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231 Comments
- Berkana, on 10/12/2007, -62/+167When will the "people" see the truth of the matter? Communist revolution is the biggest lie ever sold to the masses; instead of empowering the people, it empowers the state, and leaves the people powerless, while temporarily upholding a facade of being egalitarian and favorable to the masses. Not a single communist/socialist revolution has ever turned up well; power hungry revolutionaries inevitably grab power in the name of the "people" and rule by decree and dictatorship.
- RadiantBeing, on 10/12/2007, -6/+94"The People" always get screwed unless they help themselves either through business or education. As Orwell pointed out in 1984, there are 3 kinds of people in any society, High, Middle, and Low:
"The aim of the High is to remain where they are. The aim of the Middle is to change places with the High. The aim of the Low, when they have an aim—for it is an abiding characteristic of the Low that they are too much crushed by drudgery to be more than intermittently conscious of anything outside their daily lives—is to abolish all distinctions and create a society in which all men shall be equal. Thus throughout history a struggle which is the same in its main outlines recurs over and over again. For long periods the High seem to be securely in power, but sooner or later there always comes a moment when they lose either their belief in them-selves or their capacity to govern efficiently, or both. They are then overthrown by the Middle, who enlist the Low on their side by pretending to them that they are fighting for liberty and justice. As soon as they have reached their objective, the Middle thrust the Low back into their old position of servitude, and themselves become the High. Presently a new Middle group splits off from one of the other groups, or from both of them, and the struggle begins over again. Of the three groups, only the Low are never even temporarily successful in achieving their aims... From the point of view of the Low, no historic change has ever meant much more than a change in the name of their masters." - Roppongi, on 10/12/2007, -7/+55For what's it worth, my spouse is Venezulean. Chavez was elected democratically, but he models himself after Fidel, and his 'socialist revolution' is turning Venezuela to dictatorship. Industries are being nationalized, property rights are being scaled back, security is a huge problem ( the murder rate is very high ), government inefficency is legendary, opposition media is being closed down, and corruption is rampant. They're starting to teach gov't propoganda in the schools. Given the oil revenue, the country could be a paradise.
On the other hand, the majority of the population is dirt poor, and previous gov'ts did nothing to address. So Chavez builds some clinics, opens some schools, brings in some doctors, and he's a hero. If previous gov'ts had given a damn about this huge dis-enfranchised group, Chavez couldn't have gotten himself elected mayor, much less the president. So it sucks that the middle class is being destroyed, and the country is regressing, but you get the govt you deserve. - catalysis, on 10/12/2007, -24/+68Wow, just wow. Most here are in support of the formal abolishment of democracy in venezuela (yes, declaring yourself permanent head-of-state is not a democracy). I don't even know what to say. Digg never ceases to surprise me.
- fancypantscz, on 10/12/2007, -89/+131I am no supporter of a Communist revolution and I am concerned with the concentration of powers that Chavez has recently garnered. However, he was popularly elected as president in a free and fair election and I see no evidence that he has subjugated the Venezuelan constitution that is widely supported by Venezuelans.
Now, concerning big lies, I would challenge the government of the United States of America to disclose all CIA documents concerning US supported interventions in the sovereign nations of Central and South America and compare that information to official White House press releases. I think then we will realize that more than just Communist revolutions are based on big lies to the masses.
The success of our democracy rest squarely on the education of its electorate. We also have a free press and this electronic network that brings vast amounts of information to our fingertips. If we demand transparency and educate ourselves by reading from as diverse range of publications as possible WE THE PEOPLE can lead this country forward to the benefit of the entire world. I would postulate that you are being deceived if you think that 'American Interests' which are truly beneficial to the American public are at odds with the interests of all people around the world, including Venezuelans.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/country_profiles/1229348.stm
http://www.cooperativeresearch.org/timeline.jsp?timeline=venezuela
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5832390545689805144
http://www.commondreams.org/views06/0304-20.htm
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3848716298990404813&q=john+perkins
Educate yourself and then pass judgment on Chavez...
and the US... - bryanedds, on 10/12/2007, -21/+62Socialism can promise you the freedom of the press, but it will deny you the right to own the press with which to exercise that freedom.
