owner called the police. My friend is a total gentleman, very polite and honest. The police arrived and threatened my friend with an arrest if he doesn't pay the (corrupted) amount. He paid and left. The HEAVY HAND in Mexico is everywhere and reveals an undemocratic spirit from the top down. Americans should be prepared, physically and emotionally, when they travel to our neighbor, Mexico. What can be done to help US be aware. How about a website with plenty of warnings to American travelers...the do's and don'ts of traveling to our neighbor. I was in Sweden onetime and there was a special program on Gov't tv which showed two seperate cameras following two seperate guys who were on a "night out" on the town by themselves. The goal for each guy was to get lucky with a girl. The script of the program was to give constructive advise on how to NOT do this and HOW to do this; one guy gets lucky and the other guys does not get lucky at the end of the night, in the script. My Swedish is very limited so I didn't understand the dialogue but someone was translating for me "in between laughtters". This program was a Gov't production designed to help people help themselves. Many also thought to give the country a shared evening of robust conservation. In reality, suicide rates in Sweden were high and took place in the summertime when people felt "pressure" to have a good time because the winters are so dark and cold. The Gov't tried to help. I say our Gov't should try to make our citizens aware, using all means possible, of the risks and consequences of travelling and supporting such a complex neighbor.
Only 3 countries in North America??? The writter needs to take a look at a map, well maybe not he might not be able to understnad a map, but last time I check there were 23 countries in north america
Nope, just 3. Canada, USA, and Mexico.
Care to list them?
I believe you are adding Central America to your list.
Realized this article wasn't worth reading even before #1 after the author wrote in paragraph 4, "The bad news is that there are only three countries in North America."
There are actually 23 countries in North America. I'm not sure the author, Robert A. Pastor, passed the 5th grade.
North America: Canada, United States of America, Mexico.
Wrong Scan
North America consists of three countries: Canada, USA and México
"Mexicans have chosen democracy, and after two terms under PAN presidents, they are voting for change."
Unfortunately, only 38% of the voting Mexicans voted for Peña Nieto. On the other hand, more than half of the voting population voted against him. http://www.google.com.mx/elections/ed/mx/results
Fair?
Less than 38% voted for AMLO. Only a quarter voted for JVM. By your logic, AMLO and JVM were hated even MORE than EPN was.
It's the natural result of having more than two parties in contest in a single election. Whether the numbers are accurate or not (due to corruption) is one thing, but if they ARE correct, then yes, it's completely fair. That's how democracy works.
EPN is not what the majority of Mexicans wanted. I do understand that the majority is not required to win the election, but It seems unfair to say EPN is what Mexicans wanted when in reality only 38% voted him in. The Mexican collective vote was split between AMLO and JVM and the beneficiary is EPN.
Juan, again, that is what happens when you have 3+ parties to vote for. It could even happen that each party gets exactly 33.33333% of the votes. What then? You say that the collective vote was split between AMLO and JVM. But considering JVM had the least amount of votes of the three major parties, you could also say that a 75% of people were tired of the PAN and then split the vote between PRI and PRD. And even if you only had 2 parties, like in the US, what if they get 30.0000001%, 29.9999999%, and with a 40% abstention/null votes? Democratic elections don't care WHY you voted, they only care for the cold, impartial numbers.
Divide and conquer stoopid Americans.
Allahuakbarh
I do not favor any one party or candidate. I agree with you when you say "75% of people were tired of the PAN and then split the vote between PRI and PRD." That's why they didn't win, that's why AMLO didn't win either, but yet the historically corrupt party wins with 38% of the votes.
The big thing you can learn is that like many other countries their citizens will risk their lives to get to the U.S.
Enough!. The very powerfull in America and Mexico (Billionaires and their mulinational companies) Decided this election in 2011 (wiki-leaks-2011) True Democracy free of Oligarchs??? Hummmm!
Mexico is far from perfect on a lot of things, drug cartels, crime, corruption, bad education system, etc... But they have this on right, is it perfect? NO, is it better that what we have? YES!. In addition to the 8 points that are highlighted in the article, the Mexican president is elected by popular vote not by and electoral vote.
Can we open our eyes and understand that we are loosing our democracy to big corporations that control politics in this country. Why would a company give money to a campaign or to a super pac? The answer is simple, to get the legislation they want on the books and to stop legislation that the company opposes. In any privately held for profit company the job of the CEO is to increase the value for the shareholders, not to do the best for the country, and yet this companies are the ones writing the laws. So my question to all Americans is: don't you think that the supreme court decision on Citizens United that basically allows corporations to donate unlimited amount of money is a real thread to democracy?
