A TCFR event is scheduled for
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Radisson Suites, 6555 E. Speedway Blvd.
Social Hour 5:30 – Announcements & Dinner 6:15 – Speaker and Discussion 7:00
(We thank Radisson for providing complimentary social hour wine and cheese)
D. Rick Van Schoik
will speak on the topic
Mexican Perspectives
With
President Felipe Calderon’s term winding down, Mexico is poised for a
new round of presidential and congressional elections on July 1. They
will be held under new procedures dictating a run-off in the
presidential race if no candidate receives a majority in the initial
round, and use of proportional representation to elect forty percent
(120 members) of the federal congress.
While the Mexican
economy has shown significant growth recently, its performance is the
worst of the major Latin American economies. Income distribution is
highly skewed and widening. As one observer noted, “Mexican
millionaires have moved up the Forbes list like bubbles in champagne.”
Corruption remains endemic and the “narco wars” show little sign of
abating. Hence it is not surprising that the governing National Action
Party (PAN) has lost ground and, based on recent polling, looks to
finish third in the upcoming elections. The long-ruling Institutional
Revolutionary Party (PRI), at this juncture, seems likely to return to
power, with the Democratic Revolution Party following in second place.
What
do these developments bode for Mexico and relations between our two
countries? As Director of Arizona State University’s North American
Center for Transborder Studies (NACTS), Mr. Van Schoik oversees and
manages a broad range of complex, multi-disciplinary tri-national
research and policy programs dealing with transborder issues. He
publishes frequently in the scientific, lay and professional media, and
is in demand as a speaker on security, water, transportation,
environment, and energy issues.
Mr. Van Schoik received a BS
in oceanography and engineering from the US Naval Academy. Following
service as a Navy Seal, he received a Masters degree in biology from
San Diego State University. He has done additional graduate work at
Harvard Graduate School of Education, Tufts University, and the
University of North Carolina. He teaches courses in energy, ecological
and environmental policy, science, law, economics and engineering.
Prior to assuming his current position, he directed the Southwest
Consortium for Environmental Research and Policy.
Reservation and Dinner Arrangements:
