Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Contact Information
Jonathan M. Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service
Lincoln Filene Hall
Tufts University
Medford, Massachusetts 02155
www.tuftsroundtable.org
roundtable@tuftsroundtable.org
FE ATUR ES
A Look at the Causes of the Republican Resurgence: On the Failure of Congress’ Liberal Agenda:
LOC AL AN D C AM PUS
7 Examining the Coverage of Referenda 3 and 4: Jacob Kreimer
Clarifying the Questions: Where was the Media?
NATIO NAL
8 Why We, Not the Senate, are the Problem: Aaron Zucker
Sixty is not Enough on Climate Change
17 An Insight into Congressional Stagnation: Jack Miszencin
Why Congress Doesn’t Work
18 The Upside of Outsourcing: Philip Lautman
Outsourced Me
INTE R NATIO NAL
19 Dealing with Europe’s Roma Dilemma: Jan McCreary
Racism and the Roma
20 Examining US Relations with Latin America: Aaron Cantú
Ecuador’s Coup: A Watershed Moment for
US-Ecuador Relations
21 A Tense Time in Ecuador: Juliana Slocum
Was It Really a Coup?
22 The Overlooked Pakistani Perspective: Mark Rafferty
Insurgent vs. Predator: Drones and the Battle for Hearts and Minds
Two years ago, the inaugural issue of the Tufts Roundtable magazine Editing Staff: Jan McCreary
focused on the upcoming 2008 Presidential elections. This issue, we deal
with the 2010 midterm elections, which will take place on November 2. Executive Layout Natalya Minoff
While midterm elections traditionally receive less attention than presiden- Editor :
tial ones, they have the power to make or break a presidency. If Obama’s
Democrats lose control of the House, the Senate, or both to the Republican Layout Editors : Rachel Cook
party, his hopes of passing significant legislation may be seriously damp- Stephanie Powell
ened. And as we look ahead to the possible results in November, we also
offer you four examples of past midterm elections whose consequences have
changed the American political landscape
Design Staff: Derrick Kane
With Republicans seemingly poised to take the House and make large Chinami Michaels
gains in the Senate, we take a look at what factors may be driving voters
this election season, from hotly-contested issues to political wildcards. Our Executive Copy Zachary Sheldon
features offer two different takes on this issue, discussing whether or not Editor:
a Republican victory is a rejection of the Democrats or merely voters act-
ing on their anger over the flailing economy. We also examine eight races Copy Editors: Lydia Hochheimer
across the country where this anger towards the political establishment has Robin Wetherill
resulted in a surge of outsider candidates.
Webmaster: Aeden Pillai
The rest of our articles deal with local, national, and international
newsand feature a wide range of perspectives and opinions. From the issue
of Referenda 3 and 4 on our own campus to whether or not the recent vio- Contributers: Aaron Cantu
lence in Ecuador can be considered a legitimate coup attempt, we examine Rachael Filer
events across the globe that are shaping our world today. Ian Hainline
Jacob Kreimer
Finally, while it may be a cliché, words do have power. In the mid- Philip Lautman
term elections right here in the United States, a candidate’s branding of the Jack Miszencin
other as liberal or conservative can define a race. In Ecuador, perceptions of Mark Rafferty
the violent drama that unfolded hinge on one word, “coup,” and whether Juliana Slocum
President Correa’s use of it was accurate and appropriate. Here at Tufts
Aaron Zucker
Roundtable magazine, we urge you to share your opinions, your passions,
and your take on the world. Let your words impact today’s debate.
Evan Chiacchiaro
President
Shabazz Stuart
October 2010 5
Peter Levine
“The Rise of an Expert Class and Its Implications for Democracy”
Civil society is increasingly dominated by people who have received relevant professional training or who officially
represent firms and other organizations. In local discussions about schools, for example, a significant proportion of the
participants may hold degrees in education, law, or a social science discipline or represent the school system, the teacher’s
union, or specific companies and interest groups.
