AMLO’s (Mexico) austerity plan includes 50% pay cut for lawmakers ...Hey, Mr, Trump, look!

a reply to: incoserv

At this point, seems like Mexico tried everything else and didn't work.
So give a chance to this guy. Anyway, looks like an auto coup d'état. AMLO is pushing the "Reset" button.

a reply to: TrueBrit

I can sort of see your interpretation of that phrase and you may have it correct. I just don't have enough information on how the Mexican system works. I will say I can't remember ever having seen a Mexican President removed from office. And I don't know if they have term limits or not.

I'd also have to admit to not quite understanding the UK system. I thought it was fairly easy to force elections for new prime ministers in UK, something having to do with loss of a confidence vote? And with that in mind, I'm very surprised May has lasted as long as she has what with her muddling on with the Brexit thing. It gives the impression that both parties or all three or whatever in the UK are very weak at the moment.

a reply to: TonyS

The reason that a no-confidence vote has not been taken, is that the last one to be taken successfully was in 1979, and before that, 1924. That ought to drive home how rare these things are. The reason for that, is that a confidence vote which fails to result in a general election, can actually re-unite disparate fragments of a broken party (like the Conservatives for example), rather than pushing it out of the way and replacing it with something new, after a general election. It is very probable that if one is even being considered at all, it will come soon.

a reply to: TrueBrit

Thanks for that information. I had no idea they were that rare.

Interesting times indeed.

On a side note, you may be thrilled to know that after Trump's performance in UK its beginning to occur to many here that a touch of dementia may have set in. If that's true, it pretty much assures he's a one termer. Of course, with a system as hopelessly broken as the one in the US is, there's no assurance his successor will be any better than he is.

a reply to: TonyS

Ah... would that have to do with the fact that less than one day after making a statement to the Sun newspaper which basically torpedoed Theresa May's EU exit plan, he then went onto say that he had done no such thing in a later interview, calling his own recorded statement fake news?

Or would that be as a result of the "Germany is now under the control of Russia" comment during the NATO meeting?

Until AMLO puts this into effect,he is just another mouth-breathing politician.

a reply to: TrueBrit

I would say both are prime examples, wouldnt you?

If this worsens, I would believe that he will be sequestered and if he doesnt agree to that, well.........he might be tranqued and sequestered and pretty much disappear from public view.

There's a prophecy guy here in the US, Jonathan Hogue, who is more often right than wrong and he sees Trump being very, very quiet in the second half of his first term.

At this rate I question whether he'll be healthy enough to run for a 2nd term.

Free education at all levels includes college, not exactly austerity there.
I don't see where he intends to mess with the cartels at all - the status quo is what they want.
Sounds fairly sensible and the cut backs in government pay and benefits is something the US desperately needs to do.

All of those are good ideas, great ideas in fact, stuff that we've been saying needs to happen here.

Which is why I think this president won't be even taking his office later in the year. Or he needs to start taking security to all those bad parts of town he goes to visit. Or a pope mobile.

a reply to: incoserv

Never going to happen...remember when pelosi and obama said they were going to get the same benefits as us peons? They quickly changed there tune..

As far as pay...they could make zero dollars and still end up making boat loads of money after they leave office..they end up working for some lobbyist firm..see one of my previous posts on the insanity of lobbyist....this is in no way a big deal in Mexico because just like here in the US and abroad they are all corrupt.

If Trump wants to shake up the apple cart, term limits of no more than four years for any person in office should be implemented...not voting back and equal matching funds for any party running for president..

Lower paid politicians tend to be more subject to accept bribes. So I think the cartels would approve.

originally posted by: watchitburn
a reply to: incoserv

My pants are getting tight just thinking about the President proposing this in the US.

I doubt it will ever happen, but it's definitely needed. Most countries in the world would do well to implement a policy like this.

I would totally cream myself if Trump got up before Congress and proposed that they take a 50% pay cut, and eliminate congressional immunity.

a reply to: incoserv

Personally cutting elected officials pay seems like a politicians stunt to me, a vote generating gimmick. I don't know how it is there, but here the politicians in high office are already paid far, far less than they would make in the business world. I'd call their pay modest considering the position.