We need to take the money away from politics, until we do that I don’t care if you are from the Tea Party, Republican, independent, Democrat or from Occupy Wall Street movement, the companies are running the show, not the citizens! Wall Street gives equally to both parties, why? Because they control both parties, it is not about ideology it is about MONEY!
It is up to us to lean from other countries, even if they have severe flaws, other countries have good solutions to some of our problems. We just have to be humble and understand we do not have all the answers, and our system is far from perfect! We need to reform our election process in this country NOW!
Dear Mr. Pastor,
it is nice to read the opinion of a foreigner about our election system. I would like to point out something that I think of relevant importance.
In Mexico there are many millions of people living under extreme poverty, who don't have access neither to education, nor to newspapers nor the Internet. A high percentage of these people is "bought" by the politics, before the elections, who give them what we call a torta (a kind of sandwich) and a soda, or pantry vouchers during their meetings. These people is so poor and so ignorant, that they accept to exchange their vote for the torta or the pantry, also because they are afraid to be observed while voting. The PRI has done this practice since they were ruling our country in the past, and it has given them enough percentage to win the elections. That's why we in Mexico call it "Dictadura Perfecta", the Perfect Dictatorship.
Daniel:
The PRD does the same thing,they also give people Tortas to come to the Meetings at el Zocalo to show numbers, and give tort as for people to vote.
DEar Daniel Alfonso. Mister Pastor claims to be American and is referring to the Us as his country. Hi is not Mexican.Why someone who believes something in other country is better must be a foreigner?
zzzzz
More North American Union propaganda.
The fact CNN gives a venue for this tripe should clarify to the naive assumption that CNN is somehow a professional news organization
There are a lot more than three countries in North America. Saying "major countries" instead would fix that issue.
Can you name at least four?
The major difference between Mexican and U.S. elections relating to outcome is as was cited in the article – with the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in the so-called "Citizens United" case whicl essentially allows unlimited monetary inflows into PACs the U.S. elections are in danger of being for sale to the highest bidder. However, one must wonder whether such a situation also exists in Mexico which employs different mechanistms incluing possibly directly bribing voters.
CAN MEXICANS IN THE U.S. VOTE IN MEXICO ???? A JUDGE SAID THAT FLORIDA CAN CONTINUE TO CLEAN THE ELECTION ROLLS OF ILLEGAL VOTERS....OBAMA JUST WANT THE ILLEGALS WHO ARE ILLEGALLY REGISTER TO VOTE...DEMOCRATS HAVE NO SHAME..
IF DEMOCRATS COULD , THEY WOULD MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR THE ILLEGALS TO VOTE.
WHAT IS WRONG WITH VOTER PHOTO I.D. ?????? AGAIN DEMOCRATS ARE AGAINST VOTER PHOTO I.D. , WHY ?? DEMOCRATS WANT THE ILLEGALS TO VOTE WITH ANY I.D.
Just the mere fact you type all your comments in caps, explains all I need to know about you.
all I learned from this comment section: is that, there's a lot of ignorant people in this world.
The only difference between Mexico and the US. -Mexicans know and admit openly their government is corrupt, Americans do not, They are still in denial. The US is no longer the greatest country in the world. It is now simply the land of consumerism. and that is all.
It must be better, it's worked so WELL for Mexico over the years....
·Maybe we have a "better" system to manage the ELECTIONS, but YOU don't mention that the CORRUPTION it's bigger than the DEMOCRACY, you have to live here to understand and feel what is to be oppressed by PARTYS and a few FAMILIES that RULES this excellent country... freedom for every single human being·
I have dual citizenship and I can vote in Mexico and in the USA. I was born in the USA but I live and work in Mexico.
I had the opportunity yesterday to vote for 1 of 4!! That is democracy at its best.
Tired of republic elephants and democratic donkeys. Bring Ross Perot back! hahahahhaa
U morons stop this crap and go back to work...Lazy A-ho's...
Man, things would be so much better if we just put the federal government in charge of everything, and they just made everything the same...
You have no idea of what is really going on in Mexico. The election system you'd like to have for your country is a fraud.
To JOSE0311USMC
Get your definition straight! First of all, Mexicans can not vote at all in this country, so, I don't see where you come up with that idea. Americans who are of Mexican decent just as I am definitely do vote and secondly not all of us do support president Obama on everything he does. People like you just follow the crowd and can't think on your own, as I can see by what you say and how you say it – basically just regurgitating what the right wingers say all the time.
WRONG:
. Campaign finance/corruption: The current president prent about 2 BILLION on sheer publicity. She even married her current wife for it.