Such people can contribute valuable sophistication and expertise. But if my arguments here are correct, we should
not be satisfied with public discourse that is merely technical or that reflects negotiations among professional representatives
of interest groups. We should want broad deliberations, rooted in everyday experience, drawing on personal experience and
values as well as facts and interests, and resistant to the generalizations of both professionals and ideologues.
Technically trained professionals already intervened powerfully in public policy and institutions a century ago. The
ratio of professionals in the United States doubled between 1870 and 1890, as society became more complex and urbanized
and scientific methods proved their value. More than 200 different learned societies were founded in the same two decades,
and learned professionals specialized. For example, physicians split into specializations in that period. The historian Robert
L. Buroker deftly describes the implications for politics and civic life: “By 1900 a social class based on specialized expertise
had become numerous and influential enough to come into its own as a political force. Educated to provide rational answers
to specific problems and oriented by training if not by inclination toward public service, they sensed their own stake in the
stability of the new society, which increasingly depended upon their skills.” At best, they offered effective solutions to grave
social problems. At worst, they arrogantly tried to suppress other views. For instance, the American Political Science As-
sociation’s Committee of Seven’s argued in 1914 that citizens “should learn humility in the face of expertise.”...
Ryan Tram
“Is This Youth? The Naked And Famous
As the first notes glisten in on their most well-known track “Young Blood”, it’s Passion Pit. Michael Angelakos’
unmistakable eunuch falsetto chimes in, but then again, it’s not. This New Zealand group is no impostor, bearing their own
sound that is synth-powered but not completely driven that way. The Naked And Famous employ prominent basslines and
drum beats to keep the pulse heavy, along with enough guitar work to fill the spaces in between. ”Young Blood” is written
in the style of the Temper Trap’s “Sweet Disposition”, voicing instants of love, recklessness, and those moments that fail to es-
cape the bliss of mind. It isn’t a small song; it has its bits where it is grand and pensive at once, and it implores you to think
of the best of your own youth.
6 Tufts Roundtable
Clarifying the
Questions: Where
was the Media?
Photo credit: Valerie Everett
A s the first half of President Obama’s term draws to a close, the suc- Ron Brownstein of The National Journal observes that “the
cess or failure of his legislative agenda has appeared to hinge on the GOP is stampeding toward an absolutist rejection of climate science….
fickle positions of individual U.S. senators, who may choose to support It is difficult to identify another major political party in any democracy
or filibuster every individual motion proposed by the Democrats. Real as thoroughly dismissive of climate science as is the GOP here.” And
change may now only be realized when sixty courageous senators step up yet in today’s political atmosphere, many of these candidates are likely
and fight for what is right by forming a super majority that can prevent to win. It is also very likely, much more likely than these future senators
a filibuster. That was certainly the mentality that drove the year-long and committee chairs realize, that they will mock or ignore this issue
negotiations for health care reform: one by one, conservative Democrats exactly when it is most dangerous to do so, as our planet reaches its point
like Evan Bayh and liberal Republicans like Susan Collins were courted of no return. At the very least, these men and women are undeniably on
to join the good guys. the wrong side of history. Their grandchildren will read about them in
When Congress transitioned to tackling climate change, The their school textbooks as many Americans today read about their own
New Yorker’s Ryan Lizza revealed that this sixty-centric strategy was grandparents: they will appear as stubborn and deluded then as the ag-
again very much a driving force. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham ing former segregationists of the present.
had become convinced that capping carbon emissions was an imperative In their zeal to castigate the Democratic majority, Republican
that had to be addressed by this Senate, but he also knew that he and his strategy has embraced intellectual dishonesty over a healthy war of ideas.
colleagues had to negotiate the details as quickly as he could because the Of course, this does not have to be the case. Generally, Republicans,
media would soon find out what he and some of his fellow Republicans who claim to be practical and debt-conscious, respect and revere the
were up to, which he feared would “become just a disaster for me on the Congressional Budget Office—except when they don’t. Except when
airwaves.” He should have realized that this strategy was doomed to fail the CBO decides that the Democratic health care reform bill would
from the beginning. The ultimate vote on major legislation is irrelevant lower costs and the national deficit. And except when it decides that the
if the public has already become convinced that they hate it. Democratic cap and trade system would limit carbon emissions without
On health care, Democrats hoped that if they could only pass significantly raising utility bills or destroying the economy.
