http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2007/12/03/venezuela-vote.html
After promising to properly distribute the profits from oil in '99 and clearly NOT pulling through with it, I couldn't be happier that Venezuela won't become a dictatorship under Hugo Chavez. I've heard too many stories of people who aren't able to have even the basics because the resources aren't there... thinks like bread and milk. I once saw someone on TV saying "We have oil but not bread. You can't eat oil."
Your thoughts?
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Ahh, I know Mari is having a blast!
I wouldn't go as far as saying he's toast after losing a democratic election by a half a per cent margin, but it's always a good thing when the rise of dictatorships is at least slowed down by the people.
What I find more interesting is that yesterday there was also another election, where the dictatorship in Russia took another step forward.
Without reading the headlines of the North American media, I would guess that the election results of Venezuela (and the "defeat" of a sworn enemy of the USA) gets a lot more press than the situation in Russia...
What I find more interesting is that yesterday there was also another election, where the dictatorship in Russia took another step forward.
Without reading the headlines of the North American media, I would guess that the election results of Venezuela (and the "defeat" of a sworn enemy of the USA) gets a lot more press than the situation in Russia...
He's going to blame his lose on the US and then become a dictator, he's one now but I think he might pull a Fidel Castro. He ain't going away.
Things in Russia frighten me more than things in Venezuela. A former KGB agent turn president who will eventually become a even more powerful prime minister. Let a new cold war begin.
Things in Russia frighten me more than things in Venezuela. A former KGB agent turn president who will eventually become a even more powerful prime minister. Let a new cold war begin.
Yes, so he doesn't get to be the banker either. But nobody really likes him. The situation in Russia is strange to me, because everyone seems to like Putin:
http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2007/12/03/005.html
[QUOTE]The Vote Was Not Free or Transparent
Vladimir Churov, head of the Central Elections Commission, gave a small group of foreign reporters a personal guarantee five days before the State Duma elections took place. "They will be the most free, most transparent and most suitable elections for citizens," Churov said.
Churov was right about one thing: The elections were transparent. Indeed, it was clear long before the results started coming in Sunday night that United Russia would win by a landslide.
More disturbing are the statements from numerous people -- including bureaucrats, doctors, teachers and students -- that they planned to vote for United Russia and convince friends to vote as well to avoid being fired, passed up for a promotion or given bad grades. The senior election official -- who was told to vote for United Russia and asked to recruit 10 people to follow suit -- said the pressure was coming from the party.
This kind of badgering is unacceptable. Elections cannot be described as free unless they are insulated from external authority, interference or restrictions, and no talk of the peculiarities of sovereign democracy can explain this away.[/QUOTE]
http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2007/12/03/005.html
[QUOTE]The Vote Was Not Free or Transparent
Vladimir Churov, head of the Central Elections Commission, gave a small group of foreign reporters a personal guarantee five days before the State Duma elections took place. "They will be the most free, most transparent and most suitable elections for citizens," Churov said.
Churov was right about one thing: The elections were transparent. Indeed, it was clear long before the results started coming in Sunday night that United Russia would win by a landslide.
More disturbing are the statements from numerous people -- including bureaucrats, doctors, teachers and students -- that they planned to vote for United Russia and convince friends to vote as well to avoid being fired, passed up for a promotion or given bad grades. The senior election official -- who was told to vote for United Russia and asked to recruit 10 people to follow suit -- said the pressure was coming from the party.
This kind of badgering is unacceptable. Elections cannot be described as free unless they are insulated from external authority, interference or restrictions, and no talk of the peculiarities of sovereign democracy can explain this away.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]Micrówave wrote: [/QUOTENAME]Yes, so he doesn't get to be the banker either. But nobody really likes him. The situation in Russia is strange to me, because everyone seems to like Putin:
[/QUOTE]
A lot of people in Russia prefer a Communist State than democracy. It's that simple really. I don't get it.
[/QUOTE]
A lot of people in Russia prefer a Communist State than democracy. It's that simple really. I don't get it.
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]Mr.Jingles wrote: [/QUOTENAME]Ahh, I know Mari is having a blast![/QUOTE]
i was juuuuust thinking that XD
i was juuuuust thinking that XD
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]artemismoon wrote: [/QUOTENAME][QUOTE][QUOTENAME]Micrówave wrote: [/QUOTENAME]Yes, so he doesn't get to be the banker either. But nobody really likes him. The situation in Russia is strange to me, because everyone seems to like Putin:
[/QUOTE]
A lot of people in Russia prefer a Communist State than democracy. It's that simple really. I don't get it.[/QUOTE]
Communist state? The communist party is in the opposition with 10% of the votes... Just because Putin is a Russian and approaching a dictatorship, it doesn't make him a communist.
