Hugo Chavez Dies

[irishpat183]

Hugo Chavez, fiery Venezuelan leader, dies at 58 - Yahoo! News

 

[Bluto]

The tittle of this thread is stupid. Anyhow, Chavez was elected in free and fair elections something like 6 times and survived a US backed coup. Say what you will but the attempts to demonize this guy were rediculous, particularly when you consider this country's **** poor human rights record and the insane levels of corruption in our own political system.

 

[greyhammer90]

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/5FizXGoPkVs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[Grahambo]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Under Chavez, Venezuelans without running water went from 7.2 to 9.4%; underweight babies 8.4 to 9.1%; living on dirt floors 2.5 to 6.8%</p>— Doug Saunders (@DougSaunders) <a href="https://twitter.com/DougSaunders/status/309062995730894850">March 5, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[Patulski]

Yeah, as if capitalists haven't had any success in South and Central American countries controlling their national assets.

 

[In Lou I Trust]

I hear Sean Penn and Danny Glover are inconsolable.

 

[kmoose]

The tittle of this thread is stupid. Anyhow, Chavez was elected in free and fair elections something like 6 times and survived a US backed coup. Say what you will but the attempts to demonize this guy were rediculous, particularly when you consider this country's **** poor human rights record and the insane levels of corruption in our own political system.

What do free and fair elections have to do with capitalism? No one said anything about a democracy.

 

[Polish Leppy 22]

President Obama's fallen comrade. All flags fly at half mast tomorrow and a national moment of silence is appropriate.

I wonder who they will send to the funeral???

 

[Rhode Irish]

Why is this board suddenly a dumpster for everyone's half-baked political ideas? The election is over. Go find a politics board to post on if you need to make these kinds of posts. The only possible purpose it serves here is to instigate the lowest form of discourse, which makes it tantamount to trolling.

 

[TheRealLynch51]

Why is this board suddenly a dumpster for everyone's half-baked political ideas? The election is over. Go find a politics board to post on if you need to make these kinds of posts. The only possible purpose it serves here is to instigate the lowest form of discourse, which makes it tantamount to trolling.

^This.

 

[In Lou I Trust]

Why is this board suddenly a dumpster for everyone's half-baked political ideas? The election is over. Go find a politics board to post on if you need to make these kinds of posts. The only possible purpose it serves here is to instigate the lowest form of discourse, which makes it tantamount to trolling.

I was unaware that politics were only discussed during an election year and only on political forums. I do believe that this board could benefit from a seperate section, though. On one of the other football forums I frequent we have a section similar to the "Leprechaun Lounge" called "Washington DC" which is where all this stuff is posted. It USUALLY helps in preventing those who are easily tricked into opening, posting in and then complaining in threads about politics or hot button issues.

 

[irishog77]

Why is this board suddenly a dumpster for everyone's half-baked political ideas? The election is over. Go find a politics board to post on if you need to make these kinds of posts. The only possible purpose it serves here is to instigate the lowest form of discourse, which makes it tantamount to trolling.

What does the Romney/Obama election have to do with a communist dictator dying? For as long as I've been visiting this board, major news events have essentially always gotten their own thread. And by being online and having cnn and fox news on TV in the background all day...this is a major news story.

How you feel about it and interpret is up to you.

 

[Irish Houstonian]

The tittle of this thread is stupid. Anyhow, Chavez was elected in free and fair elections something like 6 times and survived a US backed coup. Say what you will but the attempts to demonize this guy were rediculous, particularly when you consider this country's **** poor human rights record and the insane levels of corruption in our own political system.

Not entirely correct. Chavez nationalized all media to stifle any opposition message, threw dissenters in prison, and never once allowed an independent audit of his elections.

Did I mention that the Venezuela election rolls always had thousands of supposed "voters" for Chavez in the 111 - 129 age bracket?

 

[Grahambo]

Not entirely correct. Chavez nationalized all media to stifle any opposition message, threw dissenters in prison, and never once allowed an independent audit of his elections.

Did I mention that the Venezuela election rolls always had thousands of supposed "voters" for Chavez in the 111 - 129 age bracket?

 

[Irish YJ]

The guy was a complete dirtbag, similar to so many US politicians on both sides of the aisle. The world is now a better place.