the damn thing, they would be able to sell it later to the public, and Instead, Republican Congressmen ignored these budget analyses,
all of the bill’s benefits would win over its skeptics. Unfortunately, at and turned to the few studies that reflected their worldview. Any high
that point it was far too late, and they had already lost the battle in the school student writing a research paper could tell them that they can-
shouting matches of last summer’s town halls. Had they better under- not singularly cite the conservative Heritage Foundation for data, just
stood their priorities, the outcome could have been entirely different. as Democrats cannot rely solely on The Center for American Progress
New York Times blogger Nate Silver’s polling analyses have revealed for theirs. It is impossible to argue credibly using only biased, partisan
that many Americans surveyed who claim to oppose the bill still do not sources, but too many politicians choose the easy way out.
fully understand it. Every individual component of the bill is popular, The misinformation that has thrived under lazy or deceptive
in some cases extremely so, but many respondents still do not know politicians must be combated vigorously in the media, but today too
exactly what is in the bill. Like cap and trade, it polls much better when many cable hosts permit their guests to utter untruths on television
its details are explained beforehand. In the meantime, Republicans are and pass them off as opinion. Instead, rumor-debunking outlets like
positioning to regain a legislative majority owed entirely to their victory the Pulitzer Prize-winning Politifact.org, and the Annenberg Center’s
of misinformation and confusion. Factcheck.org need to be emphasized. Like the CBO, these groups are
Running just below the radar of most political discourse is the cited selectively by politicians, but their impact has limitless potential.
absolute failure of the Republican Party to address climate change. The We live in a world where accusations are highlighted in headlines,
cable news media has salivated over the emergence of Tea Party fringe and retractions are squeezed in between ads. As a people, we need to
candidates such as Sharon Angle and Christine O’Donnell, but it has seek out truth over drama, or we will continue to be manipulated and
neglected the out-of-touch and outdated insanity of the mainstream misled by those whose power thrives on such distractions. Therefore, in
GOP. Of the thirty-seven Republican candidates for U.S. Senate this the pursuit of any legislative goal, the war of ideas cannot be taken for
season, not a single one has a plan to combat climate change and transi- granted, and certainly cannot be relegated to any phase two. This cur-
tion our economy away from carbon-based fuels. Nearly all of them are rent election proves that even when a major bill passes, if it is unpopular
in denial, or claim to doubt the science behind man-induced climate enough, its champions will soon be replaced by its opponents, who will
change. Using flimsy or non-existent evidence, they have abandoned a waste their elected terms weakening and repealing it. Meanwhile, in the
reasonable and vital problem and have resorted to fear mongering amid background, America’s true challenges are looming and growing larger.
a recession.
8 Tufts Roundtable
A Wake-Up Call
Ian Hainline
October 2010 9
ameliorate America’s greatest problems. This idea, however, dis- Republican Speaker Newt Gingrich. This shift to the center in
counts the tremendous ideological variation within the Demo- turn prepared President Clinton exceptionally well for his re-
cratic Party itself. Consequently, voters who supported President election campaign in 1996.
Obama and the Democrats in 2008 on the promise of “change” For better or for worse, however, Barack Obama is not Bill
may still feel as though they have not received what they voted Clinton, and his response to Democratic losses at the polls will
for. The political problems that arise from this frustration are no doubt differ significantly. The better analogy for President
exacerbated by the fact that it is generally easier to energize a Obama to draw upon, in fact, may come from a man wildly dif-
party’s base when that party is in the opposition. Moreover, ferent from President Obama: Harry Truman.
