[DeedPatmeda]

Change in direction in Puerto Rico

[ayWCZ7VT]

I actually believe Danilo might surprise us all.

[Spisivavona]

Danilo is a Leonel puppet. He has Leonel's wife as his VP and she (and he) was placed there by Leonel...who, by the way, still is in control of his party (not the president, but the president "maker"). The new constitution will allow Leonel to run again in 2016 and he will win again. Hipolito will be extremely old by then. Basically...Leonel will be in power until his dies ala Joaquín Antonio Balaguer.

That said, it is often better to have a benevolent dictator as opposed to an incompetent elected president.

...I'm just sayin'...(frankly, I'm not sure it's a bad thing...)

[ayWCZ7VT]

I think Margarita was not primary chosen as vp candidate for Leonel to keep control but because Danilo lacked the popularity and charisma and she made up for that with her popularity among female voters and the social work she has done during her eight years as first lady.

[n2Oddw8P]

If you look closely at the picture on the front page of today's Diario Libre, you will see that it is Margarita that is holding up Danilo's arm.....and that speaks volumes to me!!! Absolutely a puppet.

Wonder if she will move out of her First Lady's office with its RD$20,000,000 a month budget into the Veep's office with nothing to spend....Should be interesting.


HB

[DongoSab]

Will she still receive millones de pesos to spend on hats each month?? Social work?!? Puleeeze

[Amorsesombabs]

I actually believe Danilo might surprise us all.

I agree. If he doesn't, the PLD will be in big trouble in the next election. The party has been losing votes and won this year only because of the votes of minor parties that allied themselves with PRD.

If Danilo does a good job, follows through on what was reported in the DR1 news summary today, the PLD will sweep into office at the next election. If there another 4 years just like the last 4, I expect the PRD to win the next election, assuming the party doesn't splinter.

[Amorsesombabs]

If you look closely at the picture on the front page of today's Diario Libre, you will see that it is Margarita that is holding up Danilo's arm.....and that speaks volumes to me!!! Absolutely a puppet.

Wonder if she will move out of her First Lady's office with its RD$20,000,000 a month budget into the Veep's office with nothing to spend....Should be interesting.


HB

Sour grapes because your man didn't win?

[masterboyz]

Sour grapes because your man didn't win?

Now that the election is OVER!

Where I live, the neighbors and I have not had a decent supply of water for over a week.
Neighbors are paying to have water delivered by truck.
My supply is getting extremely low, cistern is near empty, good thing I also have 3 Tinacos.

The garbage has not been picked up in about two weeks.
Headed to the store today to buy some matches to start burning it. (lol)
Some of the neighbors have already been doing that.

Is this the GREAT change Danilo has been talking about?

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know, we are the exception!



If you come by to visit, take a crap before you get here, we don't have spare water to flush it.

[n2Oddw8P]

Oh, no sour grapes, why? I, like so many of the people here on this site, am immune to what goes on here. Like so many people in the country it was a win-win situation...I have "people" on the transition team, as well one who is supposed to be the next Attorney General...according to rumors...

No, what I was observing was a fact caught on film: Margarita holding up the arm of Danilo, which is way beyond Dominican psychology...plus the fact that her use in the campaign was so blatantly solicitous of the female vote....That huge sign here i n Santiago with just the word and picture of MARGARITA on it.....that was unique in Dominican political history.

And this country is so whipped and dependent on largess, and so ignorant, that we are paying 50 and 60 pesos more per gallon than we should be and nobody is saying anything. There is a scarcity of premium gasoline. And the government, according to rumors, has lost its credit with Venezuela and must pay cash, so that is why the gasoline/diesel prices have not gone down. In 2010 the price of WTI was the same as it is now. Fuel prices were between 50-60 pesos less. Neither the law nor the other conditions for setting the price have changed since 2010....but there are no protests!!! A real "Nation of Sheep" ....until one day...


HB

[Doctor-CTAC]

Now that the election is OVER!

Where I live, the neighbors and I have not had a decent supply of water for over a week.
Neighbors are paying to have water delivered by truck.
My supply is getting extremely low, cistern is near empty, good thing I also have 3 Tinacos.

The garbage has not been picked up in about two weeks.
Headed to the store today to buy some matches to start burning it. (lol)
Some of the neighbors have already been doing that.

Is this the GREAT change Danilo has been talking about?

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know, we are the exception!



If you come by to visit, take a crap before you get here, we don't have spare water to flush it.

If I'm not mistaken, I don't think Danilo or Leonal for that matter, has anything to do with garbage and water services. Isn't this done by the local Ayuntaminto?

[masterboyz]

If I'm not mistaken, I don't think Danilo or Leonal for that matter, has anything to do with garbage and water services. Isn't this done by the local Ayuntaminto?

Yep, trickle down politics........

Need to re-coup some of the money spent pre-election.


Thanks Aceleron that makes me feel much better without water, but lots of garbage......

[inve.tment]

If I'm not mistaken, I don't think Danilo or Leonal for that matter, has anything to do with garbage and water services. Isn't this done by the local Ayuntaminto?

Bingo.


Here's another example in Puerto Rico, from Caribbean Business. Very close to home.

Vision and imagination drive Aguadilla’s economic engine - Caribbean Business


I have a lot of hope for Danilo. I've met him before, and he seems like a genuinely nice guy.

Most people here forget he had a falling out with Leonel and the PLD, so for me, the jury is still out on him being a pawn. I can see Margarita being stuck on a back burner, as VP's here usually are.

The appointment of Gustavo wasn't a bad move either.

Time will tell.

[Doctor-CTAC]

Yep, trickle down politics........

Need to re-coup some of the money spent pre-election.


Thanks Aceleron that makes me feel much better without water, but lots of garbage......

Im of the opinion that Gilberto Serulle and the like in the Ayuntamiento are stealing the money for these services, surely you can't blame Danilo for this. He hasn't even taken office yet.

[Spisivavona]

It is correct that Danilo had a severe falling out with Leonel during the last "primary" of their party. Danilo literally left politics for a few years in disgust. Now he is back and a reasonable argument could be made that he will act independent of the party. Leonel still controls the party so if Danilo will want to act independently he will have to rule by Presidential Decree to circumvent the chambers. Time will tell...

[Maribellin]

Danilo is a Leonel puppet. He has Leonel's wife as his VP and she (and he) was placed there by Leonel...who, by the way, still is in control of his party (not the president, but the president "maker"). The new constitution will allow Leonel to run again in 2016 and he will win again. Hipolito will be extremely old by then. Basically...Leonel will be in power until his dies ala Joaquín Antonio Balaguer.

That said, it is often better to have a benevolent dictator as opposed to an incompetent elected president.

...I'm just sayin'...(frankly, I'm not sure it's a bad thing...)

You have no clue what you're saying...sorry...

[Unjucky]

Santiago: You guys voted for Hippo, so don't expect much from The PLD...at least until the next election. Same goes for my hometown of Cotui. On the other hand trash collection and water are handled by the local "ayuntamiento"...that's where your problem is.

[n2Oddw8P]

As far as Santiago goes, the word here is that Serulle "betrayed the PRD" and his minions actually worked for his old party, the PLD!!!

However, the posters here are right on the issue of garbage (of course in my neighborhood we do not have a problem)--it is a municipal issue. Water, on the other hand is an autonomous corporation and they have generally been known to be the best in the country...it is sad to see that service is deteriorating. There has been rationing for some time now, which is why there are so many "tinacos" on rooftops nowadays.

Let's see with the first 100 days bring....That slogan might come around to bit Danny in the butt...we'll see.


HB