5. Equitable access to the media/negative advertising. FALSE. No tv show nor newspaper EVER wrote about Enrique Peña, even in TV interviews it was NEVER "live". It was always edited. However, with the other two candidates they were live and every mistake put in newspaper. Media is BOUGHT here in Mexico!!!!!
Fareed, I think you should eliminate Post a Comment.The quality of debate only underlines how terrible America's education system is. It's quite shocking.
To JOSE0311USMC
To answer your question if Mexicans in the US can vote in Mexico. Can US citizens who live abroad vote in US elections? Did you know that Mexico has a big population of US citizens living in Mexico and who cast their votes from there? Until just recently Mexicans abroad have been able to cast their vote from different parts of the world. I can not educate you on everything, for that you need to go to school and educate yourself with an open mind!
Only if the maintain a residency in the US can they vote in US elections. True Expats cannot vote in USA elections because they don't have residency here. Where would they cast their votes? What state would they vote in or even town?
Loosers in the USA: even this 3rd world country makes a better job registering and IDing all voters! No "voter supression" BS like here. And they also put ink on their thumbs to avoid fraud. But noooooo, it's all about voter supression. Yeah, right! Los democratas son una bola de tarados!!
Go to the point, this article is about the differences between the voter system and most of you cry your anger and racist frustration.
Is very sad to me read things like this like a mexican, because, the election system that you show in this notice is not the one that the all mexicans see, many of the things that happens in here are like a fairy tale... the system does whatever he wants and the worst of all is that spend a lot of money in his ridiculous novel that they call democracy... nothing is true, i´m sure that a big part of mexicans wants to Peña Nieto like a president but the true is the most of us won´t, i could refute each one of the "8 things..." for example the first point, no one in here with a little of common sense believes in the IFE because everytime they show us polls and statistics show results that could not be real in a real voting process, or the second one, many of the political parties buy the voting id for less than a 100 dolars...
Mexico is probably one of the most corrupt countries in the world... and spent a lot of imoney that could be better used in education... so sad....
I'm ashamed
I like the Article, and the intelligent. constructive comments from Aaron and Jay.
USA and Mexico has to learn from each other, cooperate and build a better Region.
us elections vs mexican elections.. mexicans can vote in both!!
Just to name the 9th thing, in Mexico is illegal to sell any alcohol to anyone the day before and the actual election day! Maybe you should try that, cause you bump into all these drunkies during election day here!
This is bull. The PRI changed? The PRI is a corrupt, phony "left center" (note the quotes) party. It'll make flagship populist moves to keep the people from going nuts, and nothing more. I wouldn't doubt they fixed the election again.
let us sent Obama to them he does everything for Mexico now so he could help them out.
The article was about the shortcomings of the American electoral system. The 8 points were based on valid arguments, yet no-one commented on it but went of at a tangent. Something in your drinking water?
While his basic points have merit there are some gaps in the logic that are hard to overcome. Additionally, there are only two countries in North America. Mexico is part of Central America.
Two continents, buddy, look it up. North and South America. Mexico rests blatantly on the former.
Central America is merely a region.
Wrong! retake geography.
please find a true origin of America.
I am lost somewhere in America and I cant find the origin of my arrival.
Bravo Robert A. Pastor and Fareed Zakaria on this article. It's funny to see how many people are quick to jump to the idea of immigration and "third world countries" so easily. All this article simply stated was that America could learn something and apply to our elections...it said nothing about how great Mexico is, nor did it talk about Mexican Health Care, Mexican culture or language.
The fact that many did not read this article and only wanted to cite American Patriotism, instead of the spirit of America, which is "If other countries can do it good, not only can we do it...but do it better", is obvious. American can and should use the "ideas" found within the Mexican voting system to improve our own, thus making America "the best country".
I have been living in Mexico for almost 3 years, I am a proud American. But one thing I find disturbing is that America still has the Electoral College. I truly believe that we Americans are not only smart and rational, but that we are more informed about the issues now than ever before in the past. We don't need a group of people deciding who will be our president, rather just like in Mexico, EACH AMERICANS VOTE SHOULD COUNT on election day.
We are not American, we are jihadists who want to hurt all Americans while we stay home and collect welfare and whine and whine for food stamps.
Stoopid Americans!
What a liberal piece of junk. Mexico elections are a joke. If Mexico is such a great place there is a bus with an empty seat waiting for you.
The topic was based on possible election changes in America.
However, all you seem to want to do is call America down.
Shame on you!
Exactly what I mean about empty American Patriotism! and no sir, that bus wouldn't be empty. It's full of American ex-pats moving to Mexico so they can afford Medicine and health care, because they were forced out by their own country who has forgotten them. Mexico has the highest population of American ex-pats in the world! think before you speak.