President Obama’s accomplishments unfortunately mean he has In 1948, the Republicans wrestled control of both houses
provided plenty of opportunities for Republicans to twist these of Congress away from the Democrats, and provided vigorous
ambitious reforms against him. opposition to President Truman, blocking much of his Fair Deal
Despite his legislative accomplishments, President Obama is legislative program, as well as many older elements of the New
still struggling with creating jobs, a major policy area and, more Deal. In the face of such opposition, President Truman went
importantly, in getting the American people to feel as though on the offensive, campaigning almost as much against Congres-
the economy is recovering and to feel that same sense of hope sional Republicans as he did against the Republican presidential
that swept the nation in November of 2008 still exists. The very nominee, Thomas Dewey. President Truman went on to brand
best of presidents will not do especially well in a down economy this Congress as the “Do-Nothing Congress,” and, in one mem-
and President Obama is already polling higher than either Presi- orable instance, perfectly called their bluff by ordering Congress
dent Clinton or President Reagan did at the same point in their back into a special session in the summer of 1948. During this
respective presidencies, even though both of those presidents special session, President Truman turned the national spotlight
had better economies at the time. It is frustration with the status directly onto Congressional Republicans and challenged them to
quo, with rising unemployment numbers and, most of all, ap-
parent economic stagnation that contribute to feelings of help-
lessness and exasperation which voters may well take with them “With a Republican-controlled
to the polls come Election Day.
Without jobs, and without money to put food on the kitch- House, Senate, or Congress, it will
en table and clothing on kids’ backs, any and all other accom- be crucial for both sides to find new
plishments of a president—any president—can perhaps rightly
be seen in a diminished light, at least for the moment. That does and better ways to work together, es-
not, and should not, diminish the fact that President Obama
has been the most productive and successful president in many
pecially when it comes to getting the
years, but it does mean that the Democratic outlook for these economy fully back on track.”
midterm elections is a grim one.
With losses in Congress likely, it is important to ask what
will happen after Election Day, when the campaigns end and create and enact legislation to fix just one of the nation’s prob-
reality sets in. The political landscape, no matter the outcome lems. With a massive political victory in tow, President Truman
of the election, will most certainly require President Obama to dealt a body blow to Republican hopes in the presidential elec-
shift the way he governs. tion that fall, which saw not only the re-election of President
No matter the specific outcome on Election Day, it will be Truman, but Congressional Democrats winning back the House
important for President Obama to find better ways to commu- as well.
nicate with the American people. America has made great strides The key lesson for President Obama, then, may well be that
forward in the past two years, but the White House has failed to Democratic losses at the polls could be a saving grace in the long
really sell these changes to many Americans. President Obama term. Stronger, stiffer Republican opposition in the form of a
was not elected to be the 101st Senator, but rather the President potential Speaker of the House John Boehner could in fact lead
of the United States, and it will be important for the President to to President Obama becoming better able to make his case to the
show the American people a vision for the country that is both American people, and which might mean that Republican stay
practical and hopeful. With a Republican-controlled House, in power would be a short one. Should they find themselves in
Senate, or Congress, it will be crucial for both sides to find new power, the Republicans will no longer be able to fully maintain
and better ways to work together, especially when it comes to their current strategy of stonewalling President Obama, as there
getting the economy fully back on track. won’t be Democrats in charge of the House or Senate for them
Should the House or Senate fall into Republican hands, to scapegoat in the process. A further lack of improvement in
President Obama will have a long historical record to draw from, the economy, in such an instance, could be laid squarely at the
with many useful analogies for the remainder of his first term. feet of Congressional Republicans, leaving the GOP with little
After witnessing massive Democratic losses in the 1994 midterm cover from the wrath of voters. Indeed, in spite of a flounder-
elections, President Clinton pursued a strategy of “triangula- ing economy, a lack of Democratic successes at the polls come
tion,” in which he pivoted towards the political center, in be- November 2 may be the very best thing for President Obama in
tween Congressional Democrats and House Republicans, under the next most important election, in 2012.
10 Tufts Roundtable
October 2010 11
Outsiders vs. the Establishment
Across America, established politicians are bein
of political outsiders. Here, we highlight eigh
serious cha
Meg Whitman, the Republican candidate
for California governor, is a former eBay
CEO. She can rightly claim the title politi- Senate Sea
cal outsider, but will voters care more that
she didn’t herself vote for years and that she
employed an illegal immigrant housekeep-
er? Will these facts destroy her first foray into politics?