If approved, members of the lower house in the next Congress will earn a gross monthly salary of 37,336 pesos (US $1,983) while senators will be paid 58,700 pesos (US $3,120).

López Obrador also said that the gross salary he will receive as president will be halved from its current monthly level of 209,135 pesos (US $11,090) and that perks and benefits for all politicians — such as health insurance covering major medical expenses — will be eliminated

That's too high of pay? I'd ask what other things are going to be cut, because that won't matter at all in the budget.

a reply to: AndyFromMichigan

You want only the rich in office, because who could run knowing they have to maintain their home where they are from, deal with travel expenses and accommodations in DC, a very, very expensive place. Not would run, but could run.

What needs cut are the real expenses that are out of control, not the pay for the elected officials. It would just be a meaningless gimmick.

originally posted by: Ahabstar
Lower paid politicians tend to be more subject to accept bribes. So I think the cartels would approve.

Exactly my thought here. He's taking over a system in which the lawmakers are already heavily susceptible to being on the take... knocking 50% of their salaries and benefits off the table would seem to only ensure they're now even more susceptible to taking cartel and Mexican Mafia money to keep that gravy train rolling. This will likely turn the handful of previously honest, sincere Mexican lawmakers into part of the overall corruption machine.

AMLO is a GD moron from everything I've seen. We need to build the wall because within 10 years we're going to be dealing with a big Red, White, and Green wave trying to get into the US as the Mexican people flee their failing nation and all of the problems that always follow shifts to corruption backed socialism.

originally posted by: AndyFromMichigan

originally posted by: watchitburn
a reply to: incoserv

My pants are getting tight just thinking about the President proposing this in the US.

I doubt it will ever happen, but it's definitely needed. Most countries in the world would do well to implement a policy like this.

I would totally cream myself if Trump got up before Congress and proposed that they take a 50% pay cut, and eliminate congressional immunity.

I won't happen because Trump isn't a dumbass.

ETA: Calling for an end to Congressional immunity is something that I could see Trump doing. I could also see the ridiculous calls he got to divest himself (and his family, even) of assets leading him to call on Congress to divest themselves off all of their private assets, but I don't see a POTUS being dumb enough to call for Congressional payroll halving.

Personally, I don’t think that a federal governement should have that much power, but if it does, politicians should be paid well and get good pensions. If not, the door to curruption is wide open.

a reply to: incoserv

Donald Trump works for nothing,so why would you bring him into the mix,I think law makers should be paid the same,Mexico is a socialist country so they can force compliance,not so far in the US but the liberals are trying hard to get the populace to submit,they are primarily run by the army,and before boasting,let's look at it after 1 yr see what has happened,kind of early to see outcome

originally posted by: TrueBrit
a reply to: incoserv

incoserv,

Its great to hear that AMLO has a plan to put the power back in the hands of the electorate, rather than hand it out to cronies and similar, and that he is willing to make the correct cuts, not the incorrect cuts, in order to make that work long term. I find it refreshing that there is a politician prepared to cut from the top, rather than the bottom, since societies rely on an economically stable bottom end, not a ring fenced top ten percent.

Sounds like a man on the right track. And the removal of immunity protections? Superb stroke of genius, and definitely timely.

Trump on the other hand, appears to be all about appointing a supreme court justice who is intent that a sitting president should be utterly immune to all forms of criminal or civil prosecution, if his pick for the position is anything to go by.

Thats a pretty stark contrast. No wonder Trumps administration has been eyeing this new Mexican head honcho with such horror! He will be showing those North of the border what a REAL bringer of change is about!

Right. As soon as he clears it with the cartels.

originally posted by: Kharron
All of those are good ideas, great ideas in fact, stuff that we've been saying needs to happen here.

Which is why I think this president won't be even taking his office later in the year. Or he needs to start taking security to all those bad parts of town he goes to visit. Or a pope mobile.

Saying it needs to happen and actually making it happen are two different things.

One thing I've learned is that politicians promise the world and deliver a pebble.