He is great to those that like morons, yes... The truth is, Chavez is responsible for a continued economic downturn in Venezuela. Like Castro in Cuba, much of his countrymen live in poverty. The countries main, er., only export is oil. The US account for 50% of that chief export. Without it, they have nothing else to fall back on. The US stops buying their Oil, Venezuela would virtually collapse overnight. Chavez realizes this and has been taking over every industry, from banking to petroleum in an effort to nationalize these industries and aid him in his unending quest for total and complete power. He, unlike Bush, is a dictator. He was not put into power, he took power. He maintains power through force, coercion and other illegitimate means. You think things are bad in the US? Media hype aside.. Lets just take brief look at the inflation rate in Venezuela which jumped from 13% to over 32% in 2002. No one has any idea what it is at today, because Chavez, in an effort to circumvent reality of his bad policy had the central bank in Venezuela suspended foreign exchange trading in 2003. From there, they fixed the exchange rate against the American dollar at their own arbitrary number. In just 4 short years that unofficial exchange rate jumped by a factor of 6 six. While this countrys largest export is oil, a very very small percentage of the public is actually employed by the oil industry in Venezuela. As a result, most people are dirt poor or out of work. But hey, gas is cheap... Things have been so bad in Venezuela that despite all this oil revenue, several countries, including the US have contributed economic aid in the tens of billions to help. All one has to do is look at Castro's Cuba to see just where Chavez and Venezuela are headed.
How does freedom solves the poverty? Let's do an experiment, we will put you in a middle of desert with no food, water or any material comfort. You are FREE to do what ever you want and let's see how long you will survive. Your undisputed fact is nothing more than nonsense either. Singapore is a small country with very limited resources. They also have a lot of limitation on individual freedom and the government is semi-dictatorship but in comparision they have succeed to achieve prosperity, higher education and wealth much better than USA. I am sure if USA stops buying the oil, it will not be any problem for China or India to step up and buy the oil. It is funny when Americans talk about poor people in south American or Cuba like they care while in the mean time many of their economic problems is direct result USA economic policies or in some cases direct result of sabotage of their economy by USA agents.
Singapore has one of the freest economies in the world, hence the prosperity. Same thing with Hong Kong. They don't have "democratic rights", but they certainly have economic ones. It's an undisputed fact that freedom determines prosperity. Look the reports from the Fraser Institute that they release each year. It is proven year after year after year that countries that recognize individual freedom have high standards of living. Fact. There is NOTHING but freedom that determines prosperity. Just look, Capitalist Individual Rights America and Communist Collectivism Cuba live side by side. The difference in standard of living is sickening. Cubans live in Crap and there's people out there that look at Castro as a beacon of light. Wow. It doesn't matter what natural resources you have because freedom is all that matters. Look at Africa. The most natural resources available are in Africa, yet it's a poverty ridden hole. Take a look at Hong Kong, it's a rock and has nothing. Differences in standard of living, outstanding.
This guy, Chavez, is like a shark fish. A minow. He bases his entire existence on the big boys. He's simply parasitic, basking in the wake of the real movers. He has nothing to say but counter-point. No wake? No Chavez. Without idiots like Dub-ya feeding him popcorn at the zoo, Chavez wouldn't know how to pick his nose. Truly, I'd rather work for a living than believe anything out of either of their mouths. But Bush is gone shortly. Chavez will be around a long time to pick his peasants pockets clean.
Now that your original posts are disproved, you change the tune and instead of talking about FREEDOM, you limit yourself to only economic freedom. Since in your new tune, you approve of Singapore then in your logic mass murder and spying on neighbors should be no problem as long as there is economic freedom. The simple truth is that you don't know what you are talking about and you are just repeating some propaganda nonsense and that is the reason you run in to these logical problems. As I mentioned previously, the problems in Cuba and Africa are more the result of USA and European countries economic policies which actively seeks to destroy their economy rather than anything to do with their political system. Even if there was no Castro in Cuba and that country continued to serve as USA's whore house, I hardly doubt that people would be any better off than today as evident by looking at the life of people in other south American countries that continued to be USA's colony.
And if it weren't for the Italians the Irish would still be in the trees. Now, I'm half Irish and actually wish we were still in the trees. But it's certainly not the italians anymore who are keeping us OUT of them. Anymore than it's the US who is keeping the Hutu's massacring the Tsutsi's or the South American peasant from earning a decent wage. Eventually everyone has to wipe their own butt and stop blaming everyone else for the poop in their own diaper. Grow up.
The more freedom you have obviously the better. These countries do well because they have economic freedom. Which is the most important. Where exactly did I say I approve of Singapore? I know what I'm talking about. Progaganda lol. Okay. How do "our" economic policies "DESTROY" their economies? Probably not. If they served upholding freedom, they would enjoy the same standard of living we do.
Have you ever heard about sanctions? The second line shows how much you don't know, give me one country in south American which continued serving USA and enjoys the same standard of living as Americans. The funniest thing is that USA doesn't even practices what it preaches to the rest of the world about "FREE ECONOMY".
Yes. What sanctions have we put on African countries? As for Cuba, the NAFTA eliminates that. American companies can trade with Cuba if they move it through Canada or Mexico first. I notice you like telling me what I know. What do you mean by "serve" the USA? I made the point that they should "serve" freedom. Please explain instead of hiding behind these vague comments.
