Latin American Entrepreneurs Align for Progress

In important ways, the United States is a surrogate Latin American country.

The U.S. Hispanic population hovers around 48 million. In absolute numbers, only Mexico ranks higher. By 2050, the U.S. Hispanic population will be 132 million.

Consider income and wealth gaps. According to the United Nations, the United States is one of the more lopsided developed countries with a wealthiest-to-poorest income ratio of 16 times. Sharing our ignominy, "Latin America is the most economically unequal region in the world."

Both America and Latin America need better tax policies. As far back as the sixties, a key tenet of President Kennedy's Alliance for Progress was promoting Latin American tax reform, calling for "more from those who have most." With Bush era tax socialism for the rich still on the books, we should humbly re-read to ourselves the Alliance for Progress.

The Alliance for Progress (Alianza para el Progreso) -- "to establish economic cooperation between the U.S. and South America" -- is now mostly long forgotten. Judging from data in Americas Quarterly (Summer, 2010), the people of Latin America are moving forward:

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