The World to Come

There's more to democracy than being elected. You've got to govern according to the good of ALL your citizens. You also musn't replace the system of check and balance by a commitee of yes man of your choosing or kill put in prison your opposition.

Radical changes should result in a new election.

 

there's a constitution... and you can only make changes within that framework... even then, a constitution doesn't protect against corruption and poor governance

 

Critics view the new constitution as a way for Maduro to usurp the power of the National Assembly and bypass the electoral process. In March, Venezuela’s Supreme Court, which remains loyal to Maduro, annulled the National Assembly, claiming it was in contempt of its rulings. The court later rescinded their takeover in response to public backlash. At the time, many argued that the court sought to authorize Maduro’s oil joint ventures without congressional approval.

According to Maduro’s rivals, Tuesday’s announcement demonstrates more of the same authoritarian behavior, with Maduro attempting to promote his own interests within the government. Others fear that, under a new constitution, Maduro could influence the results of future elections—an offense of which the president has already been accused. In the wake of Tuesday’s announcement, many have drawn parallels to Maduro’s predecessor, Hugo Chavez, who constructed a similar assembly in 1999 a mere hours after assuming office. Of the assembly’s 128 seats, 122 were filled by the former president’s allies.

https://www.theatlantic.com/news/ar...ns-to-rewrite-venezuelas-constitution/528033/

Seems the Venezuelan Constitution is specifically designed to help dictators.

 

pfft as if that is unique... point is why do Washington praise the corrupt Congo elections but want to invade Venezuela... because it has nothing to do with their reasons for conflict with Venezuela. And let's not forget how Washington propped up South American dictators in the past....

How Washington Got on Board With Congo’s Rigged Election
https://foreignpolicy.com/2019/02/0...d-election-drc-tshisekedi-kabila-great-lakes/

 

You find no differences huh?

I can think of several, why don't you try to find a few?

 

oh like in Preschool when the teacher goes... you missed a few.

It's irrelevant to me because the difference that matters, is that the newly Congo elected leader is pro American and Maduro is not... the rest is all fog and mirrors.

 

So as long as it fits what you feel, all is well. Interesting way to define a world all of us live in.

 

so you disagree.... with this statement

because it has nothing to do with how I feel and everything to do with how it is

 

I find your thinking elementary. You consider there can only be one truth. Much like our last election there can be a better choice, but still a bad choice. Which is more of a problem for us? A dictator in a stolen election in our hemisphere or one across the Atlantic? You also assume the US choice for Venezuela will act as a dictator too. You need to back up claims.

 

ow wow.... you're so above it all.... such an amazing human being... we should all worship the way you avoid the question with your childish insults

 

I answered your question, foolish as it was.

 

Well I don't think much of your constant insults.... it's juvenile

 

It seems you are not above using insults, so I am going to ignore that comment.

 

Maybe you don't even realise how condescending you were.... some people have no clue how they speak to others.

My point is none of the corruption or election cheating that may or may not have happened in the Congo and Venezuela matters... it's a waste of time to sit here and pick over all the ways governments cheat in their elections. Because that is NOT the reason the US is in conflict with Venezuela. In fact it's hypocritical for them to pretend that it is, when taken in context of their past endeavours in south America and recent position on the Congo elections.

 

The corruption matters to the people of those countries.

We are not in conflict with Venezuela, we are in conflict with the dictator who runs it.

Why do you think that is?

 

Of course it matters to the people in the countries...as do the sanctions against these countries.

there are several reasons

the newly Congo elected leader is pro American and Maduro is not
iran's infiltration into Venezuela and the TBA as well as ALBA countries
Hezbollah's exploitation of gold mines in Venezuela

etc....election issues and socialism are NOT on the list... the US only put it on the list for propaganda... it sounds good

 

You don't think it is possible a less socialist president could restore the economy, reduce the threat from Hezbollah, Iran, Russia and China? Sounds like you are willing to sacrifice these people in order to protect socialism.