Who are you calling American you stupid Phukk.
We are arab.
I live in Mexico 4 mon. of each year.It is a great country.I wish to retire there .Fewer know it all americians.
I find it hilarious how this article went from "election" to "immigration", you people have about as much knowledge about either of those subjects as Americans do healthy eating. The fact is America has MUCH to learn from other countries. You are no longer the same thriving people you once were! I suggest you take a long look at yourselves and realize everyone has room for improvement. America is well known for its corruption and incompetence, so before you point the finger i suggest you clean your own back porch, before you tell us to clean ours. America wouldn't take advice even if it came from other first world nations, and it does.
This article does not reflect what happened in these elections or in past elections, there is a great discrepancy between the results published by the IFE and the reality of many Mexicans, if we had a truly effective democracy; why we have a lot of poverty people? the Basic Education is strangled by the Union of Elbha Ester Gordillo, thanks to Carlos Salinas de Gortari who protected her and Vicente Fox did the same thing. Peña Nieto is an imposition of television monopolies that protected him and create a soap popera by introducing the Actress in the politicians stuff (Angelica Rivera wife of Peña Nieto). We will see the damage of the pour democracy sooner or later.
Sincerylly
Mexican
the biometric card is a good idea but we all know the NAACP and other groups would say it disenfranchises voters, leads to racial profiling,and doesn't allow for illegal aliens or dead people to cast a ballot. I do agree that there should be one voting standard across the board that applies to every election. As for Mexican elections, it doesn't matter who is in power. They are all corrupt. Its just a matter of the degree of corruption.
This article does not reflect what happened in these elections or in past elections, there is a great discrepancy between the results published by the IFE and the reality of many Mexicans, if we had a truly effective democracy; why we have a lot of poverty people? the Basic Education is strangled by the Union of Elbha Ester Gordillo, thanks to Carlos Salinas de Gortari who protected her and Vicente Fox did the same thing. Peña Nieto is an imposition of television monopolies that protected him and create a soap popera by introducing the Actress in the politicians stuff (Angelica Rivera wife of Peña Nieto). We will see the damage of the pour democracy sooner or later.
Sincerely
Mexican
You call this democracy? You think we wanted PRI back? I am from Mexico City, I walk through the streets of the city I love and all I see are sad and disappointed faces. Nobody wants Peña Nieto as his/her president. He represents everything we fought so hard to cut out from our government.
These elections were a joke. That's why every newspaper in the world is making fun of us. Calling it the "perfect dictatorship".
I don't know anybody who voted for him. The PREP was mathematically impossible. The facts presented there were altered. The percentages are wrong.
Fraud is again invading our corrupted system. We won't go for it.
Peña Nieto is not my president.
Truth, nobody i know voted for Peña Nieto
I'd rather live in Mexico than any mooseslime nation. Hahahahahahahahaha.
Ham dullilah! You are the most intelligent person I know!
CNN says: " Equitable access to the media/negative advertising" FOR THE LOVE OF.... YOU HAVE NO IDEA OF WHAT YOUR TALKING ABOUT.... THE NATIONAL TELEVISION IS CONTROLLED BY ONLY A FEW OF THE RICHEST PEOPLE IN MEXICO, THERE IS NO EQUITY. Its been proven that EPN has coverage by Televisa(biggest national TV network). A lot of expert on the subject say that this was the biggest influence of why hes winning the most votes. People don't have much of access to media and they let themselves get carried away with what ever they say, and throwing dirt at other political parties.
I live in mexico and I'm going through through all of this.
If you knew our situation well, you wouldn't be saying those things they are very offensive to me and a lot of mexicans.
The IFE maybe nonpartisan but is still widely affected by political parties, the people know it, i know it, some other countries know it, its plagued with fraud and irregularities, for example double folios for voters, some folios already had some of Enrique Peña Nietos(political party PRIs runner up in elections) vote on them, when they accused the IFE of this, they simply replied "misprint", I mean seriously... the votes were found written with crayon ( witch is the correct way to vote here). Which by the way on some polls where people went to vote, there was no crayon, there were only pencils, which seemed easy to erase. That's not all, when we went to vote for local governors and senators, there were crayons...
The photo identification is a good idea... Except for the fact that people buy votes this way, PRI offered in a range of 500-1000 Mexican Pesos for your photo identification, so that went down the well, even worse they didn't even pay everyone who sold their vote. They take advantage of the towns needs.
There are people that voluntarily offer to help others are promised money for their job and well a lot of people didn't get paid.
Nobody wants EPN as a president, its all a sham.
