The Ortega Example, Mills and Social Democracy

Daniel Ortega of the left-of-centre ideological praxis has regained political power in Nicaragua. Defeated in 1990 in democratic elections, which brought the centre-right conservatives to power, the resilient Ortega who led the Sandinista Revolution for a decade decided to bid his time. It took almost sixteen years for the resurgent Sandinista Party to lay any legitimate claim to political power, and they did succeed this time through the ballot box.

In the three previous elections, it was Daniel Ortega who contested on the ticket of his party and lost. The reasons for these failures were not far-fetched. It was due to the culmination of factors with the United States at the fore-front of a devious propaganda and manipulation of the Nicaragua people through covert and overt means.

The denunciation of the Sandinistas as ?evil filled? gangsters, and the threat of losing American investment and financial support in critical areas of the Nicaraguan economy were touted as the reasons for which the people should never return them to power. Ortega, the main target of this hate campaign and vile propaganda by the Yankees never wilted in his ideological convictions.

What is essential about the Ortega example is the continuous confidence which the Sandinista Party had reposed in him all these years culminating in his recapture of political power at the record fourth attempt. This is a classic example and precedence, and for which the National Democratic Congress (NDC), a political party which also had its tap root firmly anchored in the June 4 1979 and 31 December 1981 revolutions, to glean some useful insights. In the case of the NDC, the only difference is the charismatic revolutionary called Jerry Rawlings is constitutionally debarred. And in his place the party has gone into battle with the respected and combative John Atta Mills on two occasions and lost (the 2004 in controversial and bizarre circumstances).

There is a nexus relationship between the Ortega story and that of the NDC. Both are parties which believe in social democratic philosophy. For Ortega, who is seen as the very epitome of this agenda had to be goaded on by his party faithful to keep the heat on until he won the democratic war in the very week which saw George Bush and his war mongers totally humiliated and annihilated by the Democrats in the mid-term elections by American voters. It is imperative for the NDC as a political party to do a reflexive analysis of the Ortega miracle in Nicaragua and weigh the pros and cons of persistence and endurance. Of significance is the ever presence of Atta Mills in the race to once again lead the NDC into the 2008 presidential and parliamentary elections. It should be refreshing indeed.

It is true that the NDC has lost two battles under the command of Atta Mills. But we have to do a proper diagnosis of the two elections to identify why the NDC lost. Already the chickens are beginning to come home to roost. The fifth columnists whose avowed agenda to make sure the party never reclaim power under Mills have been exposed. Good riddance! The signs are very clear on the horizon of a Mills victory if he gets the nod of his party delegates come December 16-17 2006.

The Ortega victory at the fourth attempt is skin-deep. It is one of commitment, dedication coupled with revolutionary combative zeal which had seen him through. And if the Sandinistas can display such a high level of reposing confidence in Ortega, what prevents the NDC to learn from this experience? Atta Mills is again roaring to go. He has what it takes to turn around the economy, bring about social relief and put smiles back on the faces of hardworking Ghanaians. The social democratic agenda will not suffer. It will roll full steam. A man who is totally incorruptible, Mills will grind and sweep clean the rot and stench of maladministration, greed and crude capitalism represented by the NPP?s brand of property-owning democracy which is riddled and promoted by cocaine here, cocaine there and cocaine everywhere.

For those who do not savour the victory of the Sandinistas like the criminal gang of drug-traffickers ruling over us, we advise that they glean some lessons from the positivism of welfarism. It is a social democratic agenda represented in providing jobs, housing, medical care and meaningful and decent education for all and not only for those who can afford to pillage our resources to buy hotels, plush houses in choice areas of Accra and Kumasi and atop deal in narcotic substances and money laundering.

The United States, which was in the fore-front of the campaign to see the back of Ortega and the Sandinistas has failed to realise the truth about the Nicaragua elections. It was a vote against imperialism and rapacious capitalism. It was a vote against mere rhetoric of human rights and capitalist democracy. It is time most discerning people in the developing world begin to see through the veil of American brand of democracy. The Nicaragua political right have been taught a lesson in mindlessly following United States policy without due regard for the needs and aspirations of their people. After sixteen years of conservative capitalist policies, which the Americans promised will bring Nicaragua towards a state of bliss, the lives of the indigenes, remains pathetically worse of. The people live on less than $2 a day.

Where then is the paradise promised the people by the United States? It is these blatant falsehoods and inherent cheap propaganda which has been exposed and now despised by the Nicaraguans which resulted in the political ?Tsunami? in Nicaragua. They prefer to entrust their destiny in the hands of an old comrade and pragmatist than continue to follow the corrupt and hypocritical system of exploitation and economic strangulation.

The signs are clear for the NDC. The social democratic agenda is the key to Ghana?s economic revival. Socialism is the new wind blowing across the globe. The reawakening of the left-of-centre ideology and its resurgence is being felt in Europe, Africa and most significant of all, Latin America. The NDC followers should not waver. They have the best option to take Ghana out of the mess of tribalism, narcotic peddling, gargantuan corruption and media terrorism.

The street children need the NDC. It is the only alternative to give them the requisite training and house them under the Israeli-type of youth employment schemes in agriculture and related commercial activity. The social democratic philosophy is what the Ghanaian worker has to embrace to be rescued from the shackles of manipulation and sell-out by the leaders some of whom are now paid-agents of the NPP maladministration.

Again, Daniel Ortega has shown us the way. He has taught us what perseverance and persistence can do. He has set the ball rolling for the progressive left to keep faith with themselves and trust in the leadership with the right vision to bring victory no matter how long and tortuous it would be. And in Atta Mills, we have the resurgent Ortega to snatch victory from the claws of rapacious crooks and criminals, looters and narcotic drenched traffickers, reeking and smelling of cocaine and struggling under the weight of unbridled corruption.