Venezuela falling apart

[The Green Barbarian]

The left has destroyed another country. And of course, none of this is your fault. Of course.

http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2016 ... t-involved

[d0nb]

So sad and so avoidable.

The link to the piece in The Atlantic: "Venezuela Is Falling Apart" is worth reading as well.

http://www.theatlantic.com/internationa ... rt/481755/

Every minute wise people die and are replaced with adorable little bundles of ignorance. Each generation needs to be educated about the dangers of socialism and other abuses of government. We appear to have failed the Millennials badly on that score and if their critical thinking skills are as poor as they seem, Canada's future might closely resemble Venezuela's.

[occasional thoughts]

Left, right and centre plus assorted religious zealots of indefinite ideological bent have destroyed many countries, and will continue to do so, possibly forever. The situation in Venezuela is very sad. It is what happens when democratic procedure is not allowed to be carried out, although it started with a democratic election anon where the people chose in reaction to the excesses of previous right-wing governments. Remember the old adage of democracy ... the people are always right ... but I add, if they are allowed to speak.

The real problem is not left-wing administrations vs. right-wing administrations. It is a human problem in which the ideology is the vehicle of convenience, the real issue is individuals seeking power and control. It is unfortunate that some are obsessed with labelling everything left wing or right wing and attributing evil or glorious qualities accordingly.

[Donald G]

Another example of what happens when left wing theory and lack of planning replace reality.

[whatwhat]

The left has destroyed another country. And of course, none of this is your fault. Of course.

http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2016 ... t-involved

Here I was excited to see you posted an interesting world topic, but then to learn that I am at fault for Venezuela's collapse!? Because I have left-wing values in an entirely different country?? Just crazy. Thank-you GB, for showing me the light...

With any country, any extreme (either left wing or right wing) will lead the people down the wrong path. It is important to have a balance of values and policies from both sides to have a balanced country. I realize many hate our left-wing supporters in Canada, but without left-wing values Canada wouldn't be where we are today (free health care, disability, EI are all left-wing values brought into services that help millions of Canadians every year).

Unfortunately for Venezuela, when the oil market crashed (which neither political party has control over that), their extreme left-wing tried to help out by making extreme social service changes. Which is interesting since in Canada ever since the oil prices crashed, our own right-wing oil rig workers have been bagging Trudeau to extend social services to help them.

[The Green Barbarian]

Unfortunately for Venezuela, when the oil market crashed (which neither political party has control over that), their extreme left-wing tried to help out by making extreme social service changes. Which is interesting since in Canada ever since the oil prices crashed, our own right-wing oil rig workers have been bagging Trudeau to extend social services to help them.

What happened in Venezuela was that Chavez chased out all of the investment capital and created mass unemployment. He was only following some of the same policies advocated for by many here on Castanet - exorbitantly high taxes and confiscation policies on property and investments held by foreign powers. Chase out the capital and your economy falls apart. Here's a glaring example of it RIGHT IN YOUR FACE and yet people just never learn. Venezuela should be used by all professors and teachers of exactly why extreme socialism just does not work. But of course, everything but socialism will be blamed, and our kids will continue to live in ignorance.

[The Green Barbarian]

So sad and so avoidable.

The link to the piece in The Atlantic: "Venezuela Is Falling Apart" is worth reading as well.

http://www.theatlantic.com/internationa ... rt/481755/

Every minute wise people die and are replaced with adorable little bundles of ignorance. Each generation needs to be educated about the dangers of socialism and other abuses of government. We appear to have failed the Millennials badly on that score and if their critical thinking skills are as poor as they seem, Canada's future might closely resemble Venezuela's.

10 out of 10. Well sad, as usual.

[occasional thoughts]

Chavez and Pinochet, two South American hero leaders -- NOT! But both cut from the same absolutist anti-democratic cloth, one Communist and one very Anti-Communist. Read my earlier post; they're both despicable, and right or left has nothing to do with it. Right-wing despots chase investment and tourists away too.

[The Green Barbarian]

Chavez and Pinochet, two South American hero leaders -- NOT! But both cut from the same absolutist anti-democratic cloth, one Communist and one very Anti-Communist. Read my earlier post; they're both despicable, and right or left has nothing to do with it. Right-wing despots chase investment and tourists away too.

Who cares about Pinochet? This thread is about Venezuela, and how it is falling apart thanks to idiotic leftist policies. I get it, some here have to continue to deflect and spin to try and deflect blame. I'm just curious what the leftists here would have done differently if they had been in charge of Venezuela, as Hugo, their hero, was just enacting policies that are advocated for every day here. Here's a hint - if Sean Penn endorses your policies, they are probably totally *bleep*.

[occasional thoughts]

Hugo was no hero of mine, nor his successor, but he started off as hero of his electorate, undoubtedly in reaction to the excesses of what went before. When he started consorting with the likes of the president (?) of Iran, any person of rational mind knew he was off his political rocker, and probably always had been. So label that, buddy; your left-wing nut bar pal.

[whatwhat]

Who cares about Pinochet? This thread is about Venezuela, and how it is falling apart thanks to idiotic leftist policies. I get it, some here have to continue to deflect and spin to try and deflect blame. I'm just curious what the leftists here would have done differently if they had been in charge of Venezuela, as Hugo, their hero, was just enacting policies that are advocated for every day here. Here's a hint - if Sean Penn endorses your policies, they are probably totally *bleep*.

Lol what?? Who the hell on here has said anything about Huge being their hero? Just because someone has left wing political values doesn't mean they support all left wing leaders or think they are all "heros" and if you truly believe that you are dumber then I thought GB.

As I said in my earlier post, to run a balanced country that promotes the best for all people living there it needs to have a balance in political ideologies. Too right or too left will create issues.

[Hurtlander]

As I said in my earlier post, to run a balanced country that promotes the best for all people living there it needs to have a balance in political ideologies. Too right or too left will create issues.

Well said...Unfortunately some people think that any ideology to the left of Margaret Thatcher's is "extreme socialism"...

[occasional thoughts]

I'm sure some people on here think Margaret Thatcher was a secret leftie of some ilk. Hell, Ronald Reagan was suspected by many at the time he served as being not a "conservative". Harper should be suspected for not pushing the gay marriage thing again, in my view of a good conspiracy to promote. Yes, Stephen was secretly a leftie. What is funny about the, ahem, I gag, learned posters on here who characterize everything as left or right is how wrong they are about most of us.

[bob vernon]

Zimbabwe is also falling apart. Ruled by an extreme right-wing, racist leader.

[occasional thoughts]

Thank you, bobv, although as the original poster pointed out, the thread is about Venezuela and all other countries, dictators, xenophobes & etc. are off topic. Seems you have to start your own thread about Zimbabwe to make that point stick. Although I recently started a thread about some Solomon Islands disappearing and he posted a blog link about some other South Seas island that wasn't actually sinking.