12 Tufts Roundtable
t: Facing Off Across the Country
ng challenged and at times defeated by a wave
ht races where the establishment is facing a
allenge. Richard Blumenthal is the consum-
mate insider, having served as Attorney
General of Connecticut since 1991.
at Predictions by Fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com: His campaign for Senate, however, has
Solid/Leaning Republican been marred by allegations that he mis-
represented his service during the Viet-
Solid/Leaning Democrat nam War by implying that he served
Tossup overseas. Will Blumenthal survive the allegations and
maintain his prominence in Connecticut politics?
FormerWorldWrestlingEntertainment
CEO Linda McMahon threw her hat in
the ring in September 2009 and man-
aged to defeat former Congressman
Rob Simmons in the Republican prima-
ry. With her slogan “It’s time for a busi-
nesswoman, not a politician,” can she overcome fre-
quent criticisms surrounding professional wrestling’s
many scandals and ride her outsider status to victory?
October 2010 13
F eature
14 Tufts Roundtable
F eature
16 Tufts Roundtable
Why Congress Doesn’t Work
Jack Miszencin
T he United States Congress has gotten far too good at its job. Before Republican Congressional leadership used the exact same tactics during its
you break out the pitchforks and torches, understand that I do not tenure from 1997 to 2007.
mean this in a good way. Its job no longer seems to be passing constructive
legislation, but instead getting elected and debating. Congress has obtained a Such disputes reflect the mood of most debates in the past legislative ses-
sion: accusatory and completely irrelevant. Indeed, a majority wanted
to see the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” bill passed, but the introduction of more
mastery of merciless rhetorical attack, aimed at satisfying extremist interests,
while ignoring calls for moderation. extremist measures caused kneejerk reaction from the minority. The bill’s
No, Congress has never been a paragon of virtue. However, I can at failure could only be partially salvaged through an outlandish and counter-
least say that our current leaders’ tactics have become far more brilliant intuitive parliamentary maneuver. As with debates on the national debt and
and refined than in the past, when violence on the floor of the Senate was healthcare, each side is content to argue that the current policy is wrong, yet
not unheard of. Remember Preston Brooks, the South Carolina Congress- the policies remain unchanged because of the opposition’s intransigence and
man who famously bludgeoned Massachusetts Senator Charles Sumner aggression. All of this ignores a central fact: our public officials have made
with a wooden cane on the Senate floor in 1856? While the above case may and continue to make mindless policies out of electoral convenience, imple-
seem a bit extreme, the following menting mind-boggling tactics
bit of recent congressional history for the sake of either painting
shows that Congress is so good at opponents as practically satanic
its job of politicking that it can- or selling policies that, while un-
not seem to get anything done. popular, are favored by interest
Last month, the Senate vot- groups that are essential to pri-
ed down the once-popular mary elections and fund-raising.
repeal of the military’s discrimi-
natory policy against gay service Ultimately, the political
melodrama we see unfold-
ing each day in Washington is
members. A small number of
Senate Republicans had original- not about creating moderate,
ly agreed to support the measure, sensible policies that the moder-
making a rare bipartisan showing ate majority of Americans see as
in the chamber. This biparti- plausible, but about the main-
sanship lasted until the Demo- tenance of power by incumbent
cratic leadership implemented legislators. Currently, the major-
aggressive procedural tactics, ity of congressional leadership is
which were intended to attach composed of career politicians.