 

Well, better pro-America than pro-Zimbabwe. Same as better pro-Trump than pro-Mugabe. Yes?

 

you're falling for propaganda...the one that tells you how evils socialism it.... believe me there's a whole other level you're missing

 

Hmm? Reality as propaganda. Clever and true. Works for me. Wait! let's ask the 2 million who met the propaganda of Pol Pot. Wait. They're dead. Damn. Just more reality masquerading as propaganda.

We could ask the 60 million who discovered Mao's Little Red Book. Or the 20 million Kulaks who met Stalin and his collectivization. Or the thousands that lived under Castro's leadership, or the many hundreds his henchman, Che Guevera, liberated from the need of oxygen. Damn. They're all dead. Damn reality, keeps getting mixed up with propaganda.

Oh hell, who's to say what reality really is, anyways. I mean, now, really?

 

Yes, all those people in Venezuela are just faking hyper inflation and the lack of food. Sorry, it is you who has fallen for propaganda.

 

face palm

 

Its okay, tomorrow is another day. Thanks for playing.

 

Horse I am grateful for your serious style and submit that the differences between us may be exaggerated by polemic on my point. Nonetheless if you wish to enter into a constructive debate (such a rare thing nowadays), then setting me two solid weeks of homework as the entrance ticket to such a wonderland might not be the most effective tactic.

May I suggest that you some up your points and select some examples from your knowledge and learning to illustrate these.

 

The Russia thing was not the main thrust of the post you quoted. Nonetheless I think I would reply that despite Russia's nominal economic weakness, it is mastering how it plays what it has (as is China). It was the last European nation to emancipate its serfs and enter the industrial age (1888 by memory), it had an absolute monarchy until 1917 when this was usurped by a barbarous Bolshevik putsch. Then a string of murderous dictators who in history sit on top of a pile of bones. And then yearning for Coca Cola and Levi jeans they created the gangster capitalism of oligarchs and thugs that we see today.

Having said, that this is the country of Tolstoy and Pushkin which continues to enjoy enormous influence through guile and ingenuity. The GDP of the Soviet bloc was similarly inferior when they held the balance of military power in the Cold War, an incredible achievement when the state of Russia in 1917 is taken into account. And now again Putin brilliantly plays his limited hand exercising undoubted influence on American elections and the decision of the UK to exit the EU. These acts of mischief are generating enormous benefits for Russia who continue to de-stablize Europe and the caucuses for their own interests. Thus Russia somehow, despite the GDP weakness you highlight, is still seen as a more significant power than France, Great Britain, Germany or Japan. It's brilliant realpolitik by Putin, completely at the expense of the West. And when it's challenged it enables him to wheel out a xenophobic nationalism that the Russian people are somehow victims of Russophobia, and hatred by "the West". It's a familiar refrain for tyrants (Maduro and Xi both do this too). And it works (although maybe now in Venezuela it will find its limitation).

This has a massive effect on the US because this impacts the US's relations with its allies and the trading partners with GDPs as big as California's (a statistic by the way that points to the massive dominance of blue states in the USA's GDP and if followed through shows most red states to be equivalent to impoverished nations). The fragmentation of Europe will not be in the US interest, as has been understood (until now) by every US leader since Roosevelt. It's probably even understood by Trump, but the feeding of his narcissistic rage by his baying swivel eyed base is more important to him than any actual policy.

As to Saudi Arabia, I think if GDP is your yardstick, KSA's GDP is well under 50% of Russia's, so your logic is not strong there. If Saudi is more significant to the US than Russia, GDP cannot be it. As for the brazenness, I can't see it. It looks like a deal for oil, no more, no less.

As to the "middle class" disappearing, that might provide some problems. Who will be the producing class? Who will be the consuming class?

Not really sure what you are saying, except that the ruling class are an elite. Has that not always been so, everywhere, in every age?