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© Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.Chavez seeks power to rule by decree for 1 year
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TimRussert
Like all totalitarians Chavez and the collectivist thugs around him claim they had to do this, there was a crisis, it was for the good of the people, etc. This Castro-wannabe has destroyed Venezuela.
Molenir
This really isn't a surprise. The only surprise, is that he hasn't simply declared himself dictator-for-life Chavez yet. He's still claiming to be following the 'will of the people' despite a drubbing in the most recent election. A drubbing despite having totally reworked the voting system to make those in 'his' areas outweigh those in areas that aren't his.
nath
What if the Congress says "no" to this request? ? Is he asking or telling?
skipthesong
As a person who browses Spanish blogs, I told you guys here on JT that is what people were believing he was getting ready to do, but noooooooooooo... "aw skip, you are such a right winger, a fear monger, etc...." Really wish the mods would allow us to bet against each other
Scrote
Venezuela is gradually going down the toilet as Chavez nationalises more and more companies, each one becoming wasteful and inefficient. This is socialism in action. Everybody will be in an equally poor and wretched state by the end. Apart from those at the top, of course.
mikehuntez
This man is only a step up from Hitler. Only he's the Socialist version.
skipthesong
Venezuela is gradually going down the toilet" Sad, and they have some fine women.
This man is only a step up from Hitler. Only he's the Socialist version." Actually, Hitler was a socialist. Just that current day socialists don't like that fact. Oh, just because one is a socialist, doesn't necessarily make them a Utopian.
manfromamerica
Venezuela - the new socialist utopia
goddog
He called Bush a Cowboy. What does he call Obama? Haven't heard anything yet. Chevez has some good ideas, but just goes about it the wrong way, but then again, most leaders do.
manfromamerica
goddog - he called Obama an "Ignoramus".
Alphaape
If anything, Chavez is the "goucho" and not Bush. W never asked for the right to rule by decree.
What I don't get with all of these socialist thinkers, if their way is so right, then wouldn't persons in a democracy actually see the benefit of their ways and just vote for them? I guess when people really understand that philosophy, they see the true meaning and try to oppose it.
I hope Venezuela will survive, or there will be just another group of illegal immigrants making their way to the US.
SuperLib
This guy was the hero to the radical left when he gave his daily diatribes against Bush. Now that Bush is gone it seems he's lost a great deal of support. The enemy of my enemy is my friend....until my enemy is no longer around, I suppose. People are just now waking up to the what this guy really is and how much they kept their mouths shut as long as he gave his rants about Bush.
mikehuntez
I wonder if he still thinks the CIA is out to take him out. I hope he's not wrong on that one.
Good_Jorb
Hitler wasn't a socialist, he was fascist, who used anti-immigration and racism to get into power. Chavez, used people power to get into power. Then end result is almost always the same. When an extreme left or right wing party gets into power, the result is always bad. Mostly because their party supporters become ignorant sheeple.
Wolfpack
Liberals in the West love Chavez so I doubt we will hear much criticism from the US media or the Liberal elitists on this. The only question now is whether or not President Obama will also request similar powers before the 2012 election or will he wait until his hoped for re-election. As for Hitler - his political party had the word 'socialist' in it's title. Of course he was a socialist. He believed in centralized authority and control of the economy and industry. Wartime Germany was unquestionably socialist. There are different types of socialism which aims to achieve different levels of control of the collective. German socialism was infused with nationalist and nativist elements - traits found in the socialist movements of many nations. Facism is simply the raw political philosophy necessary to achieve socialist aims - and vice versa.
mikehuntez
Yes that's true but North Korea's official title has "Democratic" in the title. Doesn't make it true. I'm willing to bet that Chavez thinks that he is as "Democratic" as North Korea.
manfromamerica
mike - How is Chavez' policies different from Hitler? Both are based on the false idea of "social justice"
Moderator: All readers, please stay on topic. Hitler is not relevant to this discussion.
Madverts
Chavez is a socialist and a pain in the behind. It's a shame for Venezualean's - too long in the top job is always bad for the people.