What point is there in having the government grant you the freedom of speech if it can, at the same time, confiscate your mouth?
Socialism is the confiscation of the property necessary to the expression of any of your freedoms. When government owns all the presses, it controls what is printed. When government owns all the schools, it dictates what and how your children learn. When government owns the roads, it dictates who can and how they can drive. When government owns the hospitals, it dictates who gets treatment and how much. When government owns everything, it dictates what everyone can do when anything. Socialism promises freedom, but instead takes away all of your ability to exercise any freedom other than putting a piece of paper in a box every few years. Socialism promises equality, but instead makes the non-political class completely subserviant to the political ruling class bureaucrats at the top. Socialism offers progress, but due to the Calculation Problem -
http://www.mises.org/econcalc.asp
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_calculation_problem
- destroys the economy and pushes even the bureacratic ruling class into poverty. Socialism promises peace, but is the seed of wars of aggression to "secure" precious resources from other countries after the socialist country's ability to import goods is destroyed due to the non-existant exports of an imploded economy.
In short, socialism is a suicide pact. It is the destruction of liberty, equality, progress, and peace. - whipnet, on 10/12/2007, -9/+50@ all who praise his election by the people:
Sadaam also won by election. 100% of the vote I think it was.
* - JAVandiver, on 10/12/2007, -16/+57"The People" voted for Hitler, also.
- iceperson, on 10/12/2007, -16/+48"However, he was popularly elected as president in a free and fair election..."
Is this a joke? - hoppdawg, on 10/12/2007, -10/+39Anyone sympathetic to socialism should go live in Venezuela this next year.
- geekee, on 10/12/2007, -8/+34"Wow, this is nice. A law gets passed in Venezuela, with sweeping support of their assembly and their people, and Chavez gets called a dictator."
Liberal hypocrites here call Bush a dictator and he has never used the Republican congress to pull a stunt like this. Your ideology blinds you from seeing the truth. - TubaTechno, on 10/12/2007, -15/+39"Funny thing is that Iraq has killed more than 9/11"
Isn't it ironic that people still try to make the connection to 9/11 with Iraq......... - joelito, on 10/12/2007, -40/+63Oh yeah, and so many Diggers that have praised Chavez only because he opposes GW Bush.
Now you see what these kind of people do.
And many thought that GW Bush would achieve that first. - C0MF0RTABLYnumb, on 10/12/2007, -8/+31@fancypantscz
FREE AND FAIR?
Are you out of your mind, the Venezuelan government is so corrupt that there has never been a fair and free elections in decades even the dead end up voting somehow. This past election was rigged and so where all the other one's expect for the first time he was elected. The only reason he was elected the first time is because the poor people which make up 80% of the population believed in all his promises (take from the rich and give to the poor). I am Venezuelan and I was there when Chavez was elected the first and second time and he has created more problems than he has been able to solve. He is pretty smart and he knows that the only way to gain totalitarian power is by doing it in steps and he is not very far from gaining it.
This is a good video about Chavez: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5832390545689805144&q=venezuela&hl=en - scotus, on 10/12/2007, -6/+28i'm not sure you can have a democratic choice to eliminate democracy. then you don't have a democracy anymore. that's how hitler came to power. does anyone not believe he was a dictator just because he was democratically elected in the beginning?
- Popdmb, on 10/12/2007, -5/+25From the article:
"He has said he wants to see major Venezuelan power and telecoms companies come under state control."
Imagine what kind of uproar digg would be in if this happened in the U.S. Communist or capitalist, the result would be the same. Strict regulations on the internet, blocked web sites, etc. are inevitable.
