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223 comments on Saturday Open Thread

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prole on April 8, 2006 - 8:41pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
Oil CEO,

Why should anyone believe your biased source of news?

Just because you post a link does not make it true.

Seems you have an axe to grind against Chavez.

What might that be?

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Apuleius on April 9, 2006 - 2:23am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
And gee, I do wonder what could possibly cause anyone to have a beef with Hugo Chavez...

Let's see. Could it be because his "Bolivarian Circles" have violently assaulted his opposition? Because his police have been known to randomly fire into demonstrations against him? Because he is chummy with Castro? Because his bureaucracy uses the Tascon list (the original petition list for recall against him) to blacklist the entire opposition, down to opposition voters? Because he has switched his elections to using paperless computerized balloting machines, with which he not only has made recounts and vote auditing impossible, but which have destroyed the right to a secret ballot? Because he will form warm relations with anyone who opposes the US, even Mugabe? Because he has defunded hospitals in regions that  voted against him, causing the health systems there to deteriorate? Because he has tried to foment war in several neighboring countries? Because he shelters FARC members from justice?

Opposing Bush is one thing. But I am amazed at the willingness of people on the left to latch on to anyone who opposes him, no matter how vile he might be.

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smekhovo on April 9, 2006 - 2:41am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
The tears are pouring down my face as I pity those poor Venezuelan oligarchs groaning under the unbearable weight of such oppression.
If only they were opposing some admirable, US supported democracy like '80s El Salvador, they would be able to enjoy all the benefits of enlightened, tolerant governance.
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AlanfromBigEasy on April 9, 2006 - 10:02am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
Your attitude is disgusting.  At a minimum, 1/3 of the voters (too many to be "oligarchs") are strongly against Chavez.

He is clearly undermining an established democracy so that he can be "President for Life", yet that is "OK" as long as he opposes the US.

So, for you, Dictators of the Right, Bad,
Dictators of the Left, Good.

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Twilight on April 9, 2006 - 11:44am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
I think the jury is still out about what his plans are re being "president for life".  Most of what I'm reading has to do with having "flipped" the society on it's head, so that now the ones who used to be on top are on the bottom, and visa versa.  Naturally this pisses off on group while the other group loves it.

It also points out that a stable society requires a strong middle class, which is what we used to have (and it worked very well for us too).  We are busy ripping that apart now, and our stability is going with it.

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Oil CEO on April 9, 2006 - 10:21pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
There was a very long interview that Chavez gave, I believe it was Ted Koppel, in the last year. ABC(or whatever network it was) devoted the better part of an hour's(Nightline, World News Special, 20/20, Primetime Live?) to it. I'm kicking myself now, who thought Hugo would become so popular?

Double points to whoever can provide a link to the video. Contained is a very interesting exchange regarding the "presidency for life" issue. You can only truly understand this issue when you are watching Hugo getting grilled by Koppel.

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B612 on April 10, 2006 - 8:25pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
No link to that interview but here's how the evil dictator violently maintained power Torrent
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smekhovo on April 9, 2006 - 1:08pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
If Hugo Chavez Frias is a dictator, I'm a ballerina.
Read again the list of his misdeeds provided by the previous poster, and I challenge you to repeat with a straight face  that they are intolerable acts of tyranny.
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Apuleius on April 10, 2006 - 1:20am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
So apparently black box voting doesn't make someone a tyrant. I would shudder to  live in your idea of democracy, whatever it might be.
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smekhovo on April 10, 2006 - 6:40am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
Well, at least you recognise GWBush as a tyrant then. You're not totally blind to reality:-)
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Oil CEO on April 9, 2006 - 5:09am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
prole,

This is the second time that you've responded to me on the subject of Mr. Chavez. I suggest the third time you add something of substance. Both times you have attacked me and not the argument. This is an unacceptable form of debate. My axe to grind with Mr. Chavez is that I don't believe he is what he appears to some people. I think I've made that abundantly clear with the material I've presented on the subject. You are welcome to your opinion of Mr.Chavez, I understand that you don't agree with mine, nor feel I have the right to express it. If you have something to say in defence of Mr. Chavez, say it. Otherwise, I would appreciate it if you left me alone.

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223 comments on Saturday Open Thread

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