The truth is, China only accounts for 3% of that production/usage. I doubt very much it would increase, given its more expensive for them to purchase from Venezuela. Actually, the US is 1/2 responsible for ALL the money that Venezuela makes. 50% of every dollar in the Venezuelan economy came from the US. How on earth that has cause economic downturn in Venezuela is beyond me. The truth is, Chavez's record of irresponsible behavior and lack of investment into other industry is 100% the cause of the poverty in his country. You don't sabotage an economy that you are 50% responsible for supporting. Perhaps you should spend a little more time away?
There is a large group of custom duties that make it impossible for African countries to process their raw resources and then export it to the west and instead they have to sell the raw material. There is a refusal to sell technology which causes that oil countries can not even process their own oil. Why the negative campaign and propaganda against Venezuela or Cuba? What is the difference between these countries and other countries in south America such as Honduras, Bolivia, Ecuador,...? Do you think people there are better off or do you think the killing squads in those countries are establishing freedom? The only reason you don't criticize these countries is due to the fact that their governments are just puppets serving American corporations interests. You also mentioned Che executing people in the war but you forgot to mention that when he was injured and was arrested, he was executed without any trial on the order of American advisers and his hands and head was cut off and was sent to USA. On the question of "economic freedom", have you heard about the softwood lumber from Canada, just as one example?
A lot of countries have duties on them. America was built on duties, so I don't understand the problem. There is obviously someone BLOCKING international investment in African oil. Oil is expensive and there is a HUGE potential for profit, yet the investment isn't coming in. The American government doesn't have the power to block it, so it's obviously the African countries. Bad is bad. It's not a campaign or propaganda. It's just "what it is". Not much. Bolivia is another crap hole. If you take a look at a country that is starting to embrace the ideals of freedom, like Argentina, you see a substantial difference in the standard of living. Have you ever been to Buenos Aires? Great place, nice standard of living. Probably not. It's just those other countries don't have a guy that is such an international Jesus of death. Explain. He was executed by Bolivian forces. He was a war criminal. How do you think war works? Do you have a trial and jury for every prisoner you capture? Yeah, I'm a Canadian, so I do know. What's your point?
So Che executing people was bad but they executing him was good. How many times are you going to contradict yourself in this thread, I have already shown that all your slogans are just empty slogans that don't make any sense. How about you read about these subjects before trying to discuss it?
I never said it was good. War is tragic. I feel less bad for someone that started it. Where have I contradicted myself? Just because you announce what I "believe" or "say" doesn't make it right. But I like how you're trying to announce a victory. Very smart. Where? Have you even presented a view/side/ or argument in this thread?
You do realize that gworld, that you haven't addressed points. Notice your last point is about Che, and there was a lot of things you could of replied too, but you just replied about Che. It looks you're running out of points to make. I don't blame ya though. I blame me.
When some one doesn't have a solidified method of thought then discussing with them is just waste of time because they are like water and change shape and opinion in every post which is exactly what you do. I just pointed out about the Che to show once again how you are not consequent in your ideas and propagandas.
You didn't even discuss the topic at hand. There are no points on Chavez. Who really is the one running wasting time? You bitch about countries being lackies for America, than bitch when they can't be lackies for America. You don't even have a thesis, you're just bitchin', for the sake of bitchin'. Where has my opinions "changed" exactly? Don't worry, I don't expect you to answer that, just like you don't answer any of my questions. You didn't make a point with Che. I don't understand why you're trying to exit this discussion, without even contributing anything and acting like you "won". You're welcome to come back and join the discussion on Chavez, which you haven't made a single point on.
Ok this is stupid. No one is trying to spread propaganda here. Why don't we turn the table around tell us a few good reasons why we should support Chavez? Rather than blaming the US for negative portrayal of world's greatest human being, why don't you tell us about the good things he did that made him so great and also turned Venezuela into a first world nation. This is the dream of a young person from a thirdworld country to get settled in Venezuela, rite? or is the US? No, I think this is Venezuela.
Being a leader doesn't mean being a democrat. What I understand from "being a leader" is ruling by justice and peace and make the nation rise. What I'm really curious about this issue is why the U.S. still doing nothing about Chavez who's near to it but getting prepared to attack Iran that's overseas?
hmmm? have you been in argentina after the 60's? About Chavez: I don't know who in the hell saud that people in venezuela is happy? People in venezuela is as happy as people in Germany with Hitler or in the US with Bush. Chavez is a freaking idiot, as we say here in Argentina he si competing with Bush to see "whose di*k is bigger", just because both of their gas station networks are competing. Worst of all, everyone here in South America follows him. In my country, Iran is being investigated because of a terrorist attack to an Israeli building (there were 2 attacks in the 90's one to the embassy and another to some assosiation, Irani government by then is presumed to be involved in one). Now, suddenly, these years a new clue has appeared, that links Syria and former president Men*em to that attack. And just by coincidence, it appeared just after Chavez let know to the world how good friends him and the Irani government are. People in Venezuela doesn't like him, he owns the media, and the only massive channel that he couldn't buy (and the one speaking the thruth) was shut down by Chavez himself. He is the new Castro, Venezuela is the new Cuba. I just hope Argentina and Brazil have the balls (well, we have a Mrs. president so i'll find it weird) to stop following that wacko before he gets us in trouble.