He is hiding himself behind the television networks.
The IFE is corrupted. They do what they wish
There is no democracy in mexico.
We know these thing because we care about our country, there is no way in the world everyone would want him back.
We know he has made deals with drug cartels, such as Los Zetas, is this their way of keeping peace?
We know about Enrique Peña Nietos past, he even caused the death of his own wife, and when asked: "How did your wife die?" he responded ('im not sure of the exact words he said but it went something like...): Well i'm not sure, I don't remember, it was a disease, I don't remember the name of the disease, but yeah she had some problems a long time ago.
I am also disappointed that CNN doesn't know all of this and their not sure of what their talking about.
WE WONT LET THIS HAPPEN!
i totally agree with you ! CNN you have no idea what you;re talking about its total crap
As i am writing this words there are about a million students protesting in downtown Mexico against PEÑA NETO,
some call it the MEXICAN SPRING.Of course the media does´nt cover it.
The general feeling that goes around in the social webs and Twitter is that he was imposed by the media (a monopoly)
in this country.Also there are hundreds of evidences that Peña´s party bought millions of votes (look in you tube) taking advantage of the poor peoples needs.
The british paper the Guardian has an article in which exposes Peña´s underground financing of a five year campaign
with TELEVISA buying news and planing a hight profile .That alone deviated hundreds of millions into the tv chain.
Televisa and PEÑA NIETO also payed,and maipulated the main statistics pole houses to lie and so divide the votes that would otherwise could have gone to the secon place OBRADOR.
In general the feeling in Mexico is the we all have been scammed.
This article is very far from reality as it can be !!
For those of you who say that we need voter IDs to keep the illegals from voting should ask yourselves this, "why would somebody who doesn't want to get caught doing anything because they might be deported, take the chance at voting?" Yeah, I'm sure some illegals vote, but I'd bet the percentage is less than 5..
I haven't really hear the argument that illegals is the reason.
It is to stop the dead from voting, people voting more than once, people voting for other people in nursing homes.
Recently, in Indiana and New York officials there has been sent to jail for voter fraud. In New York some officials cast multiple ballots.
The way I see it, Calderon said EPN won the majority when only 14% of the votes were tallied (b/c they had statisitcs???). In the states we have the good ole quater toss starting again; every current presidential poll says the nation is 50/50 on Obama/Romney.
I disagree with most the conclusions of the article. Pastor thinks having a national biometric card that can keep track of every individual in the country with the justification of election needs is justified. Only dictator or those that wants to control the population at all levels would advocate that.
As far as the decentralized nature of our polling places and over site of them virtually guarantee that there is no significant election fraud by officials that will influence a state or national election. He conveniently over look how the polling places and the local election officials are normally chosen. I think almost everywhere in the country there are equal numbers of democrats and republicans at the polling stations and downtown counting votes. As far as how they are selected for such jobs, most of the people are voluntaries out of a since of duty to the nation as opposed to in Mexico where they are selected under the penalty of law to serve the polling places similar to how we select juries to serve under the penalty of law.
As far as campaign finance goes he mentions the "United" ruling letting corporations be treated as individuals in contributions but ignored the fact that unions had no such limits on campaign contributions as corporations although both are comprised of groups of individuals are tied together as stockholders or union members. Each group collectively has its own goals while individuals in the groups may disagree with those goals.
The Mexican IFE from Pastor sounds like an organization that is capable of deciding what type of campaigning can be done. He tries to justify them by invoking negative campaigning as a justification for them to limit a candidates method of campaigning. I guess he doesn't believe in the First Amendment. He never mention how this "independent" board is chosen. There is no really independent boards for all must be chosen or appointed by some means. Are they independently elected? I don't thinks so from the tone of his article.
As for invoking what one could do with $6B as a trust fund for a college as opposed to campaigning is a red herring. All this people who contributed to the campaigns could donate to colleges if they want. Is he wanting to force people to spend their money the way he thinks is best?
This is a great article. I'm sorry so many comments are based on personalities and not the content of this article. This shows us what we in the US should do to start to catch up with countries like Mexico in our antiquated and immoral elections.
So you want to carry a biometric card with you?
No I want to have an implant.
Pastor,
There are more than 3 countries in North America. Let see if I can name a few.
Belize, Panama, Costa Rico, Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador,Mexico,USA, Greenland and Canada in counting the ones not an island, except for Greenland.
I can't believe you actually think Belize, Panama, Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua and El Salvador are in North America, please go check a map, they are part of Central America.
And for your information, Greenland even though physiographically is a part of the continent of North America, it has been politically and culturally associated with Europe (specifically Norway and later Denmark) for more than a millennium.