 

[Polish Leppy 22]

Chavez to Obama: I'd vote for you, and you for me

Sun Sep 30, 2012 1:33pm EDT
* Both men seeking re-election in imminent ballots

* Socialist Chavez has kind words for U.S. leader

* Political ties remain strained despite oil trade

By Helen Murphy

CARACAS, Sept 30 (Reuters) - With both presidents facing tight re-election fights, Venezuela's Hugo Chavez gave a surprise endorsement to Barack Obama on Sunday - and said the U.S. leader no doubt felt the same.

"I hope this doesn't harm Obama, but if I was from the United States, I'd vote for Obama," the socialist Chavez said of a man he first reached out to in 2009 but to whom he has since generally been insulting.

Chavez is running for a new six-year term against opposition challenger Henrique Capriles, while Obama seeks re-election in November against Republican candidate Mitt Romney. Venezuela's election is next weekend.

"Obama is a good guy ... I think that if Obama was from Barlovento or some Caracas neighborhood, he'd vote for Chavez," the president told state TV, referring to a poor coastal town known for the African roots of its population.

Chavez is one of the world's most strident critics of Washington and his 14 years in office have been characterized by diplomatic spats and insults at the White House.

He called former U.S. President George W. Bush a "drunk" and the "devil." After an initial overture to Obama came to nothing, he said the new president had disappointed progressives the world over and was the "shame" of Africans.

But Chavez was back in a conciliatory mood in a TV interview with friend and former vice president Jose Vicente Rangel.

"After our triumph and the supposed, probable triumph of President Obama, with the extreme right defeated here and there, I hope we could start a new period of normal relations with the United States," he said.

"Obama recently said something very rational and fair ... that Venezuela is no threat to the interests of the United States," he added.

Since coming to office, Chavez has projected himself as the head of a global "anti-imperialist" movement inspired by his friend and ideological mentor Fidel Castro of Cuba.

Relations with Washington improved briefly after Obama took office in January 2009 and promised more engagement with Latin America. Chavez toned down his tirades against the "Yankee empire" and shook hands with the new U.S. leader at a summit.

But months later, he accused Obama of sticking to Bush's foreign policies and capitalist agenda, and the tirade against the United Sates began again.

Despite the ideological gulf between Washington and Caracas, both sides take a pragmatic approach when it comes to business, with OPEC member Venezuela remaining the United States' fourth biggest crude supplier.

 

[Bluto]

What do free and fair elections have to do with capitalism? No one said anything about a democracy.

That's kind of the point in saying that the title of this thread is stupid. If you think Venezuela was a "capitalist" free market economy prior to Chavez you need to reread some South American history books.

As for questioning his legitimacy as an elected official he won every election by a landslide and was placed back in power after a coup attempt (that was full of disinformation coming from the Venezualen media supporting the coup by the way) thanks in large part to massive popular demonstrations.

 

[greyhammer90]

What does the Romney/Obama election have to do with a communist dictator dying?

Absolutely nothing. And that's why I love this board, because we can discuss news events without succumbing to childish insults....

President Obama's fallen comrade. All flags fly at half mast tomorrow and a national moment of silence is appropriate.

I wonder who they will send to the funeral???

I hear Sean Penn and Danny Glover are inconsolable.

and without purposefully attempting to bait others into thoughtless arguments that will inevitably end in senseless name-calling.

Chavez to Obama: I'd vote for you, and you for me

Sun Sep 30, 2012 1:33pm EDT
* Both men seeking re-election in imminent ballots

* Socialist Chavez has kind words for U.S. leader

* Political ties remain strained despite oil trade

By Helen Murphy

CARACAS, Sept 30 (Reuters) - With both presidents facing tight re-election fights, Venezuela's Hugo Chavez gave a surprise endorsement to Barack Obama on Sunday - and said the U.S. leader no doubt felt the same.

"I hope this doesn't harm Obama, but if I was from the United States, I'd vote for Obama," the socialist Chavez said of a man he first reached out to in 2009 but to whom he has since generally been insulting.

Chavez is running for a new six-year term against opposition challenger Henrique Capriles, while Obama seeks re-election in November against Republican candidate Mitt Romney. Venezuela's election is next weekend.

