All that could have been...

According to AP-Ipsos poll 59% of Americans dissaprove of George W. Bush is handling his job.

The Daily Show had a neat little bit that let it be known that the remainding 37% who did approve of the President also believed that Adam and Eve drove dinosaurs to Church.

Mean chuckles aside, what does the failure of the President to provide a clear vision for America mean for people like me?

Latinos in the United States stand to benefit most from two of Bush's policy agenda items; the expansion free trade via the Free Trade Area of the Americas and Social Security choice.


Free Trade Area of the Americas / Área de Libre Comercio de las Américas

The FTAA would advance the Americas by eliminating barriers to trade and investment. Mexico has fared well under NAFTA - though it is difficult to get people to think of NAFTA and Chiapas as two seperate and distinct events.

It was difficult enough to get NAFTA approved under Clinton - now the FTAA is probably going no where under this president.


Social Security Choice

A 2003 USA Today article notes that 34.4% of Latinos in the United States are under the age of 18. I imagine most of them are or will be citizens at some point. They will pay into Social Security, but the rate of return is a weak 2% - as opposed what could be made in an alternative savings plan. And I've never seen polling on younger Hispanics to prove this, but I suppose their awareness of the problems of Social Security are probably equal to that of most younger Americans - but probably just as unaware of the alternatives.

Bush, without Iraq - could have done something right by younger Americans and particularly Latinos - but now?

*sigh*

Let's see how Argentina plays out for el conquistador pendejo de Babilonia...