In addition to democracy not being for everyone in the world (people must take responsibility in a democratic government while in a dictatorial government the leader takes the blame for everthing), capitalism certainly is not for everyone either--especially if you are not agressive and motivated to succeed by nature or custom--you will be left by the wayside.

>>Tom,
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>>>Continue the cycle indefinitely and be sure to blame the United States.
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>>First of all I didn't blame anybody. I just listed some events that thought would help to support my statement. Are those facts incorrect? Or they did happen. That's the point.
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>We have done many things as have other government to influence the politics of other nations. As Tracy pointed out we have trained people from other nations only to have them “change sides” whenever they pleased.
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>We cannot be responsible for how people think and act.
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>>Second, as Tracy pointed in one of her message: stop the circle. Why not? If you (the US) have the knowledge of what is going on in those countries ruled by corrupt politicians, and don't stop it, you are as corrupt as those that get the money from you and put the money in swiss banks!
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>The problem is that we do not know how each leader will treat monies that are loan to their country. After one leader steals should we consider that all leaders that follow him will steal?
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>Historically, those leaders from "Latin American countries" that have been most honest are also hated the most in their own countries.
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>I really see a problem with Swiss Banks, as they protect "investors".
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>No corrupt government offical should be allowed to put money in a bank or leave their country after they steal.
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>>In Brazil, and you can check in the news, we can say we are in a crusade against corruption, that is extremelly spread in all levels of our society. Who is playing a big role? The press, that slowly is getting out of the hands of the biggest corrupts. Just this week a minister of the Supreme Court was put aside for investigation, because he was, suposedly, selling habeas-corpus (sorry don't know in englisg) to drug dealers!
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>>It's going on very slow, it's been very hard, but we are doing by own means in a democratic way, and we're learning what freedom is about. Think this is the right way to do things.
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>>Fernando
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>Fernando;
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>Democracy may not be for everyone. Just because it works for some countries does not mean it will work for all the nations of the world. Imposing doctrine upon others is not something to be taken lightly. Find your own path. Keep out of the path of others.
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>Politics is a complex subject. Not everyone agrees on everything so there is always opposition. It costs a few pennies to buy a bullet and shoot a political leader. Elections by the bullet are not that uncommon, as even we know in the United States. If you are displeased at your political leaders, shooting them is not recommended. You never know who will replace the last office holder.
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>In a democracy when the administration changes you have the opportunity to change all doctrines, agreements, treaties and relationships with other nations as well as change the emphasis of government towards your own country. This seems so neurotic and disastrous. To me it is a shortcoming of democracy.
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> If you consider that no one person will please everyone then so be it. Be like the Catholic Priest who when asked for advice as to how to solve a problem at hand will answer, “This too shall pass my son”! True! In time, one leader and administration will be replaced with another and then we get to start all over again. Politicians will promise anything to get into office. Occasionally, we have a leader who actually attempts to help the people of his nation. Even that may not be appreciated by one person – the man with the bullet.
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>The majority of a society means very little as long as one man has absolute power. That man may be the president of a nation or the man with the bullet. Do you serve the majority or express yourself if you are the opposition? How do you express yourself? Do you wait for the next election like a sheep, and hope the next leader will “do things your way”, become politically active, leave the country, or what?
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>I know people who have never voted and refuse to do so. One friend is a Korean War veteran and told me he will never vote because, “I do not want to encourage the bastards”! Everyone has his/her own thoughts about politics. In the end it is the quality of the leader that is important and the positive things accomplished for society that should be the weight of how good a leader is or was. Another problem is that many people cannot agree as to what is good or bad. One mans meat is another mans poison.
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>Tom