This motherfucker is Dangerous

[Peter Gazinya]

"Chavez vows to push nationalization"

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16559935/

This guy's a real piece of work. Here's some bullet points of interest:

- "the typically combative anti-U.S. leader has gone on the attack, deciding to strip a private opposition TV channel of its license and take over some major companies owned by foreign investors."

- "As the United States criticized Chavez’s moves against private property, the stock market lost almost a fifth of its value on Tuesday, debt prices tumbled to a six-week low and the currency changed hands at nearly twice the official rate"

- "New Vice President Jorge Rodriguez sought to calm Venezuelans’ nerves over the economic turmoil.

“The stock exchange is more solid than ever. ... It’s nothing,” he told reporters." WOW. The market loses 20% in one week and.....It's nothing?

And to think that the Venezualan people VOTED for this guy? Who was he running against, OJ Simpson?

Talk amongst yourselves. Especially the socialists, please explain to us all the glorious, nation building, freedom promoting benefits of this type of Tyrannical Oppression.:thumbsup:

 

[Sutekh35]

I don't like despots whatever their political leanings may be, but he has been elected by the people of Venezuela, so even if we don't agree about his actions, he has been democratically re-elected.

The public gets what the public wants

 

[KungFuDude]

Now he's become the bully though. He and his cronies rewrote their constitution so he could serve as president for as long as he likes. Hello again socialism!

And to think that the Venezualan people VOTED for this guy? Who was he running against, OJ Simpson?

They are one poor ass nation. He promises to use most of the oil money to help the poor and they love him for it. I guess you can't really blame them.

*Btw, we get a third of our oil from them.

 

[Member2019]

Even people you like politically should still scare you with their actions ...

Now he's become the bully though. He and his cronies rewrote their constitution so he could serve as president for as long as he likes. Hello again socialism!

Which is exactly why even people you like politically should still scare you with their actions.
Popular leaders who do not respect the limitations of their positions against other branches of government, and build upon that "cult-of-personality," are very dangerous.
As much as I don't like W., there is still the Judicial and Legislative branches in the US, and the man is out-of-office on January 20, 2009.

Right now it's very popular to criticize the US, as it started to become during even the Clinton administration, post-Cold War.
And blaming W. for Iraq will only go so far after his successor is in office, just like Nixon after Johnson (before Watergate et. al.).
Bush is not going to be the last President called "The Devil," just like popular Clinton (and NATO) demonizations were thrown countless US actions.

Although Clinton side-stepped a lot by agreeing to things the US Congress would never (and did never) approve.
But Americans won't vote for another candidate like that again, which explains a lot of why they voted W. (at least he does what he says and knows what will pass and what won't).
The American nation is a nation of great flaws and issues, and that's been our history for over two centuries.

But we're still arguing about it with ourselves.
Can't say that about countless other nations, especially those with government controlled (let alone funded) media.

They are one poor ass nation. He promises to use most of the oil money to help the poor and they love him for it. I guess you can't really blame them.

Yes you can. It's called a "lack of independent thought."
Siding with rhetoric is never a good move for a voter!
It's popular, but it also sends your country right into the ground very fast.

Sigh, I'm a true, American Libertarian, and even I'm being "breeded out" by the Liberal Left and Religious Right.
Barely 1 child per family to us former, versus over 3 children per family of the latter two.
So we won't be far behind either.

*Btw, we get a third of our oil from them.

Yes, China and Japan import a far greater percentage from the Middle East than us.
Why do you think Japan was a big supporter of us going into Iraq, and China even let us use some of their facilities?

 

[Peter Gazinya]

I say: Chavez is pretty cool as far as I'm concerned. Good on him for having the balls to stand up to the bully.

What bully would that be Fox? Freedom of choice, free enterprise, private ownership of property, or stable financial institutions for a country's citizens?

He shuts down a privately held TV station for dissenting opinions, forcibly takes over foreign owned companies, tanks the capital markets, and will do his best to eliminate the citizens' ability to own anything.

The "Bully" I imagine, is Bush? Well I can't stand that lying cocksucker either and I so appreciate that the media outlets and citizens that feel the same way have the freedom to voice such an opinion with relative impunity. And I like that we allow our corporations to fuck up on their own without worrying that our oppressive government will just come in one day and "take over". And I like that I can own property.

This guy is Stalin, Hitler, and Enron all rolled into one and all you can say is "He's so cool for standing up to the Bully"? He IS the Bully.

 

[Roughneck]

Chavez is a piece of work all right.

He IS the Bully.

Simplest test - go to Venezuela and criticize Chavez the way some folk come to the States and criticize Bush.

See who lasts/lives longer.

cheers,

 

[georges]

I say: Chavez is pretty cool as far as I'm concerned. Good on him for having the balls to stand up to the bully.

that was very predictable from you and you also said once you would prefer to live in Cuba than in USA. Sometimes I am really wondering why you were given the US citizenship when you are so anti american. About communism, it has never been a solution, communism equals failure.

 

[Iamforever]

ive never heard of this guy, but if he wants war with America, his army will not last. i say one week tops the fight will last.

 

[calpoon]

of course, only a madman would oppose the fortune 500 in a country where old age ranks lowest among mortality rates.

 

[Peter Gazinya]

ive never heard of this guy, but if he wants war with america, his army will not last. i say one week tops the fight will last.

Shit, after last night's moronic news OUR army might not last.

