Trent

Is that a royal "we"? Who are you speaking for? Like money in the bank. You, reading what is not there. And of course, having nothing worthwhile to add. Oh, hello again!

Yep, excited emails and phone calls have taken place!! I only hope the opposition keeps up the hard work and checks him every time he tries to grab more power. On the conspiracy side, a few friends have mentioned that they would not be surprised if this election was allowed to go smoothly, resulting in a defeat, so that next time he tries and wins, it'll look more legitimate. They asked, why else all the bluster, threats to the US and opposition, and comments about how he'll accept whatever the people decide? It makes an unfortunate kind of sense and I can really see a guy like Chavez trying to pull something like that. BUT, on the face value of it... GREAT!! I can only hope that it is the first part of a larger swing of the pendulum. Oh, hello again!

Unfortunately, they are often drowned out by the loonies. It seems to be much worse over the last year, hence... my slacking. And I have NO problems stating that I'm ignorant of many things... several specifics that you just mentioned in fact. It's good to see that some thinking people don't take that for any more than it is. Is that disparity any worse in any other South American country? The lack of a stable middle class seems to create a lot of problems everywhere. My view was that while Venezuela had many poor (like most S.American countries) they also had a middle class that was bootstrapping itself up the ladder. Many of the people I know are not what you would call rich and privileged. Many of them have their own businesses. For a while, IMO, it seemed like there was a good chance of a stable and improving country in Venezuela. Almost even up to Chavez's first term. Venezuela suffered from what many S.American countries suffer, corruption at every level. From what I've read and anecdotal accounts, even while Perez was recognized as corrupt... the country was getting better, albeit slowly. More apropos to now, though... what has Chavez done to make his country better? Lip service to the poor, a few internet cafes in the poor neighborhoods, some rudimentary doctor visits to the slums... then put HIS corruption, his croneyism, his determination to never leave office and continually grab more power, and the fact that his country is in a downward economic spiral like it's never seen before! It's typical and sad. In fact, his wealth "reallocation" seems to be finding its way into his pockets and those of his supporters more than those of the poor. Now that's a whole 'nother conversation. I like to say that countries get the leaders they deserve. Let's hope not. Although it does seem that with Chavez in power, he's willing to devote a lot of "his people's" money to things like that. You know, to spread his peace loving Bolivarian revolution. Agreed. And Chavez's cozying up to and making large purchases from China is a little unsettling. Let's hope it stays at just "unsettling". As far as any CIA involvement, as you said, it's all speculation at this point. I wouldn't be surprised if at least an outline or a game plan wasn't considered at some point, purely for the "what if" factor. It's too bad people play it up and Chavez gets so much propaganda out of what is most likely a non-event. But then, that goes back to the whole "freedom to be stupid" thing... if you're buying what he's selling... you may just deserve the consequences. Thanks for that post. Oh, hello again!

Not a wholly unexpected post from what I've read from you before. You would be WRONG and you would also not have read the entire thread where I SPECIFICALLY say that invasion is NOT what I'm advocating here. Hahahaha, I don't even know what to say. It is UNREASONABLE to assume that I have said something I have not. I am not writing with subtext here. If I want to say something, I will. You either have not read what I've written or are purposely ignoring it. You should really understand who you admire before saying things like that. I have a hard time believing that even the wackos on this board would "like" Chavez, who is in the process of further increasing his power and shutting down democracy. You "like" leaders when they make themselves president for life? You "like" leaders that use violence, intimidation, and dismantles the free press... well, okay then! Elections there are HIGHLY suspect, despite what Jimmy C says. He may be to the people that he's buying off or giving handouts or guns to... but not to the millions of people who are losing everything. Oh, hello again!

