oh yes. people are satisfied. Venezuela is a first world nation with tremendous amount of job security. They have world's one of the best health care systems. Their economy is just moving up. People are really happy. Under the rule of Chavez he brought happiness and prosperity to the people of Venezuela.
Morality. lol. If 51% of people think raping children is a good act, does that make it right? Sorry, don't answer that. It'll turn into a discussion about ethics. What I find funny is that you don't want to talk about his policies only some "majority rules" philosophy. Germans supported Hitler's policies for kill Jews. Must be moral. Most people in early America supported having slaves. Must be moral. Right?
BUT... Before we talk about policies we shouldn't be having this discussion, unless they somehow concern you. That's my point.
The reason you hear Americans say nasty things about Chavez is because he goes against everything America stands for. And all those idiot celebs that go and meet with him just show how retarded our country is becoming. Like someone mentioned above, he shut down a TV station because they were airing information against Chavez and not showing "his best side". He spies on his citizens. He wants to be in power forever where the people would have no choices on who is in control. Everyone LOVES voicing their opinions about Bush here in America. It's all over the news, written on walls, on the internet, and even on tons of car bumper stickers....that's the great thing about living in a free country. I can voice my opinions about how crappy my government is and feel like I can do something to change it. Now, do you really think people in Venezuela can drive around with a "Chavez is a f*cking douchebag" bumber sticker on their car?
They DO concern me. Are you trying to suggest that there are just somethings I'm not allowed to talk about? Hmmm, I wonder what you'd be like in a place of power.
Are you a Venezuelan, lived there, have relatives there? How can you tell the happy citizens they're wrong? "Let the stubborn drug addict be, she doesn't want you in her life" - that's my point. The people are happy, just look at it. They may not be happy inside, but that is their goal to decide how they will deal with that, and they can.
Take out the entire US/Venezuela interactions and history. Just look at how he is doing with his own country, how Venezuela is faring under his rule, and how Venezuela does with regard to other nations in South America and throughout Latin America. Then he can be evaluated without the taint of American perspective and essentially rated on his own merits.
Boundary removed - I'll watch the discussion , I do agree some things up there are morally-incorrect but that's not my concern, I'll get the popcorn.
Is that why they always have massive protests. Like that time he shut down the most popular television statement because it criticized him. That led to huge protests amoung many other examples.
He's anti-freedom. That's a big negative in my book. I disagree with you. I can't ignore injustice. I guess I'm just too much of a humanist and a global citizen.
When opposition is systematically eliminated, there is no one left to complain. By order of Chavez, "SIT IN YOUR DAMN CHAIR, KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT AND BE HAPPY!!!".
this is turning to be like a comparison between USA and Venezuela if so, then it means Chavez have really done great for his country to be compared with the only super power in the world, but if we were to compare then we should have a look on both countries economic policies, and how its been reflected on the people http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugo_Chávez#Labor_policy I know wikipedia is not that much reliable source but its good just to give an idea, the charts there are positive since 1999 when Chavez reached power, I m not very familiar with Venezuela's interior issues but for sure Chavez is loved by his people and this won't come from emptiness, they may not be able to put a bumper sticker and scream "haha we have freedom of speech", and get busy slandering other people because they can't put such stickers. While there Government is leading their own country to the deep dark, and try to point their attention towards other matters to hide their own failures. I believe they have other more important issues to care about, than media scandals and fake freedom of speech, they were able to vote, and they did, they were able to remove others who been forced on them, so they are not a dead oppressed nation that can't do anything to help itself, they also been given a choice to change the constitution to extend Chavez period in power and they voted no. whether you like Chavez or not, people put him in power, because they do not want to bow to imperialism, and to USA pressure, this is what I believe makes him a hated person in USA.
I looked at the wikipedia page. I don't understand. What in there is good? First thing he does is have a referendum to have government involved in private matters. Than it basically talks about him nationalizing everything. That isn't good for the economy. That's bad for the economy. Can you explain what makes him great? I don't know why this statement makes me sick. Oh wait, now I remember, because it's sick. "The people love him but he's restricting freedom, but they love him. He's sending people off to concentration camps, but they love him. Shut up, but they love him." This is what I mean. No one can stay on issue, they have to always deflect to something else. You're comparing voting to freedom? Wow. It scares me. This really scares me. Good, you're from Jordan. You can't vote away my freedom. imperialism? USA Pressure? More like pressure for freedom.
have a look on the charts there, they show that poverty, unemployment, and inflation are decreasing, this is the narrowest view I have ever seen, do you think really people would love him because he is restricting their freedom? I did not say he is great or he is not, if you read carefully with open mind, you will see that people there put him back in power, and this won't come from emptiness, and for sure its not because he limits or restricts their freedom, they have other issues that are of much more importance than putting stickers and claim they are free while poverty eats them, they for sure have reasons to love him else than what you mentioned, and else what you can see through your semi-blind media. while its excellent to be able to speak freely about him either with criticism or in favor, it would be much better if this was not the only thing they get, while their economic slides deep in dark by the hands of the tiny percentage that owns a very large percentage of the wealth. the issue was Venezuela, and how you see its horrible there cos people as you think do not have freedom of speech in the American image for freedom of speech. you do not have to be so paranoid, yes I can't vote away your freedom, or anybody's freedom, whether near or far, much as you or your country can't vote Venezuelans people freedom of self-determination.
And...? No. Of course not. I was making fun of you because you said that lol. So he's not great? I didn't realize that voting made something right. I guess this is where we differ. Poverty is solved with freedom. I don't care if they love him or not. People loved Hitler, should I love him? How do you know what "my" media is? How do you know it is "semi-blind"? Freedom is more important than an efficient economy. The cool thing is that freedom creates prosperity, wealth and a higher standard of living. This is an undisputed fact, so I don't see why you're so resistive to it. lol I never said anything about free speech. I said freedom and the encompasses a lot of things. But since you brought it up, what is the difference between "free speech" and "American free speech"? Why not? There is a flaw when people have a vested interest in my freedom. Iran is a democratic country and homosexuals are put to death. Obviously, I can keep hammering out the points that democracy isn't a good thing. You would vote away my freedom if you could and that is wrong. I got your point a long time ago. You seemed to have missed mine.