I don't know why some readers take this article as a personal attack. It was simply an observation – a comparison. Instead of getting so defensive, why not read it with objectivity, and acknowledge that there just might be something to learn from another country's electoral process. I don't think that it is in anyway saying that the U.S. isn't a great place to live. And people, this article is about the electoral process – not immigration.
answers = because they want to not believe.
" it suits their purpose to go nuts and freak out.
" that is what they do 24/7, they live to make everyone upset.
Before anointing the election system of Mexico all wonderful, the author might want to address the happenings of the 2006 presidential elections in Mexico and the potential for the same in 2012. Even at the United States' worse, in 2000, the country didn't approach the problems of Mexico in 2006. The Democrats, grudgingly accepted Bush as President of the US. In Mexico, the Democratic Revolution Party in 2006, their candidate was the runner up as he was again in this election, never recognized Calderon as President of Mexico.
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the only difference between the USA and Mexico is that corruption in the USA is legislated...
Okay, tell me all about it, I am listening to you-because you so smart.
Mexicans are NOT Spanish. They don't even speak the same Spanish that Spain (Espana) does. Mexicans are mestizos; American Indians with a drop of some other blood. The tribe? There are now over thirty-one tribes of Indians in mexico. They're NOT caucasion, but of Indian heritage.
well that's obvious smart ass! Your comment has nothing to do with the main article, so better get your thoughts straight before talking. And just to let you know we are glad we are not spaniars, they just came and screw everything up, and very proud to still have native people around us and be part of them, so what's the point of your comment anyway....
How perfect the President elected is going to be the shoe-in and darling for mexican Cartels--How perfect.....
except for the Mexicans
This would be a fair article if whoever wrote mentioned that IFE can easily be blackmailed with a couple of million pesos. Democracy is utopia, it doesn't exist.
You are so full of $hiet!
Thousands of gift cards were used to buy votes for the PRI. Turns out they were only worth $100 pesos but the voter ID sellers were told $500 pesos. Way to start a new day, buy the vote and rip off the people. Btw, Salinas was one of the most corrupt politicians ever in Mexican history. So crooked is his family that NPR says they ARE THE CARTELS! See what Ricardo Salinas of Grupo Salinas said to CNBC.com about how Mexico should allow the free flow of drugs to the US. The PAN protects the Sinaloa Cartel and the PRI protects the Zeta Cartel. Should be an interesting next two-three years as the two battle over regional plaza turfs and transportation routes. But let us not be naive Sr. Pastor.
We could learn how they get so many Mexicans to leave the country, for starters.
This is the stupidest article I ever read. I was just talking to my uncle who lives in Mexico, and he tells me that in his district, when he went to go vote they gave him a number. He had to stay waiting from about 9am to about 4pm to be able to vote because his number was that high. He said many were discouraged to stay there that long so they actually just didn't vote and went home. But if you were voting for PRI, you get to vote right away LOL, and then we wonder why PRI won when a majority of Mexicans didn't want them in power. So having to wait multiple hours to vote for someone other than PRI, or taking 5min to vote for PRI? who would win?
So Ricardo, hombre, how come you are the only person to say this?
How come your uncle told them who he was voting for?
They asked him before giving him a ticket first of, and I am pretty sure other people have said this. There is actually a huge protest right now in Mexico, meaning a lot of people felt this was a stupid victory
How in the hell somebody can say something so stupid like this, US cannot learn this from Mexico unless you are telling your people that is ok to have a corrupt government is just STUPID!!! 70 years of corruption, murders, devaluation, poverty, etc.... Do you really think Mexico will go forward with this clown of Enrique Peña Nieto? Someone who cannot tell you names of books, who mistakes authors and can not even speak in English, really? I am Mexican and can tell you this and why I do not agree with this article, the IFE is the most corrupt system you ever known, people get paid to manipulate the votes, the PRI manipulates and buys votes and the only reason they are in power again is because they are hungry for money and power and the only way they got away with murder is because they control everything, media, police, polls, newspapers, you name it, so there's nothing good to learn from that period.
This article is WRONG, Mexico´s elections are manipulated and full of corruption.
PRI (winning party) bought votes with money and gift cards, media manipulated polls and news and IFE miscounted votes favouring Peña Nieto and affecting leftist candidate Lopez Obrador. Search on youtube and internet for proves and clues of this cynical FRAUD.
Sorry CNN, but this complete article is a lie, all the eight points are a lie, first IFE, was founded and currently being controlled by PRI, the party that has been in control of the country for 70 years, also Televisa is the main mass media company that controls all the television, is a monopoly. What does it says to you?
