New President

[Dave Hounddriver]

2 minutes ago, Tukaram (Tim) said:

Seems to me they have not had democracy very long, and I think a lot of them don't really like it, or don't want to be bothered with it.

Can Democracy even work without a well educated electorate?

[robert k]

31 minutes ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

Can Democracy even work without a well educated electorate?

Good question Dave. I would further ask if democracy works when people feel they don't have a stake in the decisions that are made? If nothing changes, does it really matter who one votes for?

I was talking about the Philippines but it brings the US to mind also.

[Jollygoodfellow]

4 hours ago, Larry45 said:

Well, there's been a few developments since the election.  Pushing away the US, drawing closer to China, appointing Communists to his cabinet, giving citizens the OK to shoot suspected "bad guys", considering Martial Law in certain areas, etc.  

None of the above is important. What is important is the bar closing times. 

[Larry45]

15 hours ago, Jollygoodfellow said:

None of the above is important. What is important is the bar closing times. 

Those days are over for me....I'm all for the liquor ban now...haha.

 

edit: I noticed another forum owner is ready to leave the country because of the bar closing times...good for him.  We all have our own needs.

Edited June 16, 2016 by Larry45

[mogo51]

1 hour ago, Tukaram (Tim) said:

I agree.  Seems to me they have not had democracy very long, and I think a lot of them don't really like it, or don't want to be bothered with it.  Problem is when you get a dictator - will he be a benevolent dictator?  

You may well be correct Tim.  I am not sure that it will work out that way, I just believe he will be hard line against drugs, criminals etc and heaven know, the place needs it.  

But even my SO has commented that the country was better under Marcos, so perhaps you have nailed it.

[mogo51]

1 hour ago, Tukaram (Tim) said:

Dave could well have made a very pertinent comment here regarding whether Filipinos in fact understand Democracy.  I know the Thais here do not.  Their idea of Democracy is that if their party wins, then its Democratic.

If not, cause civil  unrest.  My personal view is that Duterte won as the rank and file felt he offered something different  from the puppet mouths that have been in power since Marcos.  

[Jack Peterson]

As the quote says "The proof of the Pudding is in the eating" but I am not going to Hold my breath on this one 

[Benington]

I don't think there is one overwhelming reason why Duterte won. He caught the yearning for quicker change after years of just steady progress. He successfully positioned himself as apart from the country's establishment. He promised a 3-6 month hard hitting drugs and crime campaign. Bringing back the death penalty - a large proportion of people in many Western countries support that. Ending the NPA's rebellion and bringing peace to the whole of Mindanao.

And he offered many smaller reforms, thereby getting votes from some voters worried about just one thing. How many motorists voted for him mainly or simply on his pledge to reform the appalling LTO?

He ran a slick media campaign. Poe stayed in the race and thereby disadvantaged Roxas more than he already was by being the incumbent's bet. Binay was dogged by long running corruption charges.

For the admittedly few voters interested in constitutional change he is to push for federalism, partly justifying it by claiming it is necessary to end the conflicts in Mindanao. 

Both uneducated and educated obviously voted for him in large numbers.  

So, some luck but a clever, well run campaign. And an ambitious and almost revolutionary agenda.

But there is the advice often given on consumer programmes. Ask yourself if a deal is too good to be true. If so, it probably is! That so many voters didn't ask themselves that question, or even if they did and thought it was "too good to be true" were still willing to take a risk on it, shows how much grievance has been quietly building up here over recent years.

[Larry45]

18 hours ago, Tukaram (Tim) said:

I agree.  Seems to me they have not had democracy very long, and I think a lot of them don't really like it, or don't want to be bothered with it.  Problem is when you get a dictator - will he be a benevolent dictator?  

Agree.  Democracy seems to bring personal responsibility with it.  How many Filipinos actually take blame for their own 'misfortunes', or even want to?  Great question about benevolence.

[robert k]

7 hours ago, Tukaram (Tim) said:

We must have read different articles... they did not blame Duterte for the attack or the case still being open.  They said

So, the poor performance of law enforcement is what helped Duterte get elected, according to the article. 

They did go on to say he will probably not be able to rise above the power of the elite, which I think is also true. Nothing personal against him, just the true state of of this country we call home.

Riddle me this; Duterte appointed a defense attorney his spokesman, what of it? What does it matter who a defense attorney has represented? If Duterte had appointed Alan Dershowitz, who has defended people who many think are murderers, would that taint Duterte? Would it taint Dershowitz? Would it taint Dershowitz' next client? Or would it be irrelevant? Presumably a defense attorney has some skill at public speaking.

The only person who has imprisoned a big fish is Arroyo, who has locked themself in a hospital since 2011. A wealthy politician's jail cell would probably be no worse than the hospital. Possibly the visiting hours are better, but possibly not too.