Comments on: Venezuela: Between Ballots and Bullets http://dissidentvoice.org/2007/11/venezuela-between-ballots-and-bullets/ a radical newsletter in the struggle for peace and social justice Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:48 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Ekosmo http://dissidentvoice.org/2007/11/venezuela-between-ballots-and-bullets/#comment-8990 Ekosmo Wed, 14 Nov 2007 18:33:13 +0000 http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2007/11/venezuela-between-ballots-and-bullets/#comment-8990 Once again Petras hits the spot with a top notch analysis... and some good points from the above 3 contributors... The critical question remains -- are certain elements within the army ready to turn on the population for having the audacity to vote outa line with the BOSS in Washington's wishes, and is there another 'Pinochet' being groomed by local Venezualan elites -- with 'former glories' to restore and unlimited wealth to restore them with...? I'd argue this article needs to be seen in this context >>> http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?SectionID=20&ItemID=14272 In fact, Klein's latest 'shock therapy' analysis should be posted on DV's front page on a thread of its own... Once again Petras hits the spot with a top notch analysis… and some good points from the above 3 contributors…

The critical question remains — are certain elements within the army ready to turn on the population for having the audacity to vote outa line with the BOSS in Washington’s wishes, and is there another ‘Pinochet’ being groomed by local Venezualan elites — with ‘former glories’ to restore and unlimited wealth to restore them with…?

I’d argue this article needs to be seen in this context >>>

http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?SectionID=20&ItemID=14272

In fact, Klein’s latest ’shock therapy’ analysis should be posted on DV’s front page on a thread of its own…

]]> By: Michael Kenny http://dissidentvoice.org/2007/11/venezuela-between-ballots-and-bullets/#comment-8967 Michael Kenny Wed, 14 Nov 2007 13:39:21 +0000 http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2007/11/venezuela-between-ballots-and-bullets/#comment-8967 Granted indefinite re-election is not, as such, undemocratic, but, particularly in a presidential system, term limits serve as part of the checks and balances which keep any one person from becoming too powerful. In a parliamentary system, the leader can be kicked out even between elections. That, indeed, is what happened to both Thatcher and Blair. Equally, if the leader loses the confidence of the people, new elections can be held. Would there be a crisis in Georgia, for example, if it had a parliamentary system ? Would Bush still be in power if he was Prime Minister? The political culture of Latin America is "presidential" and the heritage of dictatorship is still very close. The danger is always there of a president getting too big for his boots. Term limits help to reduce that danger. Granted indefinite re-election is not, as such, undemocratic, but, particularly in a presidential system, term limits serve as part of the checks and balances which keep any one person from becoming too powerful. In a parliamentary system, the leader can be kicked out even between elections. That, indeed, is what happened to both Thatcher and Blair. Equally, if the leader loses the confidence of the people, new elections can be held. Would there be a crisis in Georgia, for example, if it had a parliamentary system ? Would Bush still be in power if he was Prime Minister?

The political culture of Latin America is “presidential” and the heritage of dictatorship is still very close. The danger is always there of a president getting too big for his boots. Term limits help to reduce that danger.

]]> By: Michael Dawson http://dissidentvoice.org/2007/11/venezuela-between-ballots-and-bullets/#comment-8918 Michael Dawson Wed, 14 Nov 2007 00:26:29 +0000 http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2007/11/venezuela-between-ballots-and-bullets/#comment-8918 Ruben: Don't kid yourself, brother. It ain't just Bush. Did you catch the scorn Obama caught for saying he'd talk to Chavez? The sulfur arises from our whole overclass, both Rs and Ds. Ruben: Don’t kid yourself, brother. It ain’t just Bush. Did you catch the scorn Obama caught for saying he’d talk to Chavez? The sulfur arises from our whole overclass, both Rs and Ds.

]]> By: Ruben B. Botello http://dissidentvoice.org/2007/11/venezuela-between-ballots-and-bullets/#comment-8903 Ruben B. Botello Tue, 13 Nov 2007 21:08:08 +0000 http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2007/11/venezuela-between-ballots-and-bullets/#comment-8903 Sounds like another White House regime-change at work in Venezuela. Whether with an iron fist or velvet glove, Bush's Fourth Reich is intent on controlling Venezuela and the rest of Latin America by any means necessary. If they weren't so busy killing and destroying in the Middle East, Bush's henchmobs would be attacking their adversaries in Latin America with brute force, too. It's "divide and conquer" for the time being; invasion and occupation may be next for much of Latin America where there is rising opposition to Aryan rule. Sounds like another White House regime-change at work in Venezuela. Whether with an iron fist or velvet glove, Bush’s Fourth Reich is intent on controlling Venezuela and the rest of Latin America by any means necessary. If they weren’t so busy killing and destroying in the Middle East, Bush’s henchmobs would be attacking their adversaries in Latin America with brute force, too. It’s “divide and conquer” for the time being; invasion and occupation may be next for much of Latin America where there is rising opposition to Aryan rule.

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