Let's just hope Google doesn't pander to these guys like they did for China. - Hangingtree, on 11/04/2008, -11/+30That is because most people on Digg are socialists, to them a communist Utopia is the ideal of the peoples state, what they dont understand is communism is a flawed ideal and utopia is impossible. They are sticking up for this decision, saying "its a democratic choice by the people". We can all see why this is a fallacy right, or are we all blinded by our modern socialist ideals? The "people" have effectively given up control of their nation and thrown their constitution out the window, it is not a democratic choice, if the people really understood what it meant and were polled would it have happened?
Ballot Question:
Do you want to give total and irreversible control of your nation to a single man to rule as he sees fit without any form of checks and balances?
Hell no, the fact is the people did not give this control to Chavez, the parliament did, as much as you want to think they represent the people they do not. They will all benefit while the people will suffer, anyone who opposes Chavez's rule will be ousted and his term will be indefinite, what about the next generation in 15 years shouldnt they have a chance to decide who they want to rule their nation? - geoken, on 10/12/2007, -16/+35The people voted for this. Chavez did the exact same thing a few years back. He gave himself temporary power to fast rack laws that his campaign promised then subsequently succeeded that power. His recent landslide re-election was based in large part on the success he had with that and his promise to do it again.
- jbus, on 10/12/2007, -15/+33Exactly, this is the business of the people of Venezuela, not ours... We have our own leaders and problems to worry about.
- jbus, on 10/12/2007, -10/+27@BigKitty
The same way we need to be vigilant about nut jobs that drag us into unnecessary war$, trample all over our constitution, and use straw men & scare tactics to manipulate people into supporting their action$. - fintheman, on 10/12/2007, -12/+29I will try to shed some light on the issues as my grandfather is a former and now deceased political figure in Venezuela. My mother is a former citizen and I spent some time living there and I will help give some truth on this. (Edicio LaRiva - Former First Minister and ran for President in 1988)
Basically Chavez = BAD for Venezuela. The middle class and upper class is almost completely gone and have left the country except for those who are part of the evil Chavez system. Please understand that this is not a USA vs Venezuela / Social vs etc., debate to look at. This is an issue of Chavez selling a outright lie to all poor people in the country of Venezuela and the world and using his platform to nitpick at Bush (which is why some people tend to try to support him without looking at the real issues of the 100,000 of murders due to crime that have happened in office since he has came into power) - lnf69, on 10/12/2007, -14/+30Sounds to me like he's following the will of the people who elected him, which happens to be a large majority.
- mogus, on 10/12/2007, -4/+19Just because the people vote him in, does not preclude him from being a dictator. If the people want a dictator, that's what they get. It's basically a failed democracy. The people say: "We have the freedom, but don't want the responsibility of educating ourselves on laws or on fighting injustice. Here, Mr.President/Dictator, take our responsibility as your own and do as you will." I hate to say this, but having lived there for a time I saw this all too often. People would sometimes reminisce about the days of dictators past when they were theoretically more prosperous and that there was lower amounts of crime. The sad part is that the people are naive enough to believe that Chavez and the rest of the government will do what's best for the people always. There was absolutely rampant corruption at a number of levels of government that I saw firsthand or heard directly from firsthand viewers. I am not implying that the US government is pristine, but I don't think the citizenry of the US can comprehend how good we have it compared to the Venezuelans.
- kineticabstract, on 10/12/2007, -4/+18@iceperson:
"Illegal aliens have killed more Americans than 9/11..."
Cars have killed more Americans than 9/11...
Influenza has killed more Americans than 9/11...
Americans have killed more Americans than 9/11...
Did you have a point, or is this "random unsubstantiated facts" day? - kamiller, on 10/12/2007, -11/+25Hitler promised to give the power back as well.
- MaximusIGN, on 10/12/2007, -30/+43"Critics of Mr Chavez say he is trying to build a totalitarian dictatorship with all institutional powers consolidated into his own hands."
