Chavez Declared Dictator
Hugo Chavez has had himself declared dictator of Venezuela.
Venezuela's National Assembly has given initial approval to a bill
granting the president the power to bypass congress and rule by decree
for 18 months.President Hugo Chavez says he wants "revolutionary laws" to enact
sweeping political, economic and social changes. He has said he wants
to nationalise key sectors of the economy and scrap limits on the terms
a president can serve.Mr Chavez began his third term in office last week after a landslide election victory in December.
The bill allowing him to enact laws by decree is expected to win
final approval easily in the assembly on its second reading on Tuesday.
Venezuela's political opposition has no representation in the National
Assembly since it boycotted elections in 2005.
Recognize that Chavez is the man, more than any other world leader, that progressives in this country have adopted as their hero. Nowhere will you see a better illustration of what end-game progressives are really after.
Craig:
I've never understood why parties boycott elections. It seems to lead to the worst possible outcome for them; their opponents rule unopposed.
January 21, 2007, 10:30 pmKyle Bennett:
...and he didn't even have to burn the Reichstag.
January 22, 2007, 11:41 amJohn Wilkins:
I completely agree that "rule by decree" is a bad, BAD idea.
But to say that, since some Progressives think Chavez is a hero to the poor and since Chavez wants absolute power, that Progressives therefore must want that same kind of power is specious and insulting.
I could make the same argument about the Republicans and any number of foreign totalitarian leaders (the Saudis spring to mind). But that argument would be equally wrong.
January 22, 2007, 11:40 pmSmith:
Let's not confuse progressive with leftist. Teddy Roosevelt was a progressive, Teddy Kennedy is a leftist. And John, leftists do want absolute power. Don't you forget it. You can't make the same argument regarding the Republicans and the Saudis because relationships that conservative administrations have with some unsavory dictatorships is an unfortunate but important function of Realpolitik rather than ideological hero worship.
January 31, 2007, 6:37 pmTed K's idiot nephew Joe (son of Bobby) is running ads on Massachusetts TV touting his 'People's Energy' and gives direct thanks to 'our' friends in Venezuela. Now, don't get me wrong, I like the idea that poor people can get access to charitable programs especially the elderly getting cheap heating oil, but let's call a spade a spade, Joe K is nothing more than a 'useful idiot' (to quote Stalin) in helping Chavez.
Chavez is consolidating power all over South America with Ecuador and that silly campesino in Bolivia, but mark my words, he'll eventually overreach. Rumor has it that he has designs on little Aruba only 15 miles off the mainland.