 

[Roughneck]

Shit, after last night's moronic news OUR army might not last.

The Army is not shot to pieces - the media usually has little to no idea about the true morale and function of the Army.

Same was true in 'Nam (something I personally experienced) and the same is true now (something I know from my kids friends). In fact - the same can be said about most of the General staff and the Pentagon.

For an all voluntary military - I'd actually say that we're doing pretty good .... given the circumstances. Of course, the "circumstances" demand that the men keep returning for duty - something that will drop if things stretch on too long without home/civillian support [part of the reason I am disgusted and angry with Congress for not declaring War].

Nobody wants to be the 'casualty' in an unpopular and ultimately forgotten war (something I am too familiar with).

Our mil families are being stretched (particularly my brothers in the smaller Marine Corps) -- no doubt about that. Stop loss and frequent re-deployment will do that.... with the added burden of running a home and raising a family by yourself while your spouse is out dodging bullets.


As a veteran, I always pay homage to my wife and my family ---- I had neither when I was actively deployed... but I learned enough from my squad mates who had family to know about the enormous sacrifices they have to make.... which taught me the lesson of appreciating my loved ones for their courage and fidelity (as if war itself wasn't enough!).

What really chaps my hide - is the attitude of current generations and the administrations - towards Veterans and their affairs. As a buddy remarked to me many years ago - "We are expendable - on the battlefield and off it. The question always lies - who benefits from it".

cheers,

 

[Peter Gazinya]

I hear ya Roughneck, I was just taking a shot 'cause last night's news just disgusts me. And I was just trying to say what you said.

 

[Roughneck]

I hear ya Roughneck, I was just taking a shot 'cause last night's news just disgusts me. And I was just trying to say what you said.

Heh! I thought you were.

I wasn't really disagreeing with ya - I know you inserted "moronic news" for purpose

cheers,

 

[KungFuDude]

Re: Even people you like politically should still scare you with their actions ...

Yes you can. It's called a "lack of independent thought."
Siding with rhetoric is never a good move for a voter!
It's popular, but it also sends your country right into the ground very fast.

Sigh, I'm a true, American Libertarian, and even I'm being "breeded out" by the Liberal Left and Religious Right.
Barely 1 child per family to us former, versus over 3 children per family of the latter two.
So we won't be far behind either.

People like you and I voted against Chavez in that country. Problem is they are extremely outnumbered by the poor. Most of them live in shacks and have absolutely nothing but the clothes on their backs. If I was that poor, and some hot shot speaker kept coming around where I lived and promised me the stuff he did, I'd gladly punch his name on the ballot without thinking twice about it.

Yes, China and Japan import a far greater percentage from the Middle East than us.
Why do you think Japan was a big supporter of us going into Iraq, and China even let us use some of their facilities?

I wish we would hurry up and advance our methods of extracting oil from the Gulf of Mexico. They say that there could be up to 5 times as much oil under there compared to what is in the middle east.

 

[D-rock]

The problem with people like Chavez is that he doesn't want to eliminate tyranny; he wants it in his own image. I don't know if he is just power hungry or if he believes his ends justify the means he uses to reach them or both. He isn't the righteous individual he tries to make himself out to be whatever the reasons are behind what he does.

 

[om3ga]

I don't like despots whatever their political leanings may be, but he has been elected by the people of Venezuela, so even if we don't agree about his actions, he has been democratically re-elected.

The public gets what the public wants

People like you and I voted against Chavez in that country. Problem is they are extremely outnumbered by the poor. Most of them live in shacks and have absolutely nothing but the clothes on their backs. If I was that poor, and some hot shot speaker kept coming around where I lived and promised me the stuff he did, I'd gladly punch his name on the ballot without thinking twice about it.

The best quotes on this thread, imo.

I have my issues with Chavez (any "mate" of "Red" Ken Livingstone needs closer scrutiny, imo... ) but to the poor of Venezuela, he appears to make a difference to their lives. If he fucks up, the same people who put him in office, will put him out...one way or another.

 

[Member2019]

Once you remove the Democratic-Republic, it's all over ...

If he fucks up, the same people who put him in office, will put him out...one way or another.

That's assuming you still have a Democratic-Republic.
Now it's the "another" way, given that the people have basically screwed themselves.

There's nothing more dangerous to a Democratic-Republic than people who believe one person is better than "the system."
"The system" is never perfect, but it does have it's checks'n balances.

 

[om3ga]

Re: Once you remove the Democratic-Republic, it's all over ...

That's assuming you still have a Democratic-Republic.
Now it's the "another" way, given that the people have basically screwed themselves.

There's nothing more dangerous to a Democratic-Republic than people who believe one person is better than "the system."
"The system" is never perfect, but it does have it's checks'n balances.

Well we people aren't perfect, Prof (look at us, we voted "Red" Ken Mayor of London)......:o

 

[calpoon]

I figure the same can be said for just about anyone that has power and is willing to use it. selfless people usually don't seek out positions that grant them the abilty to control others.

i've said it before and I'll say it again, people should be elected as president, but no one should be allowed to run for president. as soon as someone says that is what they want to do, then he should be disqualified because you can't trust him.

 

[Johnny Smoke]

Bush is adding 20,000 extra American troops into an Iraqi civil war, he plans on expanding the war to Iran and Syria, and we are to believe that Chavez is the dangerous mother fucker?

Yeah, right.