Obama and Latin America
Susan Kaufman Purcell argues that economic uncertainty in the United States, which is Barack Obama's fault, has adversely affected U.S. policy toward Latin America, especially in terms of not passing FTAs and creating polarization that makes immigration reform less likely.
Regardless of whether you agree at whose feet blame should be laid, it's obviously a president-centric argument, which creates problems. President Bush's economic policies were very different than Obama's, yet he also failed to enact immigration reform or pass FTAs even in times of economic growth. If we end up with the same result, probably we're focusing on the wrong variables. Arguments based on presidents and personalities are very tricky, and usually ignore other important factors. Congress, for example, is totally absent in this case.
President-centric arguments also tend to ignore the fact that U.S. policy toward Latin America is characterized far more by continuity than change. In 20 or 30 years, will we perceive such major differences between Obama and other presidents?
1 comments:
In 20 or 30 years, will we perceive such major differences between Obama and other presidents?
No.
Obama could have broken with the foreign policy establishment by taking a firm, principled and proactive position against the Honduran coup. In failing to do so, he failed to distinguish his own Administration's Latin America policy from that of past U.S. Administrations.
Post a Comment