Chavez is much closer to being a communist than Putin because he's "stealing from the rich" and "giving to the poor", and that's why his defeat in the elections will be much more important to the US media.
As long as Putin is supporting at least a pseudo-capitalist oligarchy instead of capturing the businesses directly into state control, he will be held in much greater respect no matter how undemocratic the country really is. :/
[/QUOTE]
A lot of people in Russia prefer a Communist State than democracy. It's that simple really. I don't get it.[/QUOTE]
Communist state? The communist party is in the opposition with 10% of the votes... Just because Putin is a Russian and approaching a dictatorship, it doesn't make him a communist.
Chavez is much closer to being a communist than Putin because he's "stealing from the rich" and "giving to the poor", and that's why his defeat in the elections will be much more important to the US media.
As long as Putin is supporting at least a pseudo-capitalist oligarchy instead of capturing the businesses directly into state control, he will be held in much greater respect no matter how undemocratic the country really is. :/
I'm another one who believes Chavez will try to use less democratic ways to keep himself powerful.
Anyone who thinks that Chavez is done now is truly a new level of naive. A man like that, who has worked as hard for as long as he has to impose his will on the people of a country will not take a little setback like this lying down. Sure he looks calm now, resigned to his loss. But I can bet you dollars to donuts that he will find some way around this. Do not expect him to fade from the limelight any time soon...or quickly for that matter.
I am honestly more concerned with Russia, but I'll start a thread about that so this one isn't hijacked.
I am honestly more concerned with Russia, but I'll start a thread about that so this one isn't hijacked.
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]Tero wrote: [/QUOTENAME][QUOTE][QUOTENAME]artemismoon wrote: [/QUOTENAME][QUOTE][QUOTENAME]Micrówave wrote: [/QUOTENAME]Yes, so he doesn't get to be the banker either. But nobody really likes him. The situation in Russia is strange to me, because everyone seems to like Putin:
[/QUOTE]
A lot of people in Russia prefer a Communist State than democracy. It's that simple really. I don't get it.[/QUOTE]
Communist state? The communist party is in the opposition with 10% of the votes... Just because Putin is a Russian and approaching a dictatorship, it doesn't make him a communist.
Chavez is much closer to being a communist than Putin because he's "stealing from the rich" and "giving to the poor", and that's why his defeat in the elections will be much more important to the US media.
As long as Putin is supporting at least a pseudo-capitalist oligarchy instead of capturing the businesses directly into state control, he will be held in much greater respect no matter how undemocratic the country really is. :/[/QUOTE]
Putin is a former KGB agent with extremist views, and there are a lot of people in the former USSR (citizens and politicians) that agree with him. That's the unfortunate truth.
[/QUOTE]
A lot of people in Russia prefer a Communist State than democracy. It's that simple really. I don't get it.[/QUOTE]
Communist state? The communist party is in the opposition with 10% of the votes... Just because Putin is a Russian and approaching a dictatorship, it doesn't make him a communist.
Chavez is much closer to being a communist than Putin because he's "stealing from the rich" and "giving to the poor", and that's why his defeat in the elections will be much more important to the US media.
As long as Putin is supporting at least a pseudo-capitalist oligarchy instead of capturing the businesses directly into state control, he will be held in much greater respect no matter how undemocratic the country really is. :/[/QUOTE]
Putin is a former KGB agent with extremist views, and there are a lot of people in the former USSR (citizens and politicians) that agree with him. That's the unfortunate truth.
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]HistoryGirl wrote: [/QUOTENAME]Anyone who thinks that Chavez is done now is truly a new level of naive. A man like that, who has worked as hard for as long as he has to impose his will on the people of a country will not take a little setback like this lying down. Sure he looks calm now, resigned to his loss. But I can bet you dollars to donuts that he will find some way around this. Do not expect him to fade from the limelight any time soon...or quickly for that matter.[/QUOTE]
I agree
The battle against Chavez is still far from over, but this truly represents a steps towards bringing democracy back in Venezuela.
If anything, this will be a wake up call to Chavez to realize that his ppopulist tactics are not working the way he expected. He will certainly try to find other ways to gather more power.
I agree
The battle against Chavez is still far from over, but this truly represents a steps towards bringing democracy back in Venezuela.
If anything, this will be a wake up call to Chavez to realize that his ppopulist tactics are not working the way he expected. He will certainly try to find other ways to gather more power.
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]<font color="lime">Raf840 wrote: [/QUOTENAME]I'm another one who believes Chavez will try to use less democratic ways to keep himself powerful.[/QUOTE]
I agree with you Raf, but for now, I can still say in my best "Nelson from 'The Simpsons'" voice" in Chavez' general direction: HA HA!
I agree with you Raf, but for now, I can still say in my best "Nelson from 'The Simpsons'" voice" in Chavez' general direction: HA HA!