BROKEN RECORD
In the good old days of the 78 rpm gramaphone records, here in Argentina it was usual to call a highly repetitive person a “disco
rayado,” a scraped, scratched or ‘broken’ record. Well, today you will just have to put up with me at my worst, because I will once more insist on the same topic I have concentrated on lately – and I will do so up to the PASO elections to be held on August 11.
The issue is to get out, of every corner, every vote possible. For instance, if you have relatives or friends abroad (I do and I’m driving them bats!), please insist with them to make the effort and get out and vote. If it means squeezing their comfortable consciences, go ahead and do so. Needless to say, do exactly the same with those who live here and are annoyed with all politicians and particularly with the government and who, probably for very understandable reasons, have decided to send the polls to hell.
Also remember that citizens above the age of 70 have no legal obligation to vote anymore. But the amount of elderly people has grown immensely in the last decades, and of course their influence on the results has increased proportionately. Do all you can to also get them to the polling stations, wspecially because their greater personal experience makes them liable to vote in the best way.
Finally, because “It’s the Republic, carajo,” try and make the acquaintances you may have that intend to vote for the minor candidates – who are acting on the basis of their hubris instead of thinking of the welfare of their country – understand that every vote they give them actually benefits those who want to carry us back to national populism, with its sequel of corruption, economic chaos, insecurity, narcos and impoverished education, not to speak of poverty.
The tendencies we will see when the PASO ballot boxes are opened will give a preview of what will probably happen on October 27, when the general elections are held. Should, in the worst of cases, the difference for the presidential and the Buenos Aires provincial candidates in August be unfavourable to officialdom by, say, up to about four percent, it will virtually mean victory in October due to an increase in the polarisation of the two main forces. But if the difference were greater, then the Republic would be in real danger because, amongst other things, the economy could implode out of fear for the future.
So, you see, every vote counts. And considering that the end result of the coming elections will define the destiny of various generations to come and, maybe, even of Argentina as a nation, sorry but it is my intention to go on hammering on this issue without interruption during the next two weeks!