OW--here in the US I am very reticent about even bringing up the subject of my opposition to the war. Friends have been harrassed the the Feds; people can loose their jobs, and I have lost work by my opposition to the policies being forwarded in the US.
Usually, a powerful nation like the US, with a history of supporting tyrannies abroad and oligarchs here in the domestic sphere--when they bray ad nauseum about how 'free', 'civilized', and 'just' we are, well, this is clearly a function of shouting down and disguising the myriad ways that corrupt centers of power stifle free thinking and citizen involvment.
This is why the activism of the late sixties and early seventies was described by powerful elites as a "crisis in democracy".
But, indeed, if I were to make a poster requesting that Bush shoot himself I could expect the full weight of the federal government to come down on me.
By the way--you should read some of the comments by Cristian.
She is an apologist for the US invasion of Iraq (somebody has to stablize that area, right?),and she can see nothing in the political project of the historically marginalized Venezuelan people that she equates with dignified, socially just redress to decades of economic and social oppression.
More, she views the Bolivarians as being "ugly" and valuing that negative aesthetic value as being "good", while denigrating "beautiful and wealthy" as being bad.
This is twisted and the entire caricturization in this manner illustrates the fears of the "beautiful and wealthy" upper classes as they are forced to ceede some of their ill-begotten, undemocratic power .
She totally identifies with the US wasp culture and its history of imperialism (which is synonemous would "freedom and democracy", of course).
Cristina is the product of priviledge and she has this naive belief that if we could just see how "average" and "middle class" she and her adopted children live, then we would she her innate goodness.
This is insane--what Bolivarians reject are her political proscriptions and support of comprador rapacity and empire, her support of a very deeply racist and classist status quo.
Her real objection and fear is not really Chavez--it is the hords of Venezuelans that her family have historically played a part in expoliting. That she will accept a political program that ensures this group's continued marginalization says all we need to know about her values.
Cristina--this is the 'ugly' that is part of the identity of the Venezuelan upper classes that we object to--and all the plastic surgery, boob and nose jobs, and all the elite schooling in the world cannot prettify.
Bottom line--she cannot understand or value the Venezuelan "Other" as having legitimate complaints and aspirations for a better life. More, she interprets that they are merely being manippulated by Chavez--that they are so stupid that they are mere followers. The life experiences formed by the historical relationships between elite vrs. exploited Venezuelans affirms this tendency--the acceptance of being lead and manipulated.
What she cannot intuite is that Chavez and the Bolivarians have been somewhat sucessful because they actually listen to and respect the average Venezuelan as being a co-participant in developing Venezuelas future. The poor are keenly aware of where their interests are--and who is most capable of forwarding those interests in the economic and political sphere.
Terrorist alter...terrorist alert...
This is a international public announcement--the brother of a reputted rightwing paramilitary terrorist from Colombia, with last name Castano, has made public that this infamous terrorist is residing in the United States, with full knowledge of that nation's government.
We are starting to recognize a pattern here.
They will all come home to papi Bush one day.
Jim R.
Do you have a link for the Castaño news?
Richard: El Nuevo Herald, from Miami
Check it out.
And the opposition points to Uribe as an 'ideal' leader--a man with close ties to the oligarchy, the US, and the deathsquads?
We're all supposed to allow the distorted propaganda against Chavez and keep silent about Uribe's ties?
Creepy--I can see how facsism was allow to fester and boil-over in Germany. The nasty reaction against democratic socialism that is deep in the belief system of the elites and their servants.
Good Work Jim Bob!
Here is the link:
http://www.miami.com/mld/elnuevo...ws/
11822440.htm
BOGOTA - El hermano de Carlos Castaño sugirió que el desaparecido líder de los grupos paramilitares se encuentra en Estados Unidos y adujo que era muy revelador que su primera y su segunda esposa estuvieran viviendo protegidas en ese país.
