Good and Bad

Despite the differences in the economic, technological, political and institutional orders that go from heaven to earth, the government, politicians, academies and citizens tend to present the United States as the best reference to compare with everything that is done and not done here. But what is copied or reproduced from American society are more weaknesses than strengths.

The great Santo Domingo is now a metropolis with attractive buildings, tunnels, bridges, overpasses and very modern shopping malls that offer the most sophisticated brands, all in an environment similar to downtown Manhattan. But the Dominican diaspora is established uptown, in a New York neighborhood that lacks that consumerist luxury.

Here they want to emulate the type of “liberalism” that is present in upscale neighborhoods in the Big Apple, such as SoHo and the Village. They forget that the progress the United States reached is not based in a lack of self control, but on the values linked to conservatism, such as family, work and savings.

Among the Dominican youth, just like in the rest of Latin America, the idea that the U.S. is only drugs, alcohol, sex, violence and consumerism is marketed. In reality, American universities are full of youths who are able to make their way through college with the support of their families.

The real tragedy the 2008 mortgage and financial crisis produced was that millions of American families lost their homes, which meant losing their life savings. In that society savings are a product of sacrifice not squander.

The politicians in this backyard, who enjoy their pilgrimages to Washington and New York so much, should learn from the sense of responsibility American politicians have with their constituents or citizens in general and should also understand that their actions will always be under the spotlight of the law.

A domestic “party-ocracy” that navigates in a circle, provokes scandals and is very used to ridiculousness should adopt the American political ABC’s. These include dialogue, establishing standards, and passing important laws, such as those pertaining to immigration or the debt ceiling.

Because of a collective vanity virus, it is preferred to compare the Dominican Republic (Little New York) with the United States and not with its equals in the Caribbean or Central America. I would suggest at least that the country copy the good and not the bad from Uncle Sam.