I soooooooooooooo smart!
Go ahead say it, tropicuu is so smart.
ohohohohohohohh...
Democracy? theres no democracy with Peña, all the process was manipulated so many levels.
this article is A LIE !!!
Cnn should investigated all the sources, there was the sale of votes, with money, intimidation... also they manipulated many of the votes sheets!!! in this moment we are sad that theres no democracy!!!
THIS IS ALL A LIE... Robert A. Pastor YOU SHOULD REALLY INVESTIGATE THE TOPIC!!
This is a big lie, these elections were the most fraudulent in the history. The goverment elected the president for us!
Does this guy live in Mexico or is he making it up? After living here and watching, scrutinizing Mexican elections for 28 years there hasn't been an instance when there wasn't a dispute at one level or multiple levels. As I write this there is a national dispute about the votes, they are being re-counted at the demand of AMLO (Lopez Obrador). And here, in Durango, we are having a dispute over senators and the PRI candidate is as corrupt as they come. But as with the presidencial case the PT is contesting the votes in the 4th district vociferously with public claims of vote robbery and even recorded images of the PRI organization paying 500 pesos for votes near a polling station.
So the conditions are nothing we as Americans should look towards for guidance, I mean, when was the last time we had soldiers protecting polling stations? They even had helicopters escorting the ballot boxes to the counting centers. It's common that votes disappear...let's just consider the 3,000,000 ballots that turned-up in Texas mysteriously. Yeah we should look at the way they do things in Mexico...as a way NOT TO DO THINGS...
Could you plase share me the link of the mexican ballots found in texas? i am mexican, worried about my country, i heard that rumor but your is the only post i have found about the event. thanks!
As a political scientist focusing on the study of election systems and political parties, I can confidently say that everything in this article is true...I also agree with most of it. My research focuses on Mexican elections as well.
How opportune that you should bump into this article then!
However, since your sentence structure is not of a P.H.D. level, I might have to ask for proof.
What is your thesis?
Hello folks. Everyone is always welcome to visit – thestarofkaduri.com
There are some good points there. The main issue in the US is however the Electoral committee, which simply does not reflect the voters correctly. The candidate with the most votes should win, period. Not the candidate that has the favor of the committee. Another Mexican thing to adopt is their immigration system and enforcement, which seems to work a lot beter than ours.
are you nuts! Carlos Salinas de Gortari and Presidente Zedillo (Salinas more) have been almost the worst presidents in modern times in Mexico...!!!
Can you back up this statement with examples, factual examples?
This article is so dumb. If you have nothing else to write, please do not wire this nonsense. Mexico has no real democracy and the election system is a fraud. Please go learn something and then discuss it. FYI last years presidency (Calderon) was the first time they used a computer to vote. FYI one of the engineers of that system was Calderon's brother. Ballots were duplicated, in a town of 5,000 all of a sudden there were 8,000 votes. I can keep going but im too lazy to educate you.
ELMASCHANTA = elmoor
"THE IFE" DOESN'T WORK IN MEXICO WON PRD .
Please write something with meat about the elections in Mexico and not just the bounes! Talk about the FRAUDE in the Mexican elections! as it seems the Media from the US is also afraid of them! Obama what are you waiting for??? Send the information to the right people in Mexico to get rid of the corrupt PRI party, unless you also have connections with them! It is SAD!
this s completely untrue !!you have no idea what you're talking about im mexican a and i live in mexico ,.....
this person clearly has no idea of what is talking about, you have to live in mexico to know that. Last year IFE was taken from us, meaning it was an independent insitucion, now is part of the government, and this is when we lost the power given to us by voting
Mexico spring.
The Mexican election was one of the most obvious Frauds i have seen.
With vote buying ,monopoly media lying on poles, duplicated ballots , and
Peña exceding the legal spending by at least 20 .
This article is quite strange considering what the British, French, German, and
Arab media have covered.
"by at least 20" what?
