1. LET’S EVALUATE
ELECTORAL PROPOSALS!
July 25th, 2013
PROMUEVE TU PAÍS 2013...
From juy 15th to july 19th, we organized the annual seminar “Promueve tu país”. This year, it was titled, “Let’s evaluate
electoral proposals!”
For one week, young students and members of different organizations learned about political, social and economic aspects
of the country and they were prepared to evaluate different electoral proposals.
Finally, three of the presidential candidates were present at “Promueve tu país” so youth participants could listen to different electoral proposals and formulate questions to distinguish simple promises from real proposals in order to evaluate
their feasibility.
WHY SHOULD WE QUESTION ELECTORAL PROPOSALS?
IT IS YOUR MONEY
PRIORITIES
SIZE OF THE STATE
Whatever a candidate proposes is
not a gift for the country, every
promise has a cost.
Depending on where your candidates are, they will make all
kind of promises.
If the program is financed with
public funds, they are using your
money!
Which of them are more achievable? Which just sound good?
What interests are behind these
priorities?
Remember that you are responsible for your life (and not a politician). Every promise is a responsibility that you could delegate to a
State that is not always reliable.
If the program is financed with
debt, you and your children are
going to pay for it in the future!
Is important for you to know how
much a promise is going to cost
you now or in the future!
Beware with populism that
weakens institutions and leaves
you vulnerable to charismatic
but dangerous characters!
From the things proposed, what
things could individuals provide
on their own?
Remember that a State with the
strength to give you what you
want has the power to take away
everything you have.
WHAT DID YOUR CANDIDATES SAY?
Elías Antonio Saca (Unidad)
“Once I get to the Executive, I will cut travel expenses, publicity and the indiscriminate use of cars”
“I propose the creation of a deterrent police force”
René Rodríguez Hurtado (PSP)
”Why do we have to use fancy cars with your money (The taxpayers’)?”
“I renounce to the secret account of the presidential house ”
Norman Quijano (ARENA)
"The importance of social programs is the management of those"
"The pair of shoes is going to last a year, but a good education will last a lifetime"
ASKING THOROUGH QUESTIONS
In a campaign, your candidates tell
you what they want to do, but
they do not tell you:
How they will do it;
With which funds;
The cost of their proposal
And the expected impact
of the policies proposed.
If you do not question, you will not
understand the real meaning of
the electoral promises.
Question your candidates
without fear and ask the necessary questions to understand
how they plan to govern the
country.
Remember that a citizen who
does not question its officials
becomes an accomplice of po-
pulism, an irresponsible political class and excessive public
spending!