-------------------------------------
Vicente Castaño, de 48 años, en la primera entrevista que concede, afirmó que es una posibilidad que la familia de su hermano hubiera obtenido la permanencia en Estados Unidos a cambio de información.
Cristina!....come out and plaa-ay!
Far easier to spout middle class nostrums and generalizations on friendly territory, and occasionally drop a pearl of oligarch-wisdom on a pro-chavez blog, than it is to forcfully defend your point of view and the false information that you promulgate as a matter of course.
By the way--the US initiative in the OAS has went down in another resounding defeat.
We won't be reading much about this in the opposition blogs. What an embarrassment for these lackies for empire.
Jim, this is off topic but did something happen at the OAS meeting yet?
From everything I understand the US initiatives wanting to be able to go around and judge everyone else doesn't sound like it has much chance - most countries are against it. Plus if the OAS gets to rule on everyone does that mean it could rule the US isn't really decocracy because they don't have one person, one vote, which is the basis of democracy. Maybe it could rule the fact that the government gives tens of millions of dollars to the two main parties to lock out everyone else creates an uneven playing field and is undemocratic. Or maybe they could say that the people of Washington DC are oppressed because they aren't reprensented in congress.
Something, tells me that won't happen. As the Posada update below pointed out the US can tell everyone else what to do but no-one can tell the US what to do. That is the virtue of being an empire.
BTW, you speak as if you know this Cristina person. Do you?
even more off topic. Did anyone that some web sites are talking about the Venezuelan government feels threatened by SUMATE because they are so competent. LOL.
So thats why they mucked up their exit poll in the RR so bad!!!! Or actually, maybe they are competent, which means they didn't mess up the exit poll, and therefore it was off because they intentially falsified it!! So they are competent but basically criminals with no ethics at all.
OW
Don't forget the "competent" Hausmann report that SUMATE produced. And it was based on "competent" SUMATE numbers too.
Actually, I think Hausman dummied up his own numbers. He matched the signatures and voting centers to get the desited results. Sumate isn't that competent!!!
But did SUMATE ever find any independent analyst that could confirm their suspicions? NO. Did they ever apoligize to the CNE for all the aspertions? NO. Did THEY commit fraud? Sure does look that way.
Elliv, bro', I love your homepage! LOL
This woman Janett is crowing about how 'next time' the US will not look the other way.
What a bunch of shit--these folks can't win legitimate elections, so all they can do is pray that Uncle Sammie will invade and restore 'democracy'.
Is it just me-or does anyone else get the feeling that these people really despise 'democracy', the real meaning of the concept, not what the US actually practices on the domestic or foriegn front.
That these people will actually make extremist comments like this, believing that they have 'right' on their side, this shows the degree that they have psychologically lost any semblence to reality.
People, you MUST check this out:
http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/...php?
newsno=1646
Also, go and check out the original Power Point presentation - Datos posted it.
It shows the lowest stratum in Venezuelan society had its standard of living boosted 33% in the past year. The Missions are kicking but. And then these opposition morons wonder why Chavez is at 70+%
OW, there are different levels at the OAS. There are declarations, and then resolutions. For something of this moment to pass, all members need to sign on. That ain't going to happen by a long-shot.
However, a paper will be developed that broadly resembles the US proposal. Something like: "We should include NGO's more in the workings of the OAS, and as moniters in thier respecitive countires to endure that 'democracy' is being followed."
Some bs like that. Of course, the term 'democracy' is so amorphous that the US can actually call itself one and nobody will laugh.
On a deeper level everyone knows that the surface discourse is sheer hypocrisy. But when you are dealing with LA politicos, most are hypocrites to an anstounding degree.
The US's job is to ensure that nations in Central and South America allow the export of profits and wealth from those regions to the centers of capital in the world, particularly Europe and the US.
As I have stated before: it is up to the Bolivarians that they ensure that the punishments for empire and thier minions outweigh the benefits of an all-out invasion or severe destablization.
I would be getting that two million person militia armed to the teeth and ready for any eventuality.