you are not american you didnt fight with all your blood and sweat that you would have your own country this is our you thik you hit the laughtery but you didnt because you know what you cant even aford health care an dyou saying the statue of liberty is your freedom is that a joke that was our freedom an dthis is not a free country for you it is ours you tried to conqouer are country but you werent good enough and if now you thoght you could no america and england and all over would beat you becuase your wrong think of it this way America is the son of ENGLAND AND aMERICAS GRANMA IS IS iRELAND AND aMERICAS GRANDPA IS scottland AND YOU DONT MESS WITH DADDY OR GRANDMA OR GRANDPA BEACUASE WE ACTUALLY SUCCEDED IN FIGHTING A COUNTRY AND WINNING AND BY THE WAY YOU ARE NOT aMERICAN MEXICAN THERE IS NO SUCH THIS YOU ARE ILLIGAL MEXICANS AND YOU WILL BE DEPORTRD AND YOU CANT HID LIKE A NAZI WE WILL FIND YOU BECAUSE YOURE NOT THAT SMART
WHO GAVE YOU THE RIGHT TO HAVE A PRESIDENT IF YOU CANT RUN YOUR OWN COUNTRY AND LIKE ONE MEXICAN WANTS TO BE SOMETHING WHEN NONE OF YOU ARE EVEN SMART AND THATS NOT A STARIO TYPE AND WAY MORE SMARTER THAN YOU IM GOING TO YALE FOR LAW SCHOOL
Yale for Law school? wow, so sorry that they have admitted such a student. The way you talk and the fact that youre going to Yale makes me wonder how it is that you got in. Hopefully you learn how to write much better at Law school. Good luck :]
black people have the power but you dont look at obama hes surely going to escort you from our country it will be like watching NCIS a police squad comes in and you know what happens after that dont you you go to jain or something and trust me these are not harsh words the nazi said worse things
you dont know anything on electing presidents either way here in the good old USA for us you will be deported
if anyone should be learning you should be its luck that you came in third when you dont know much about polatics
This is an outrageous, pontificating, albeit delusional, article about fixing a system that is nowhere near as broken as the one being written about. I live in México, in fact, I live in the most dangerous city in México, Ciudad Juárez. And even though violence is one thing, and elections are another, they have many things in common when it comes to México's politics. To present eight points in support of a corrupt system is not only silly, but you're insulting every English-reading (or Google translating) Mexican's intelligence to the Nth degree. This is very irresponsible reporting, sir.
"Major contributors could have extraordinary access and substantial influence over public policy. Some would define that as corruption on a scale that even the drug cartels couldn't compete."
Seriously? C'mon, man. This article is utterly ridiculous.
What about Greenland??? Aren't there FOUR countries in North America????
With all due respect Fareed, you are turning a blind eye to the corruption that reigned in this election. Vote buying was massive and widespread, and fortunately for us, social media has all the proofs to uncover it. Your FBI uncovered duplicate ballots, and the printing house for the election accepted printing an additional 2.5 million ballots which were delivered to the states on July 6th, a week after the election, can you tell me why?
I had not seen your program before today but had heard good comments. When I watched your interview of Pena Nieto I was very disappointed...funny enough I could tell even you got frustrated when Pena through a translator wasn't able to answer any of your questions. He is the representative of everything that is corrupt in Mexico, whether you like it or not, and the election was a great example of it
Even Al-Jazeera proved that votes were bought, not sure why you can't see it. If the candidates in the US were to behave the same way
I disagree. Please look at the reports of ballot fraud in Mexico's last election. Many ballets were thrown away. Televisa announced Pena Nieto as winner two years ago. Also televisa demonized and ridiculized the PRD candidate in many comedies. They also somehow managed to get dead mexicans to vote for PRI. I show as voted for PRI and I did not even visited the country. They also showed 1000 votes for PRI when only 700 people registered for that area. I would hate to have this in America.
"Many ballets were thrown away"
many tutu wearers are sad.
A great article, and something that would lead to equitable reform in our election system. Not sure that we could get to enough of a consensus to agree on all of these, but it seems that each would stand on its own as a change to consider.
1st difference, Electoral system in Mexico is based on distruth, everything is build up under the premise (a real one) that all parties will try to cheat, so that makes it a really very expensive process, if not one of the expensiers in the world bcs all of the controls that have to be made. And bcs of those controls is one of the safest It's actually a really good system (that can get improved as everything can improve) of course if you have a flood (corruption) trying to brake through you can't expect you won't have some places where the damp leaks, but the important thing is that the damp holds
Now, there are 2 types of 'frauds' the actuall fraud where physical votes are tampered and the inequities. It's clear that the first type din't have an impact in the final result, no with that margin difference and besides all parties had an observator in every poll.
For the second type unfairness; that's so hard to prove and all of the parties had their share i think left can argue with reason that there were a lot and that's something needs to be solved but they can't say honestly that they did none so in their minds to steal a little is different than to steal a lot and since they cheat less they deserve to win.
So as a poster said before, americans trusth their politicians, I don't know why , they trusth their corporations, that also is beyond my comprehension, and that's whay they have the messy sytem they have. But they're like ' hey my brother can be a liar, a thief, can be corrupted but no one in the world can say it only I have the right to' and that's avoiding reality
Now, even if Mexico had an utopic, perfect electoral system there will be always people claiming fraud...
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