This is a good reason why I avoid posting in here as much anymore. You have people shopping for definitions that suit ANYTHING that will create an argument. Go to Dictionary.com (which pulls from several sources), look up fascism, compare to Chavez. It's the same. But if calling him a neo-corruption-dictator-murderer or something like that makes you feel better... go for it. Your arguments are SO weak that you try to play semantics to make yourself feel smart? Gimme a break. As for TK and not knowing what is going on over there... That IS ignorance, by definition. If that hurts feelings, then I'm sure someone can go find a definition of ignorance that makes a good argument for you. Why are you discussing it if you know nothing about it and don't care to find out?? Don't assume that other people share in your lack of knowledge or care. DO a little research. RE-READ LouDiamond's post. GO TALK to Venezuelans. SEARCH YouTube. There are ways to find out what is going on over there without having to be a lifetime resident of Venezuela or currently in the streets there. In fact, LouDiamond's post is great firsthand information about the region and many of you CHOOSE to ignore it! My friends and their families (from both sides of the argument) have experiences which they relay to us. Should I discount that too? What the hell do you people trust with your information? You must have really expensive travel bills if everything you talk about comes from your own, on the ground, observations! But if I have to hand-hold you to figure out how to do that, then again... we can't really have this conversation. As for getting your own house in order... that's a cop out argument. Just because we have problems here means we can't DISCUSS and THINK about what's going on nearby or worldwide? I invite you and those who think like you to avoid ALL but local news then. Does that make sense? And what about when "your neighbor's" house starts messing with how you run yours? Unbelievable. I don't see anyone here advocating invading Venezuela. Do you? Then drop it. Or not... since your strawmen MIGHT be the only argument you have... well aside from semantics. (What's next? Grammar and spelling?) Venezuela IS and HAS BEEN a valuable trading partner for the US and many countries in the Americas as well. Instability there WILL affect us sooner or later and it affects friends and people I care about NOW. You can feel free to not care about it if you like. You can also go on to think that Chavez is some kind of "people's hero" if you want. Oh, hello again!

Will they hold foreign auto makers to the same standards, or will they tax the shit out of foreign cars that don't meet the standards? Oh, hello again!

Seriously. What is wrong with you? You may have some good arguments or ideas, but a lot of people will never pay attention to them because of your ridiculous debating tactics. I'm sorry you can't contribute. Really. Oh, hello again!

Nice post, btw. Yes, because I think that people losing their lives, property, and freedoms to give power to a lunatic is bad... wherever it is. (Here comes the ridiculous comparisons... wait for it... wait for it...) I also care because I have friends there and friends who are from there. I also care because it's CLOSE to us and he's trying to spread his tripe even closer. The bottom line is that he IS anti-American and does threaten... what may be empty rhetoric today, really does have potential to become a serious problem. Chavez is physically closer to us than Putin is. And we have had to deal with a repressive anti-American government in Russia before... cold war. We didn't fight them in the end. We don't have to do it here necessarily. Again, no. But I don't have a list of approved global concerns (in order of importance) in front of me. I chose to talk about Venezuela here because it's closer to me personally and IMO has the potential to get really bad. Some disagree, like BillVon, that's fine. I'd rather think about it now and have it not happen than be surprised by it if it does. That was just to illustrate the absurdity of people calling our government "fascist". Here we have a shining example in Venezuela (and governments past) that are millions of miles away from where we are politically and yet we have people still trying to push the "US Government is (about to become) fascist" button. We're not even close. Just trying to point out how people just don't really have reality in their arguments sometimes. Oh, hello again!

Sure, he's full of shit now... but he's grabbing more and more power... slowly and surely. It still makes it bad for people I know there and here. It's still terrible to see what was and could be a really great country turn into what it is. Situations like this are bad anywhere... this one is just a little closer to home for me and my friends. Oh, hello again!

Where did I say that we should just kill all the Chavistas? Is complete ignorance really your debate tactic? Sad. I'm just as (not) surprised that we have another Amazon post that can't seem to play the ball instead of the player. Oh, hello again!

