| May 2012 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S | M | T | W | T | F | S |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | ||
| 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 |
| 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 |
| 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | ||
Powerline notes a Ralph Peters article on the great advances made by democracies in 2004:
Ralph Peters writes that 2004 was “a vintage year for democracy,” citing developments not only in Afghanistan and Ukraine, but in Australia, Mozambique and elsewhere, including our own Presidential election.
Democracy works. It doesn’t work all of the time, and it doesn’t work everywhere instantly. Sometimes the largest tribe wins and believes it has a mandate to oppress minorities. Sometimes the people choose the hater, not the man of hope. Sometimes the thugs get away with stealing the election.
But consider where this world of ours stood 50 years ago. Or 15 years ago. Or even in 2003. Democracy’s march is long, hard and painful. But humankind stepped forward in 2004.
To this list we can add Mexico as well. From today’s LA TIMES:
Mexico’s Economy Is Vrooming
North America’s hottest auto market is now south of the border, thanks to a stable peso, lots of young drivers and pent-up demand.
MEXICO CITY Dressed in a blazing pink jacket with purse to match, car shopper Erika Amador Martinez is the embodiment of Mexico’s auto market sizzling.
The lawyer from Puebla arrived at an auto show here this month to browse among dozens of models. Topping her list is a Ford EcoSport, a sport utility vehicle that she covets for its practicality, not to mention the kicky red paint job.
“I’ll pay part in cash and finance the rest,” said the 27-year-old, who is tired of cadging rides from her boyfriend. “It’s a lot easier to buy a car than it was a few years ago.”
Armed with credit and spoiled for choice, consumers like Amador have turned Mexico into North America’s hottest auto market. Although sales in the United States and Canada have stalled, Mexico is experiencing double-digit percentage increases in 2004, with buyers projected to purchase a record 1.05 million new vehicles by year’s end.
That’s more cars and trucks than will have been sold in Australia by the end of this year and in all but a few European countries. Some expect Mexico to overtake Canada in annual vehicle sales by the end of the decade.
The auto boom is indicative of a rebounding economy, lots of young drivers and years of pent-up demand. Banks scorched by Mexico’s mid-1990s peso crisis are back and lending billions of dollars to consumers, whose choices rival anything in U.S. showrooms. Lured by free trade agreements and Mexico’s sales potential, nearly 40 car brands are fighting for a piece of the market.
...the last decade has seen a retooling of Mexico’s economy. The 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement created hundreds of thousands of manufacturing jobs, attracted billions of dollars in foreign investment and turned Mexico into an exporting powerhouse.
Today the peso is sound. Inflation is relatively tame. The world’s fifth-largest oil producer is reaping a windfall from elevated crude prices. Although still dogged by high unemployment and entrenched poverty, Mexico nevertheless is enjoying a measure of economic stability it hasn’t seen in years.
And let’s note a corollary for Iraq. Democracy and capitalism are providing wealth and success for Mexican citizens and making that country a leading market for American products. In the same way, the success of Democracy in Iraq would enable that country to repay our investment in it, many times over, as it too becomes a wealthy trading partner.
