Deegan

Anyone who does not seee this as the first step to a dictatorship, is ignorant of history, and is obviously blinded by this mans rhetoric. He is certainly saying that he does not believe anyone else could possibly do the job, and do it right, so he needs to end term limits. Just this arrogance is a clue to the mans agenda, and needs to be examined very carefully.


This is certainly no surprise to me, I knew this day would come.

zymurgy

Our country was founded without term limits for the president.

Was the foundation of the republic the first step towards dictatorship?

Deegan

I don't think they thought that through, but we have limits now, as it should be, and should be with Senators, and Congressmen IMO. I would hardly compare our elections to those in Venezuela, but some would have no problem doing so, I mean, Bush did steal his last two, but the elections there are corruption free right!

Of course I can only assume at this point, but this is certainly yet another step IMO, and I think we will see more signs in the future. If someone has a rational example for why they think otherwise, I would love to hear it.

zymurgy

I'm really ignorant of this, but I though term limits for presidents was because of health consequences?

But again, I'm really ignorant on this. I think this was what I learned in public schools and since then I have found that most of American history needed to be re-learned.

Deegan

I think the most appropriate example can be found when Washington refused to seek a third term, and since then, 38 states have set term limits, and more are considering this everyday.

Some interesting things can be learned here about term limits, and why they are important..............

http://www.termlimits.org/

Chris

I agree that there should be some concern anytime a leader starts to concentrate power in this way. My point was simply that we should not be too hasty in writing Chavez off. Just because the man dislikes the US govn't/foreign policy doesn't make him a dictator.

__________________
When the government fears the people that is LIBERTY. When people fear the government that is TYRANNY.
Unknown

Chris

If the observers are worried about Chavez's power getting out of hand they should focus on getting the opposition to participate in the democratic process.

Trajan Octavian Titus

big smile, ****ing Hitler wannabe

death to tyrants and their supporters




.............this means you

viva alpha 66

Napoleon's Nightingale

The intellectual dishonesty in the above statement is astounding. Time to educate you on the facts:

1. Constitution - Chavez did not rewrite the Constitution. The National Constituent Assembly, whos members were voted in by a national referendum, rewrote the Constitution and changed the legislature from bicameral to unicameral. There were many major triumphs for the Venezuelan people written into the new Constitution. The last time an opposition party member was in power the Constitution was suspended and the Legislature and Supreme Court were dissolved. Remember that the next time you root for them.

2. Courts - Maybe if the opposition party would leave it's candidates in a race long enough some of them might be appointed or voted into the government.

3. Freedom Of The Press - It has been restricted but there is very good reasoning behind it. Not only did the press take part in the coup d'etat in 2002 but they also helped organize it and are a constant provoker of civil unrest. I don't think any American has the right to criticize Chavez for restricting the press for safety and security reasons while no one here in the U.S. can say "tit" on the radio without getting slapped with a fine and banned from the radio waves.

4. Freedoms - There hasn't been a reduction in freedoms for most of the population. The only reduction has been in industry and the wealthy elite but said reductions are microscopic. Need I remind you that we also have eminent domain laws?

As someone else pointed out..Chavez isn't an angel but he has done great things for the people of Venezuela such as the following:

1. Reduced poverty by more than 10% by creating a per capita income increase. Prior to the election of Chavez, when the opposition was in control, per capita income decreased by 35% between 1970-1998 and 48% of the population wallowed in poverty.

2. Increased access to healthcare, education, and other social services. 46% of the population now has access to subsidized food.

3. Increased taxes on oil companies.

4. Banks are required to give 1/3 of all loans to small businesses and all mortgages and loans to low-income persons at a below market value rate.

5. The government pays a fixed salary to agricultural and industrial workers on top of what they normally earn.

6. In 2005, Venezuela experianced economic growth of 9.4% which was three times the rate of that of the U.S. in 2005.

7. Unemployment decreased by 5%


Personally, I think people like you just hate Chavez because he turned Venezuela into one of the very few nations in which Socialism works and works very very well and you're afraid that our fellow Americans would want to try it here if they knew the truth.

Trajan Octavian Titus

.
lol a Chavez supporter I'll get back to you when I'm sober but let me ask r u pro Castro too?

fyi they already tried socialism in latin america it failed miserably ever hear of hyperinflation and the eventual washington consensus? You know dick about LA Chaves is a tyrant not unlike Castro. Populist yes like Hitler but a tyrant none the less.