It has been my longtime habit to read the newspaper, but lately, news of the global financial meltdown and rants from leaders who have little idea how to solve it have made me dread my daily fix. If there’s nothing about our financial woes, I will most likely come across a political scandal involving bribes, sex or some twisted form of corruption brought to light from the back alleys of our nation’s capital. And if all else fails, no newspaper forgets weekly death counts in developing countries around the world. Needless to say, my faith and trust in politicians wanes as I scan the headlines every morning. But last week, I sat down with the New York Times expecting another depressing read, and after trudging through the usual doom and gloom my hope in politicians was instantly renewed when I set my sights on an article about Mexico City Mayor Marcelo Ebrard.
Ebrard is not your typical mayor. Mexico City is one of the most densely packed cities on the planet and suffers a host of problems that we La Jollans cannot even fathom. As of 2007, 31.8 percent of Mexico City’s population was living in poverty and the Mexican government offered little hope to its citizens. Despite these challenges, Ebrard has remained positive, concocting nifty ways to enrich his citizens’ lives without fancy economics or foreign policy. For starters, Ebrard closes the city’s major streets every Sunday, transforming them into gigantic bike paths to encourage exercise and reduce pollution. This Valentine’s Day he emceed an event called Besame Mucho, in an attempt to break the record for the world’s largest mass kissing party while raising awareness for domestic violence.
However, these policies pale in comparison to one of his medical initiatives ‘mdash; a program that promises a variety of male-enhancement drugs, free of charge, to citizens who meet certain medical qualifications. Singlehandedly, Ebrard created his own stimulus package in the form of Viagra, Levitra and Cialis. Although Mexico City may not necessarily be suffering from a mass impotence epidemic, Ebrard and other supportive colleagues created the program to enhance senior citizens’ quality of life while hoping to convince them to get help for other ailments from which they may be suffering. The program may seem silly, but it has undoubtedly benefited and made countless Mexicans happy.
Ebrard’s unconventional policies got me thinking about the role of our own politicians here in the United States. Are my elected representatives really doing anything to enhance my life’s quality beyond the bureaucratic drudgery that has become a requisite of their jobs? The Declaration of Independence emphasizes life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, but it seems that many politicians have forgotten about this last part. Imagine if the city of San Diego put on massive BBQs at La Jolla Shores a few times a month or sponsored free art exhibitions on Mount Soledad in the summer. Programs like these can help build the traditions many American cities are lacking and help bring our communities together at a time when we need it most. Although the expense of these programs might be seen as wasted funds during a time of economic crisis, mere hundreds or thousands of dollars wouldn’t make a difference at a time when politicians are committing trillions to impersonal plans that may not directly promote community cohesiveness. Creating traditions may not go a long way toward solving the global financial crisis or stabilizing the hou
sing market, but it would allow people to forget their problems for at least a few hours. I think it’s about time that our elected officials stop being solely concerned with the hot topics in Washington D.C. or Sacramento and start thinking about creative ways to enhance the lives of the people who put them there in the first place.
Like any politician, Ebrard certainly has his detractors. With midterm elections approaching in June, his opponents have painted his new health program as a ploy to win votes while wasting government funds. And maybe Ebrard must turn to these types of programs because he lacks the resources to tackle the rampant crime and poverty plaguing Mexico City. But that doesn’t mean our politicians can’t learn from Ebrard and attempt to craft policies that bring joy into our lives and our people closer together. I’m not saying we all need a mass kissing party, but after reading the headlines in the newspaper today, I could go for one.