I know someone that's jealous and no it's not Bush. I think he'd be much happier on his ranch. I'm speaking of all the supposed "conservative" Republicans that have been pushing for more government control over everything we do in the name of the /*Start echo effect*/ War on Terror. /*End echo effect*/
Funny thing is that Iraq has killed more than 9/11 and cost over a hundred times as much, with no end in sight. Solution? Spend more money and get rid of as many civil liberties as possible with government oversight on everything else. Nice. - kolobcreek, on 10/12/2007, -9/+22@fancypantscz
Elections aren't going to be free and fair for long. Several communist countries had elected leaders in power for more that 20yrs. To bad they were the only candidates on the ballet. And their opponents were murdered. - Infoprises, on 10/12/2007, -2/+14I do somewhat agree with you. But according to the article his party is basically the only one in power. There is no opposition in the National Assembly. So I guess the reason I question this act is because he doesn't need supreme power to pass the laws he wants. His party is already in control of everything. If he could accomplish his promised goals by doing it the right way, through the National Assembly, why does he suddenly need absolute power for the next 18 months to fast track stuff? It definitely seems shady to me and raises plenty of red flags.
- togume, on 10/12/2007, -4/+16I am a dual citizen (US and Colombia), and have much experience with South Americans from many countries. No Venezuelans I have ever talked to have been pro-Chavez. The majority of the people that emigrate from countries such as Venezuela are middle/upper class. The brain drain in these countries is so large that the majority left are mainly uneducated, ignorant people that just want to better themselves. It is easy to buy them by giving handouts or changing some laws to their favor, and at the same time they don't know better.
- Valarauka, on 10/12/2007, -5/+16They tried to depose him once. It failed. Because the vast majority of Venezuelans actually like him. I'd like the CIA to stop ***** around with other countries' governments, thank you very much.
- Popdmb, on 10/12/2007, -8/+19To quote the beautiful Natalie Portman in Star Wars...
"So this is how liberty dies? To thunderous applause..."
I'd say an overwhelming vote for Chavez's "Rules by decree" is roughly the same as Venezuela's first galactic empire. - mandarin, on 10/12/2007, -5/+16Actually Ive never heard of anyone from Venezuela talk against Chavez. Perhaps more media should at least take a look at these folks.
- dimitrisokolov, on 10/12/2007, -3/+14
The Venezuelans voted for Chavez a few times now, so they get whatever they deserve. Chavez has moved to close down the opposition TV station, nationalize oil , seeks unlimited presidential terms and now rules by decree.
If Venezuelans don't see through this that's their problem and they have to live with it. - MichelangeloPM, on 10/12/2007, -1/+11I live in Venezuela and there's always conflicting conversations about Chavez. I don't stand in favor or against Chavez, I got tired of all the conflict on that. I've seen good and bad things happen: couples joining, people joining to form cooperative companies, community work, couple break-ups, family fights, even kids at school have nonsense fights about it. It depends on where you stand, on the 90% population (mostly poor) that's seeing benefits in their lives, or on the other 10% who oppose and disrespect Chavez.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -5/+15People voted in Bush and knew what he was gonna do, so why do we have to complain? Because the majority is not always right.
- DarrenR114, on 10/12/2007, -5/+14I would "Digg" this article except for two things:
1. The Digg headline is very deceptive.
2. All the people being negative on this failed to note that this exact same sort of authority was previously granted to Chavez before in 2000. It didn't make him a "dictator" then, and it doesn't necessarily make him one now.
The gap between the haves and have-nots in Venezuela is very bad - it's much worse than in the U.S. This authority is clearly intended to fast-track badly needed social reform legislation. The U.S. congress has done similar things in granting the President, for the sake of expediency, authority that would normally fall under the domain of the Legislative Branch. Or has everyone forgotten the "fast-track" negotiation authority that W was granted with regards to certain RFPs in Iraq?