"Obama is a good guy ... I think that if Obama was from Barlovento or some Caracas neighborhood, he'd vote for Chavez," the president told state TV, referring to a poor coastal town known for the African roots of its population.

Chavez is one of the world's most strident critics of Washington and his 14 years in office have been characterized by diplomatic spats and insults at the White House.

He called former U.S. President George W. Bush a "drunk" and the "devil." After an initial overture to Obama came to nothing, he said the new president had disappointed progressives the world over and was the "shame" of Africans.

But Chavez was back in a conciliatory mood in a TV interview with friend and former vice president Jose Vicente Rangel.

"After our triumph and the supposed, probable triumph of President Obama, with the extreme right defeated here and there, I hope we could start a new period of normal relations with the United States," he said.

"Obama recently said something very rational and fair ... that Venezuela is no threat to the interests of the United States," he added.

Since coming to office, Chavez has projected himself as the head of a global "anti-imperialist" movement inspired by his friend and ideological mentor Fidel Castro of Cuba.

Relations with Washington improved briefly after Obama took office in January 2009 and promised more engagement with Latin America. Chavez toned down his tirades against the "Yankee empire" and shook hands with the new U.S. leader at a summit.

But months later, he accused Obama of sticking to Bush's foreign policies and capitalist agenda, and the tirade against the United Sates began again.

Despite the ideological gulf between Washington and Caracas, both sides take a pragmatic approach when it comes to business, with OPEC member Venezuela remaining the United States' fourth biggest crude supplier.

I came for ND news, I stuck around for the thoughtful political banter.

 

[Irish#1]

Why is this board suddenly a dumpster for everyone's half-baked political ideas? The election is over. Go find a politics board to post on if you need to make these kinds of posts. The only possible purpose it serves here is to instigate the lowest form of discourse, which makes it tantamount to trolling.

Maybe it's time for the mods to create a separate forum titled Politics.

 

[Fbolt]

I'm not upset at his death.

 

[Irishnuke]

I heard he was a fan of Lane Kiffin. No link.

 

[ryno 24]

The tittle of this thread is stupid. Anyhow, Chavez was elected in free and fair elections something like 6 times and survived a US backed coup. Say what you will but the attempts to demonize this guy were rediculous, particularly when you consider this country's **** poor human rights record and the insane levels of corruption in our own political system.

I have a friend who is from Venuzuela and his family was assassinated by Hugo Chavez and his goons. He was a very evil man and this is good for everyone around the world. Human rights are at least acknowledged in this country and people are allowed to have differing political opinions. He also said that elections are not fair and free. I also hate people who celebrate Che Guevara. Murderers should not be celebrated anywhere.

 

[phork]

The price of a liter of gas in Venezuela was cheaper than a liter of clean water. Go figure.

 

[notredomer23]

The tittle of this thread is stupid. Anyhow, Chavez was elected in free and fair elections something like 6 times and survived a US backed coup. Say what you will but the attempts to demonize this guy were rediculous, particularly when you consider this country's **** poor human rights record and the insane levels of corruption in our own political system.

LOL WHAT

 

[BobD]

He was nowhere as upstanding as he pretended, nor as evil as our government presented him to be. Power hungry, egotistical, shady and somewhat slimy characters are only OK with our state department if they agree to play by our rules.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

Yeah, but he got one thing right . . .

 

[BGIF]

The tittle of this thread is stupid. Anyhow, Chavez was elected in free and fair elections something like 6 times and survived a US backed coup. Say what you will but the attempts to demonize this guy were rediculous, particularly when you consider this country's **** poor human rights record and the insane levels of corruption in our own political system.

Interesting that HIS coup attempt in his rise to power failed to get mentioned.

 

[dublinirish]

The price of a liter of gas in Venezuela was cheaper than a liter of clean water. Go figure.

this is the norm in countries with large oil resources, same deal in the Middle East. You could fill your tank for pennies.

 

[ohara831]

I cannot celebrate anyone's death. We may never know the truth about the man. Probably did some good along with all the bad. Whatever history remembers him for, one thing is true. He is now answering to a Judge to whom he cannot lie to deceive. So be it.

 

[phork]

this is the norm in countries with large oil resources, same deal in the Middle East. You could fill your tank for pennies.

A Map for reference.