I wouldn't call common sense "insight" but okay... Do you think that having a vehemently anti-American government in South America that is trying to spread the sentiments as far as possible to be a GOOD thing?? You DO realize that Chavez is dedicating lots of money and effort into getting into the affairs of all the South and Central American governments, don't you? You DO realize that Chavez is all cozy with Iran and China don't you? It will be a problem in the future. Like I said, you can ignore it until then if it makes you feel better. What is diplomacy ever backed up with? Action. Doesn't always mean war (contrary to Amazon's inane rantings and challenges). Start working more closely with other South American countries to help them understand the danger he poses to the region. Educate people on how it is detrimental to everyone to have a lunatic next door. Support reform. I'm not a policy maker and don't have ALL the ideas. There's bright people in the government (past, current, and future), I'm sure we can come up with something short of war. I've had some other people in the past ask me to sign up for a war before... last resort of a weak argument. I haven't advocated invading Venezuela, although many of my friends from there have said that they'd like us to. What I do or plan on doing for my country is MY business and it does NOT preclude me from being able to form and state an opinion. I'm sorry for you if you think that it does. Please remember that when you post your opinions. He's not as close, but we've had to deal with that nonsense from Russia before. What do you think we should do when someone pops up and tries to upset the world? Are you all really that isolationist? Do you think that things that happen around the world don't affect us? Oh, hello again!

He is not. What you are being spoon fed is not reality. Venezuela is WAY worse off today than it was under their last dictator! Do you think devaluing his "people's" currency to the point that it might as well be toilet paper is "giving it back to them"??? Look at the state exchange rate (which is bad enough) then look at the black market rates... it's bad. And getting worse. Is putting cronies in businesses only to have them run them into the ground, giving anything back to the people? How are the people better when their country is falling apart? Ignorance. Pay offs. Propaganda. Search YouTube to see how dissenters are treated. They ARE being murdered, fired, intimidated, beaten. You seem so quick to point out that our media is propaganda, yet eagerly snap up that ignoramus' propaganda (that really LOOKS like old Soviet propaganda) as the truth???? Well okay then. Oh, hello again!

You can find what you want, Chavez IS a fascist by definition. So he's taking state control over businesses and "SAYS" he's a socialist... that doesn't make it so. If you can't see fascism in a PRIME example, how can anyone take you seriously when you call our own government fascist??? And so that counterpoint that you provide is pure fantasy... good job. My article was from CNN, by the way. Do a simple search on YouTube for "Venezuela Protest".... I guess people who claim to have "open minds" have closed eyes... Oh, hello again!

Uh, yeah... like that horrible US owned Citgo??? How would you feel if we just nationalized your business since you're not really from here? All your hard work now taken, without payment and given to some incompetent cronies of the president... He CAN cross the line?? He crossed it a LONG time ago. He IS running a fascist regime. Don't agree? Then have the definition of "fascist" changed to suit whatever you want. (probably to have a picture of Bush under it, huh?) All I can say is read up on the situation there and what Chavez is doing. If you still think that it's just the "little guy" standing up to the evil American corporations, then we'll just never see eye to eye. The absolutely DO NOT want the same thing. I am sitting here in my office with a Venezuelan friend right now who will tell you what you're NOT seeing on the spoon fed media from Chavez. Millions of people are against what Chavez is doing and they live under constant threat of violence, loss of their property, or jobs for voicing it. He's predicting a major event there in the next weeks when we see Chavez put himself in power permanently (for life) and FURTHER change the constitution to suit his power grabbing. Make no mistake, Chavez is NOT for the "little guy", that's just the propaganda that lets the ignorant buy into his garbage. Yeah, they are free to fuck it up... but it WILL affect us sooner or later. I'd recommend dealing with it sooner before his filth infects more of South America. Diplomacy, strong diplomacy, first. Oh, hello again!

Do YOU? fas·cism /ˈfæʃɪzəm/ –noun 1. (sometimes initial capital letter) a governmental system led by a dictator having complete power, forcibly suppressing opposition and criticism, regimenting all industry, commerce, etc., and emphasizing an aggressive nationalism and often racism. Now, tell me where that DOES NOT apply to Hugo Chavez and what he is moving towards in Venezuela. Really, read just a little. Then compare to how close we REALLY are here in the US. Seriously, no crazy conspiracy crap. How close are we REALLY? Oh, hello again!

