Special interest o los grandes intereses

Seems like every politician trying to bring themselves some time in the spotlight speak of special interests o los grandes intereses as they are frequently referred to in Spanish; as if could impart a halo of populism into their campaigns. Don't get me wrong I am no fan of lobbyists and those that thrive in backroom dealing. We have to be honest with ourselves. Sometimes those special interests fill very important roles in our society. Let's agree that abusing power, economical or political is wrong no matter what. Nonetheless we all serve a purpose in today's economy. You can be a laborer or an entrepreneur. Just because your situation did not particularly allowed you to become an entrepreneur it does not give you a right to criminalize those that take the risk and open their own business.


There are actions that can be pointed out as wrong on both sides of the aisle. For example labor unions often fail to recognize the competitive pressures that we live today, on the other hand corporations look for creative ways to have taxpayers to bail them out of pension obligations and in effect shun their responsibility with current and former workers. In a perfect world I would say that working out a compromise could be achieved if both sides agreed that the issue at hand is not what we want to get or what we'll have to give up; rather the negotiation point should be how could we work together in a mutually beneficial agreement. Workers on one side could continue to have a job while corporations can continue to fulfill their obligations to owners or shareholders.

The same holds true for civil servants. The current threat of a strike in Puerto Rico by the teacher's union could potentially bring chaos to a system that serves over a quarter of a million students throughout the island. I have friends that are teachers and I agree that their working conditions are borderline inhumane in some cases, but you cannot negotiate with threats. Resorting to a strike, although their prerogative is not the best course of action. It might force some concessions, nonetheless the union is negotiating with a state that borders into being bankrupt. Just a little dose of common sense can help you see that their demands although warranted, are timed badly. I do believe that Puerto Ricans deserve the best education possible, and that in a strong education system lays the foundation for our future. Let's take a moment and reflect what can be done and be realistic, for our children's sake.