|
On June 13 2019 06:14 JimmiC wrote: It is just amazing to me that you don't care that he was corrupt and stealing millions for himself and billions for all and you just instantly go to whataboutism.
Your ability to apologize and justify illegal acts by the people you think match your political leanings is crazy. It makes me laugh aloud when I read you in the other thread talking about partisanship.
People that claim to be left and socialists can also be bad and often much worse than those centrists you hate so much.
Literally none of that applies to me.
|
|
On June 13 2019 09:49 JimmiC wrote: It is crazy but I believe you believe that.
Because it's demonstrably true, unlike your baseless allegations.
|
|
On June 13 2019 09:55 JimmiC wrote: There is no bol or lulu. That is not how it worked. Not only because the dont have a 2 party system but for a million oth reasons as well. They can both be awful choices for different reasons.
This is totally incoherent. Back on the meds from last night?
User was temp banned for this post.
|
|
On June 13 2019 06:14 JimmiC wrote: It is just amazing to me that you don't care that he was corrupt and stealing millions for himself and billions for all and you just instantly go to whataboutism.
This whole discussion reminds me of a fantastic Belarusian music video from 10-15 years ago on this topic, which points out that Marx is merely the 'PR manager' of corrupt communist leaders. Here it is with english subs if you turn on CC:
+ Show Spoiler +
|
|
Many of the people who are against socialism see the authoritarianism and corruption as a the logical conclusion of implementing a socialism. Venezuela is just another example in a long list of countries devolving into authoritarianism as a consequence of socialist policies. Hayek's road to serfdom is very popular for a reason.
|
On June 15 2019 18:17 RvB wrote: Many of the people who are against socialism see the authoritarianism and corruption as a the logical conclusion of implementing a socialism. Venezuela is just another example in a long list of countries devolving into authoritarianism as a consequence of socialist policies. Hayek's road to serfdom is very popular for a reason.
Even granting that socialism somehow predisposes itself to authoritarianism more than other systems like capitalism (I question this assertion), I'm not sure the reliability of blends of capitalism and democracy to produce oligarchies is noticeably better in the grand scheme of things.
|
|
Apparently Maduro is selling tons of gold ingots in a shadowy Ugandan gold market to stay in power.
|
|
Brazil experienced a massive work stoppage when millions took to the streets to protest Bolsonaro and his pension/education reform plans (austerity). With upwards of 12 percent unemployment, there are few indications it's going to improve before it gets much worse.
A nationwide strike called by Brazil's trade unions disrupted public transport and triggered road blocks in parts of the country Friday, ahead of protests against far-right President Jair Bolsonaro's pension reform.
Hours before the opening match of the Copa America in Sao Paulo, some metro lines in the country's biggest city were paralyzed as professors and students also prepared to take to the streets over the government's planned education spending cuts.
It will be the latest mass demonstration against Bolsonaro since he took office in January, but the timing could not be worse for the embattled president as Brazil prepares to play Bolivia in South America's showcase football tournament.
Bolsonaro was expected to attend the opener at Morumbi stadium where police sharpshooters will be deployed as part of increased security for the competition.
One of Brazil's main trade unions estimated 45 million workers had taken part in the strike.
Protesters have already blocked some roads in several cities, including Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, where G1 said police had used tear gas to disperse demonstrators and clear the streets.
"This current government wants to destroy everything that we built decades ago so that's why I'm in favor (of the strike) and I am fighting against social inequality," Vania Santos, 49, told AFP in Rio.
Bolsonaro sacked his third minister on Thursday -- retired general Carlos Alberto dos Santos Cruz, who had been the government secretary and seen as a moderate voice.
www.france24.com
|
|
Letter near the end of his life (November 9, 1830)
As you know, I have led for twenty years and have obtained only a few certain results:
- America is ungovernable.
- He who serves a revolution plows the sea.
- The only thing one can do in America is emigrate.
- This country will fall unfailingly into the hands of the unbridled crowd and then pass almost imperceptibly to tyrants of all colors and races.
- Devoured by all crimes and extinguished by ferocity, the Europeans will not deign to conquer us.
- If it were possible for one part of the world to return to primitive chaos, this would be the last period of America.
-Simon Bolívar
|
|
|
A summary report from Counterpunch covering a "trove of documentary evidence" from the investigative reporting from Right wing, Miami based PanAm Post on corruption from Guaido and his party. Allegedly already stealing millions in aid through essentially nepotistic appointments by Guaido among other corruption.
Among a trove of documentary evidence, including itemized invoices, Avendaño provides a copy of a letter from Guaidó to Carlos Holmes Trujillo Garcia, Minister of Foreign Relations of the Republic of Colombia, dated February 24, 2019. In the letter, Guaidó designates Kevin Rojas and Rossana Barrera, both members of the right wing opposition Venezuelan political party, Voluntad Popular (VP), to “attend to the situation” of Venezuelan military personnel and civilians who “enter Colombian territory seeking help and refuge.” Avendaño points out that “Rossana Barrera is the sister-in-law of National Assembly Deputy of the party Voluntad Popular, Sergio Vergara, right hand man of president Juan Guaidó.” She was part of Guaidó’s inner circle.
I also basically agree with their conclusion that corruption in Venezuela is for Venezuelans to deal with, without ominous threats and sanctions from the west.
Corruption is no doubt a problem in both the private and public sectors in Venezuela. But this is an issue for Venezuelans to resolve. The PanAm Post report heightens the skepticism about what is happening to the billions in Venezuelan assets confiscated by the US to fund a corrupt client shadow government. And it is raising the temperature of indignation among those suffering the consequences of US economic sanctions while Guaidó and his inner circle live the high life in Bogota, Miami and Madrid. It is time for the US to change course and re-establish diplomatic ties with the Maduro administration which remains open to dialogue with Washington.
www.counterpunch.org
|
|
|
|
|