less popular measures to the bill They direct extremist agendas
and, at the same time, stifle the number of amendments that Republicans and counter-productive electoral tactics, while building insurmountable
could introduce. The key Republicans then refused to provide the “ayes,” nests of power that help them coerce freshmen representatives into voting
and the once-promising bill failed. However, the bill did not meet defeat for legislation they would otherwise oppose. A solution, then, must seek to
before Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid managed to save the eliminate or shift the sources of power that such politicians spend so much
bill for later debate by voting against the bill that he had just spent weeks time pursuing. Term limits are a great start. Another useful reform would be
working to pass. Amazingly, it turns out that by way of Senate administra- an overhaul of the primary system, allowing all voters to participate in party
tive rules and procedures, a defeated bill may be saved for later debate if the elections, cutting the influence of the far ends of the spectrum and introduc-
Majority Leader votes against it, thus justifying Reid’s seemingly ridiculous ing a welcome voice of moderation into our government. The beauty of the
maneuver. American Constitution is that it is an amendable document, to be forever
Of course, such outlandish parliamentary drama is not exclusive to the challenged and reborn by the necessities of our ever-changing republic.
Senate, particularly throughout the past year and a half. Democratic
voices have long called for Reid to be as aggressive and politically effective as On a side note, Senator Sumner, Brooks’ victim survived the beat-
ing and went on to fight vehemently for slave emancipation and civil
rights until he was stripped of his committee chairmanship by the Grant
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Republicans, however, have lambasted these
parliamentary tactics in both chambers as exclusionary and despotic. The Administration in 1871 after failing to support the president’s reelection bid.
Democratic counterargument is as follows: yes, Democratic tactics unfairly Which beating was more crushing, the physical or the political, is for you
force members of Congress to vote for legislation they do not support, but to decide.
October 2010 17
Outsourced Me
Philip Lautman
18 Tufts Roundtable
international
Should be a
cited the uprising are rather byproducts of growing defiance
toward US influence in Latin America. It is for this reason that
our own President Barack Obama should take the clash as an
opportunity to rethink political strategy in the region, and how
for US-Ecuador ternational Monetary Fund and his decision in 2008 to default
on the country’s debt to the IMF chilled diplomatic relations
with North America even further. In the past, Ecuador would
Relations
have found itself floundering in its own self-righteous rhetoric
without the support of the world’s biggest creditors. Today,
however, as the United States and Europe scramble to bolster
their economies in the face of massive domestic debts, Ecua-
Aaron Cantú dor and other ALBA members are looking to themselves and
other non-Western powers, in particular China, to counter the
20 Tufts Roundtable
Was It Really a Coup?
Juliana Slocum
“If you want to kill the presi- them for this “triumph” and insisting that there would be “no pardon or forgive-
dent, here he is. Kill him, if you ness” for those responsible for the violence.
want to. Kill him, if you are brave BBC reports that President Correa also insisted that “this was an attempted
enough.” These were the words coup, an attempt to destabilize the government, which failed thanks to the Ec-
President Rafael Correa of Ecuador uadorean people.” However, critics insist that the police officers never wanted to
proclaimed to a crowd filled with overthrow the government; they simply wanted to have their voices heard. Ana-
angry police officers in the main lyst Roberto Izurieta told CCN en Español that “the elements for a coup do not
army barracks of Quito on Thurs- exist. There was no political movement or a call for the president to leave office.
day, September 30th. The president There was no intent to put the presidency in the power of another person. What
yelled and tore at his shirt, daring occurred was an uprising from part of the police.” Indeed, Tracey Tokuhama-
police officers, angry over new aus- Espinosa, a professor at Universidad San Francisco de Quito and a BBC news
terity measures imposed by the fed- correspondent, says that the police actually submitted a petition with nine specific
eral government, to back up their words with action and kill him. Apparently points of disagreement with the austerity law. This petition indicates that “it was
some of the police officers took his urging to heart. never the intention of the police to hold a coup-they wanted to be heard, like the
Ecuador erupted into violence on Thursday following weeks of political media, universities and other public servants whose opinions have been ignored
demonstrations and uncertainty. On Wednesday, September 29th, President up to now.” Other nations, including the United States, Colombia, Venezuela,
Correa vetoed a new civil service law, thereby reducing benefits for police officers Chile and Argentina, quickly denounced the violence and pledged their support
and other public employees and increasing the amount of time necessary for a for the democratically elected leader.
