More good news: ORTEGA WINS!

[Taxloss]

Another Latin American country turnin' left!

Ortega wins Nicaraguan election

Nicaragua's former leader, Daniel Ortega, has won the country's presidential election.

The one-time revolutionary has 38%, nine points ahead of his conservative rival Eduardo Montealegre, with more than 91% of votes counted.

Mr Montealegre conceded to his rival, but said he would hold him to account for his promises to promote business and free trade.

The US pledged to work with Nicaragua's leaders, if they back democracy.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/6117704.stm

Congratualations President Ortega, and congratulations US Democrats! :yourock:

[Make7]

1. That is fantastic news, but...

... I have a feeling that the US may not exactly live up to that pledge - they've never seemed overly interested in Nicaraguan democracy before.

- Make7

[Taxloss]

2. The State Department will be calling him a tyrant within three months, granted.

But hopefully Mr Ortega can do a lot of good for the people of Nicaragua with his time in office, and I revel in this news as a big, generational FUCK YOU to the CIA's Contras.

[Make7]

3. Correction: Socialist and/or Communist Tyrant

I remember an old debate back from the 80's between Noam Chomsky and Richard Perle where Perle was claiming that the reason the Reagan Administration opposed the Sandinista Government was that the Sandinistas were not instituting democratic reforms within the timeframe he claimed that they had promised. After the decades long support for the Somozas by the US Government, the idea that the US antipathy was caused by a concern for democracy is a little hard to swallow. (Not to mention all the other examples of support for *ahem* non-democratic governments in the region.)

While they were in power, the Sandinistas made many important advances in literacy, health-care, land-redistribution, etc. It would be nice if the United States would just let other countries run their own countries.

I predict that Ortega will be labeled as aiding terrorists and/or as someone involved in the drug trade. Unless of course he submits to IMF and WorldBank requirements. I wonder what the current debt situation is for the Nicaraguan Government.

The trend that appears to be emerging in Central and South America is very encouraging. I say the more leftists that are able to get out from under the influence of the US Government and/or global financial institutions, the better.

- Make7

[Taxloss]

5. That's the big reality disconnect for the NeoCons.

They love to spread democracy and sing its praises, but HATE it when a country USES democracy in a way they don't like. And they don't appear to appreciate how screwed up that is.

[malaise]

4. Yep you can't stop the people

Viva Ortega!!! Congrats Dems:toast: :party:

[Sapere aude]

6. I can hear Reagan spinning and spinning in his grave! Wrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr