VIEWPOINT: Feathers and Other Warnings
VIEWPOINT – Franz Wisner
All is well on the World Trek, Part Whatever. So far we’ve swapped the beaches and bikinis of Rio for the streets of Buenos Aires. You think I would have learned something by now.
Spent the last couple weeks imitating backpackers in Bariloche and Torres del Paine, convincing Argentine wine makers to open their cellars, cruising the fjords of Chile and eating a lot of beef. Chile con carne, if you will.
Finally made it to the end of the world. Stunning, serene, desolate, windy. Not a place for those who worry about bad hair.
Argentina released their former president (Menem) from prison the other day. Inspired me to jot down the following observations of the world of politics after 15 months on the road:
n Be suspicious of national leaders who wear medals, army fatigues, military dress, swords or emblem-crested hats with feathers.
n If the foreign leader plasters his face all over the local currency, don’t hold your breath for democratic reforms soon.
n In the cult of personality game, billboards and statues are singles and doubles, but embalmings are home runs.
n If new government policies are usually the lead stories on the front page of the business section, the country probably isn’t the best place for your investment.
n If a candidate supposedly receives more than 70% of the vote, the election was rigged or stolen,even if Jimmy Carter says it was fair.
n The world must be using the same blow-dryer because all the candidates are starting to look the same.
n With apologies to the Brits and many others, I still don’t trust systems where politicians can set the date of their own re-election.
n Countries where legislators are dismissed, abolished or sent home for bad behavior don’t quite have the democracy thing down.
n It’s the infrastructure, stupid. The most effective leaders we witnessed were the ones that stuck to the basics,roads, power, water and schools,and left the extra credit stuff for others,global treaties, goodwill missions.
n Baby Doc, Uncle Joe, Gus Dur,red flags for world leaders with nicknames.
Peace (through strength).
Former Irvine Co. spokesman Franz Wisner is travelling around the world with his brother Kurt. This is one in a series of dispatches.
