The Soapbox

Joined: 01/04/2001 Posts: 27049
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On a weighted basis, I don't think anything matters to Venezuela other

than PDVSA and the oil industry. Because for so long, that's been so easy. The key here is "govt handout", or even just excessive govt promises to deliver unrealistic benefits. To be sure, Venezuela is not a textbook ideal of socialism. Anymore than Denmark is. The label is used a little loosely, including by our own suite of proud young socialist politicians (and the Bern, who I'm sure will tell you he is young at heart).

Why would Venezuela diversify an economy that Chavez claimed to be generating such riches that he would shower the poor with benefits? Not only is democracy undermined, but so are the markets, which might otherwise produce signals to spur diversification.

Which is exactly the same critique that could be leveled at Trump and his commitment to keeping W Virginia, Ohio, Pa, Kentucky, etc addicted to coal. Who benefits from that? Not those states, I can tell you. Just like Chavez got votes that way, so does the Don.

His Orangeness should really do a little more honest self reflection when railing against the Venezuelan tragedy.

(In response to this post by Seattle .Hoo)

Posted: 07/08/2019 at 1:17PM

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Venezuelan special forces have killed >5000. Bust just because this shit -- HokieDan95 07/08/2019 09:59AM

The word you are looking for is authoritarianism because.................. -- Chuck Taylor 07/08/2019 11:31AM

That democratic foundation disappears when everyone relies on govt -- HokieDan95 07/08/2019 12:24PM

Wow! Sun Rand is alive, well & posting as HooDan. Hoo knew? ** -- WaxHoo 07/08/2019 12:49PM

It does? Maybe you can come with an example that meets your scenario,...... -- Chuck Taylor 07/08/2019 12:30PM

Venezuela works as an example of that. -- hoolstoptheheels 07/08/2019 12:48PM

No. Obviously wealth alone was not sufficient to avoid a slide into........ -- Chuck Taylor 07/08/2019 3:29PM

I basically agree, yet, a similar phenomenon allowed Trump to come to power -- hoolstoptheheels 07/08/2019 4:01PM

Yes on Venezuela ** -- HokieDan95 07/08/2019 1:02PM

Not really, except in the sense that the government owns the company that -- Seattle .Hoo 07/08/2019 12:55PM

On a weighted basis, I don't think anything matters to Venezuela other -- hoolstoptheheels 07/08/2019 1:17PM

I don't think it is that simple. Perhaps go back and look at Chavez's rise -- Seattle .Hoo 07/08/2019 1:23PM

It's definitely not that simple. Life was not hunky dory for everyone in -- hoolstoptheheels 07/08/2019 1:37PM

There are tons of similarities. Why I referenced "How Democracies Die." ** -- Seattle .Hoo 07/08/2019 1:40PM

Yes poor management, something endemic to socialism, the govt doesn't know -- HokieDan95 07/08/2019 1:07PM

AIG says hello. They went out of business, current appearances to the -- hoolstoptheheels 07/08/2019 1:22PM

Agreed on big bureaucracies & gubmint is the ultimate big bureaucracy** -- HokieDan95 07/08/2019 1:25PM

Too simple Dan. The answer isn't "all govt" or "no govt". -- hoolstoptheheels 07/08/2019 1:39PM

Didn't mean to make it sound like all or nothing. Just that this country -- HokieDan95 07/08/2019 1:53PM

Yeah, we all know how well big corporations are run. ** -- Seattle .Hoo 07/08/2019 1:15PM

Yes we do and i have far more choices when dealing w/ corporate businesses ** -- HokieDan95 07/08/2019 1:21PM

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Got news for you, corporations make all the the stuff you use every day ** -- HokieDan95 07/08/2019 1:41PM

Or small businesses. As they should. Nobody wants government owning the -- Seattle .Hoo 07/08/2019 1:48PM

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I supported the bail outs. The opposite would've been catastrophic. They -- Seattle .Hoo 07/08/2019 2:30PM

Again I do think it’s authoritarianism that’s the problem ** -- 111Balz 07/08/2019 12:55PM

It always is. ** -- hoolstoptheheels 07/08/2019 1:07PM

"because of"? no, socialism is a tool of control ** -- HokieDan95 07/08/2019 12:34PM

Give some examples of what you mean by that. ** -- Seattle .Hoo 07/08/2019 12:35PM

I agree. I will never embrace socialism as a governing system. -- hoolstoptheheels 07/08/2019 12:12PM

Well documented in the book "How Democracies Die." ** -- Seattle .Hoo 07/08/2019 11:33AM

Maybe those 5000 were counter-revolutionaries and enemies of the State -- Wahoo Ron 07/08/2019 11:30AM

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Its like pornography...you know it when you see it ** -- Tuckahokie 07/08/2019 10:47AM

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Complete control ** -- HokieDan95 07/08/2019 10:29AM

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Perhaps, but it is still tone-deaf to embrace the label ** -- Faz d. Hoo 07/08/2019 10:58AM

It's batshit crazy. When you think of those who do that, you have to -- hoolstoptheheels 07/08/2019 12:00PM

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