Hugo Chavez/Venezuela heating up at Calling All Wingnuts

Hugo Chavez/Venezuela heating up

Published by Mike Stark June 1st, 2007 in Uncategorized

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again… Colmes’ radio show is head and shoulders above his tv show (even though we completely disagree about this). Try to catch it between 10 and 1 EST M-F. You can listen in hear for free:

http://www.foxnews.com/radio/index.html

Anyway, on the TV show H&C talked about Chavez and the Venezuelan protests. Actually, they had one anti-Chavez guest on and both Hannity and Colmes agreed with her rabid Chavez criticism… Fair and balanced my ass…

Afterward, I sent the following email to a bunch of friends:

I’m not as knowledgeable or broadly educated as many [of you], but something I know without the slightest iota of doubt is that history repeats itself. Hostilities between countries don”t happen overnight… generally, you see tangential media reports slowly build into something resembling a drumbeat. Later, politicians trip all over themselves to denounce the dangerous tyrant (because every conflict must be personified - it’s hard to sell a war without a villain). Finally, something approaching consensus is arrived at and “something must be done”.

Well, imagine this.

NBC, a federally licensed broadcaster, day in and day out dedicates a substantial portion of their airtime to undiluted criticism of the President and his party. Over time, the rhetoric becomes increasingly strident. Eventually, they advocate a coup…

How long do you suppose they’d be allowed to keep their license?

Keep an eye on what’s going on in Venezuela… Chavez is a little nutty for a world leader, but if you look at the protest pictures coming out of that country, most of the “protesters” are lily white. He’s a leader that’s decided to redistribute the wealth that had been consolidated by the European-blooded coastal elites and provide an education and health care to his country’s brown and poor. At every step he’s been opposed and frustrated by the legacy power-class… The difficulty of his task - of overcoming the will of the pre-existing wealth holders - well, it may be insurmountable. But I, for one, like that he’s trying.

BTW: I’m reading a book right now that many of you probably read years ago: Confessions of an Economic Hit Man… if you haven’t read it, I highly recommend it.

5 Responses to “Hugo Chavez/Venezuela heating up”

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1 Bob Calder Jun 2nd, 2007 at 1:33 pm

If you are interested in what Chavez is thinking, just tune in and listen to Hans Rosling at his TED talk:
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/92
Rosling demonstrates the relationships that exist among family size, mortality, and GDP with respect to overall quality of life.

After you view this a couple of times - you will have to show it to friends - you will realize that Chavez just wants to keep up.

Strangely enough, Castro is not on a bad course and as soon as the knowledge economy gets a foothold there, it will explode. Looking at Cuba’s medical system and their organic agriculture, you can see why Chavez envies Castro his balls.

If Chavez has an ounce of sense, he wants to follow the lead of the Pacific rim. To make it work he needs good health care first, good education second, and a booming economy last. Yes, that’s last and don’t think that people won’t invest. The Chinese are doing it already.
2 gregmc Jun 5th, 2007 at 5:59 pm

Calling all wingnuts indeed. That you have and very well I might add.
3 Bob Jun 5th, 2007 at 6:25 pm

Hey I didn’t say Chavez wasn’t nutty as a fruitbat. Chavez and Bush are on par when it comes to measuring peckers.
4 brooklyngirl Jun 14th, 2007 at 1:49 pm

Have you ever been to Venezuela? I have. Oh yes the people are equal there. Equally poor,undernourished,insubstanially clothed and uneducated. Children beg in the streets of Caracas. They are not attending school; they are hustling to try to make enough to get something to eat. The only school children I saw were in a Catholic School run by nuns. Believe what you want about this leftist icon but it isn’t the truth.
5 Bob Calder Jun 29th, 2007 at 7:42 pm

And because you know Venezuela so well you know that Chavez is the one responsible for that, right? Leftist Icon? LOL Where in the world did you get THAT chestnut, Rush Limbaugh?

I’m saying he has an opportunity. “If he has an ounce of sense…” was the phrase.

I taught some Venezuelan college students and went to school in the 60’s with some others is all. My friends are fine people who are pained by all this crap, as are we all.

Looks like the Chinese are out and the Russians are in. The problem is that everybody wants to be his friend so he’s like Paris Hilton or some other rich air head. He doesn’t have the sense to go it alone and improve the lot of his citizens.

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