Back-scratching

Carlos Loret speculates/reports (reportulates?) that the PAN dropping its alliance with the PRD in Oaxaca, Puebla, and Coahuila will be the price for PRI support for Calderón's fiscal plan. He also points out that the combined PAN-PRD vote total from the recent elections in Mexico State would have been (and presumably will be again) enough to best the PRI, despite the latter party having what everyone agrees was a wonderful result in July. This is especially notable because such an alliance would seem to have the potential of knocking off Enrique Peña Nieto's designated successor in the 2011 elections, which would lay a huge lick on his presidential aspirations. Of course, that's two years away, and a lot can change in the meantime, regardless of whatever deals are struck to get a budget passed in the coming weeks.