When conditions allow, i would make sure that every oligarch-lover in the country got her/his chance to learn organic farming the old fashion way.
Bastards, traitors, vendepatrias.
So far, the delusions of the opposition have worked in the favor of the democractic minded Bolivarian people.
Now is the time to deepen the revolution.
OW--how do I get a copy of the Alo Presidente show from today?
Hmm. after the fact I don't know. Maybe you can e-mail someone at VTV? It won't be easy.
Did you check the Venezuelanalysis article?
OW--have your read the stories about the difficulties delegates and 'authorized' journalists are having in Lauderdale?
All types of chaos.
These bastards are the gang that can't shoot straight: they want their LA stooges to vote away their soveriegnty, and yet they treat them like terrorists when they should be laying out the red carpet. LOL
Jezz--in a way I am so happy that Bush is the leader of the "free(to be stupid) world".
Sure, the man is an killer of children and a evangelical taliban wacko--but his every move functions to strengthen the forces against oligarchy and imperial criminality!
Of course, the real victims are the children maimed for life, the grandfathers and mothers whose lives this extremist has destroyed so as to further his diseased goals for empire.
nope haven't seen them. This OAS stuff is such non-sense I haven't followed it yet. But do give any good links
OW, unlike in the past, I can't even stream the program live, on RNV or VTV.
I get paranoid thoughts that the program is being mucked with in some way.
Still, I hope that the Bolivarians get their telecom act together in a much smoother way in the near future.
The technology exists that we could all be 'blogging' via telephony. Could you imagin, having a five-way strategy session about matters of import over the computer! It is possible.
No OW, I did not look at those stats--and of course the programs have a massive effect. The Venezuelan people deserve this and much, much more.
I just hope for another paro--let's let more Bolivarians develop work cooperatives from the skeletal remains of these vendepatrias' businesses. We will let the oligarchs redeem themselves by helping in the feilds for a few years, until they renounce their unpatriotic past. LOL
Or let these creeps escape to Miami on their yatchs--but don't give'em one ounce of gas, make'm paddle, just like the Dominicans and Haitians have to.
they won't leave - the economy is doing too good and they don't want to miss out.
as far as the telecomm goes hopefully TeleSur will fix that 
Yes, Jim R. , in a way it's good to have GWB as the president of US, because he gives imperalism the bad name it deserves. In many other ways it is offcourse a disaster to have him.
OW great news! We already knew this but its always good to have it on paper. Hmm, wasent this revolution a failure, someone?
OW: EXCELLENT!!!
"For the 84 per cent of Venezuelans in classes D and E, on the other hand, conditions have improved markedly. According to Datos, their income has increased 53 per cent in the last year—an improvement of 33 per cent after accounting for inflation. Government social programs known as “missions” provide free and accessible education from basic literacy to university; Cuban doctors administer free health clinics in the country’s working-class and poor neighborhoods; subsidized markets located all over the country provide Venezuelans with basic necessities as much as 50 per cent below market cost."
I wonder how the morons will try to negate these facts. I can think of one person in particular that should be interested in these figures. And Here they thought they were telling truths.
It is good news that the extreme poor can now see thier condition improving. The strikes really affected the extreme poor to the point that until now there situation was getting worse. Its as if they ride the doppler wave to its fullest extent by not having the resources to escape. This is clearly shown in the INE Poverty report.
pulpo,
sent you an important e-mail, please check it
OW
Excellent news for the D and E classes. In fact, you know ans sense it is happening just talking to people but when it is written in a report with stats, then it all crystallizes.
With the launch of Barrio Adentro 2, health care will improve as well.
Also, the report shows how many people have any "real money" in Venezuela - 1 million out of 25 million and the majority of the mass media suppoort them and the US attitude towards our democratically and legitimized government.
All in all, good news this month. The OAS meeting will continue and we will have to wait to see if thee is some sort of trick pulled. According to Aporrea, the "Venezuelan question" is dominating proceedings.
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