[jdavis703]

I imagine a lot of readers are taking umbrage at these towns being called “banana republics.” Honestly a lot of American town and city councils can be described this way, regardless of where in the US they are. I write this as an American who has been to too many local government meetings over my life.

[knightofmars]

Yes. There are way to many local government representatives who think they can go "toe to toe" with the lawyers and officers of multinational corporations. They often take promises from those corporations at a word and don't (or can't) hold the corporations accountable when promises aren't kept. Inevitably the local representatives, and the constituents they represent, are left holding the short end of the stick.