This is what I'm talking about. Pure bullshit hyperbole. You, being completely reasonable and unquestionably sane and intellectually honest, have the gall to call me a fascist? You want real fascism? Go look at Venezuela. I really think that most people who bitch about the Patriot Act haven't even read it. What are your thoughts on the situation in Venezuela? Or do you just want to get off topic and make personal attacks? Oh, hello again!

You're part of the alarmist BS problem we have in the US. Take that. I don't see any impending fascist regime about to rise here. I DO see a bunch of people who don't like the current president making a lot of noise for any reason they can find, claiming that everything is a "threat to our freedoms". I've had the Patriot Act argument before. I've read it. It doesn't scare me that bad. For starters, we call his bluff. If he cuts off our oil, good. That'll light a fire under us to get something moving about the oil situation. We also need to start paying attention and confronting his BS, much like the king of Spain. To answer you and the following post... frying a small fish before it gets too big is a good idea. I think that a fascist and unstable South America and potentially Mexico IS a big concern. But I have friends in and from Venezuela who I care about, so maybe it bothers me more... but you can wait until it becomes a "crisis" before you care if you want. Oh, hello again!

The DA shouldn't even consider bringing charges against this guy. I had a whole rant planned for these recent shootings, but I'll hold off. Bottom line, if you break into someone's house, you might get shot. You take the risk, deal with it. One less criminal out there and one more strong message sent to future criminals. Oh, hello again!

Just wanted to point out that a couple of us here have been warning of this for a while now. If you're not paying attention yet, you should... http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/americas/11/30/venezuela.protest/index.html Chavez threatens to cut oil if U.S. questions vote # Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez campaigns for end to term limits # He says if Sunday's vote is "yes," his foes shouldn't contest result # Vote also would give Chavez full authority over the Central Bank # Venezuela accounts for up to 15 percent of U.S. crude imports Just want to point out that there's a case study in how fascist dictators rise to power, and it's in Venezuela. All of the BS hyperbole about Bush, the Patriot Act, etc... and we still have to vote someone else in next year. Hopefully some of you will remember that our problems with leadership, more often than not, pale in comparison to what is going on elsewhere. And YES, sometimes (in this case for sure) we should be concerned about it. Even if Jimmy Carter, Sean Penn, and Danny Glover think Chavez is the cat's pajama's... THIS WILL BE A PROBLEM FOR A LONG TIME. Oh, hello again!

The guard did what he was supposed to do. No argument with that. That's the way it goes there. I have no problem with it. Just sucks for the guy, who I don't think meant any disrespect. Bet it won't happen again with any of those people that were there! Oh, hello again!

Like someone, say, responsible for the death of another being against the death penalty? They're all the same and they're all covered in it. I'm sure there are plenty who have done worse than buggering a male prostitute in a bathroom, they're just better at keeping secrets. Hence the lowest approval rating for our elected officials ever. Some people just like to cheer when "their team" scores I guess. And that is an illustration of how bad hypocrisy is in government, NOT equating being gay to being a killer. Just for you sensitive types Oh, hello again!

I would think all the lefties here would embrace having an undercover gay man in government, or 5. Why are all of you so happy to get rid of all the gays in office? And don't even THINK about the "hypocrite" argument. You should all know better than that. Who isn't in Washington? Oh, hello again!

My point was that I think that it was unintentional. Oh, hello again!

Great clip. I once was visiting the tomb of the unknown soldier and saw someone cross the line. The stiff rebuke by the soldier definitely got his, and all of our, attention. Poor guy in the video. Probably woulda gotten yelled at if his water bottle rolled in front of the guards too. Poor bastard. Oh, hello again!

People minded. I minded. That is a terrible thing to do to a parent who has lost a child. The only reason it gets more attention now (and it DID get lots of attention back then too) is because when they did it to Matthew Shepard's family, they were relatively unknown. Now they've been in everyone's face for years. Oh, hello again!