The same people who don't like this sort of thing are the same people railing against Universal Healthcare in the US, even though the US is the *only* industrialized country without such a program. Of course, with this comment I'll probably be reading a lot of red herring replies about Canada. - KyleGoetz, on 10/12/2007, -3/+10This is a shame. My girlfriend is from Venezuela and I've heard about how young men are pulled off the street and forced into the military, often not seeing their family for years (and their family doesn't know what happened to him for a while). Not to mention that Chavez el Pendejo hires Cuban thugs to assault his political opponents on the street. Oh, and cars are only allowed to drive on the roads on certain days, depending on your license plate code. Thus, you have to own more than one car to drive every day. However, if you own more than one car, the government has the right to take all but one in order to push the "Socialist" agenda.
- iceperson, on 10/12/2007, -16/+23"Funny thing is that Iraq has killed more than 9/11"
Illegal aliens have killed more Americans than 9/11... - ray901, on 10/12/2007, -1/+8"Let's just hope Google doesn't pander to these guys like they did for China."
They will, I don't know why people think that google is some kind of benevolent grandpa that is more interested in people's welfare than making money. - cliffzdude, on 10/12/2007, -3/+10Soon Cuba will be a democracy again, and open up to US tourism. They will thrive, as their lush beautiful island will attract billions in hard tourist currency.
Soon Chavez will turn Venezuela into a 1960's Cuba, isolated, state run and state controlled. Soon anybody with an opinion will be shot. Their state controlled oil industry will begin to decay as all money is spent on Chavez's pet projects.
Its just good to know the more things change, the more they stay the same. - DeepDoo, on 10/12/2007, -6/+13The USA does not have a dictator.
A powerful executive? Yes. But a dictator? Be reasonable. If you think the 2000 election was a sham, then you need to read the Constitution a little closer. In 2004 Bush won both the popular and the electoral vote. Also, as was stated, he will be gone in a two years. Chavez is not eligible to run for US President, even if he was a citizen because he was not born here. In the USA, we have peaceful transfer of power to duly elected executives and legislatives. Our legislature is not a rubber stamp on anything. Our executive branch has gained a lot of power in the last century or so, I think because of Congress' partisan infighting. But to call the Office of the Presidency a dictatorship is being ignorant. - mclumber1, on 10/12/2007, -3/+10George W. Bush will be out of power in less than 2 years, probably replaced by a democrat. Hugo Chavez will remain the supreme ruler of Venezuela for a long time to come, probably the rest of his natural life. Why are you so worried about Bush?
- geoken, on 10/12/2007, -4/+10"Hitler promised to give the power back as well."
Did he?
Chavez has already done this in the past and given the power back. - ray901, on 10/12/2007, -4/+10@ geoken
"The people voted for this."
FTA
"Venezuela's political opposition has no representation in the National Assembly since it boycotted elections in 2005."
Your statement and the quote from the article do not reconcile. One of them is false. - orvtech, on 10/12/2007, -4/+10We, Venezuelans, do not care how bush rules, all what we want is Freedom, justice and Traitors and Cubans out of our country.
Chavista no es gente - Popdmb, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7Good one, nicku. +Digg. You changed the minds of everyone that doesn't agree with you.
/sarcasm - jonathono2000, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6on the contrary the CIA has been happily overthrowing your governments for pro US ones since its inception
so i think we care, its just not the kind of care you want.
anyway on behalf of all the people in the US with that have half a brain and respect sovereignty, human rights, etc. etc... i apologize. - gojeda, on 10/12/2007, -8/+14Venezuela 2006 & 2007 = Cuba 1959 & 1960
- niczar, on 10/12/2007, -2/+8""The People" voted for Hitler, also."
Nope. They did not. Open some history books. Hitler got 1/3 of the votes at most IIRC, but seized power after being appointed chancellor. - whipnet, on 10/12/2007, -3/+8I think Socialism is wonderful idea, unfortunately, it's proven itself not to work time and time again.
Give me Capitalism any day.
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