promotion. Members of the national police force were angry that the president Since the unrest, the nation has remained extremely tense. A national
had passed such a law without seeking input from public employees. There have state of emergency was in place for over a week after the violence, and the National
been a series of popular protests and movements against such a veto in recent Assembly building remains guarded by military forces with armored vehicles. De-
months. On Thursday, some of the lower ranks of the police force staged a mu- spite contrary allegations, the government still maintains that the unrest amount-
tiny in protest of the president’s veto in an effort to make their opinions known. ed to an attempted coup and claims that former president Lucío Gutierrez, leader
Although the national police chief expressed his loyalty to the president, lower- of the oppositional Patriotic Society Party, is responsible for conspiring to carry out
ranking police officers occupied barracks and set up road blocks throughout the the coup, charges that Gutierrez adamantly denies. The government has released
country. Some also occupied the National Assembly building and the national recordings of police officers that it claims prove that some police officers were plot-
airport in Quito, leading to their closure for several hours. In the police force’s ting to kill the president, although the reliability of these tapes cannot be verified.
absence, widespread looting and crime ensued on the streets of Quito. Businesses The chief of the national police force, Freddy Martinez, has resigned amidst the
and schools were shut down amidst security concerns. That afternoon, following unrest, and President Correa has promised to “purge” the 42,000 member na-
Correa’s fiery speech to a crowd of protesters, police officers released tear gas into tional police force of all dissidents. Despite the President’s tough stance, the ad-
the crowd. ministration has recently revised the austerity law and increased army and police
At that point, the administration of President Correa shut down all other pay, perhaps signaling willingness to compromise with police officers. In another
forms of media except for the national, state-run television station, Cadena Na- promising turn of events, President Correa has agreed not to dissolve Congress.
cional de Noticias. Therefore, the official version of the ensuing series of events is Immediately following the violence, the president had vowed to dissolve the Na-
markedly one-sided in favor of President Correa. International news media, such tional Assembly and rule by decree, powers which were granted to him by the
as CNN and BBC, have reported that the president was injured when he was hit new federal constitution that his administration drafted and approved in 2008.
in the face by tear gas. The president also claims that a police officer attempted Despite these compromises, the situation in the country remains very
to rip off his face mask and choke him. The president was rushed to the national tense. Ecuador has a long history of political unrest; there have been eight presi-
army hospital in Quito. While he was being treated by medical personnel, pro- dents since 1996. The leftist Correa was initially elected in 2006 with the promise
testing police officers began to gather outside the hospital. BBC and CNN report of pushing a socialist agenda. He was re-elected for a second term in 2009. He
that these officers forcibly prevented the president from leaving the hospital, essen- has the support of the Alianza País party in the National Assembly, and his ad-
tially kidnapping him and holding him hostage. However, critics have noted that ministration has been able to make significant changes especially in redistributing
other members of the government entered and left the hospital freely throughout capital to poorer populations and improving the education system, but he has
the ordeal, suggesting that the president could have left at any time. faced harsh criticism about his unwillingness to listen to opposing viewpoints, his
The national media urged the general population to come to the defense of alliances with Hugo Chavez and his confrontational personal demeanor. Critics
their president and rescue him from the rioting police officers. Crowds of civil- insist that the president’s taking over of all forms of media represents a threat to
ians and members of the military gathered outside the hospital and soon clashed freedom of the press and other rights guaranteed under a democracy. Tokuhama-
with the rioting police officers. CNN reports that the government estimates that Espinosa insists that “no one wants to overthrow the government; people just
four people died in the ensuing gunfire, including one university student, while want to be heard and are extremely frustrated at the farce played out in Congress
over 200 people were injured nationwide on Thursday, although critics claim that (in which laws are passed but vetoed by the President, or that they pass because
there are far more casualties. The president was finally rushed away by army spe- ‘the president says so’ without proper debate or integration of opposing view-
cial forces after more than twelve hours in the hospital, and taken to the national points).” Clearly, the reality of what occurred in Ecuador remains unclear, and the
palace, at which point he made another fiery speech to a cheering crowd, praising situation remains tense and extremely complex.
October 2010 21
I nternational
Mark Rafferty