Noam Chomsky discussing Hugo Chavez

[medliberty]

Ditch the "music". Its very distracting; I can hardly hear whats being said.

[tph2010]

Someone should take Pat Robertson out.

[DrMerkwuerdichliebe]

Spot on, Noam.

[Zatzzo]

who is the imperialist calling for the murder of chavez?

[rhth79]

@Zatzzo Why that's none other than the figurative spawn of Satan himself, televangelist Pat Robertson, believe it or not.

[ssike0]

For the most part the US has strained relations with countries that have socialized their petroleum wealth. (Libya, Iran , formerly Iraq, and Venezuela.) Socialized petroleum gets sold at spot prices upn delivery. Other oil produers lease thier fields to US oil companies who proceed to siphon out the oil producing enormous profits. Painting the Chavezes of the world as evil doers is part of the strategy to benefit the monied interests here at home. And the sheep buy into it.

[smujismuj]

Somebody ought to "take out" Pat, 'shitforbrains' Robertson.

[dleiros]

What a load of bullshit, somebody please call Penn & Teller. I have lost total respect for Chomsky.

[sinclair61]

@dleiros I feel sure that Mr Chomsky has also lost all respect for you.

[dleiros]

@sinclair61 Look, the reality of Chavez practices are no secret. It is very much like religion, the more you look at it the more bogus and ridiculous it shows to be. The only people that truly believe in it are illiterate fanatics.

Given the intellectual authority and the following that Chomsky has, he ought to be a great deal more careful with the statements that he makes. I urge you and anyone else that believes in this statements to actually take a couple of minutes to investigate the matter.

[sinclair61]

@dleiros look at the reality of your society before you comment on that of others.

[dleiros]

@sinclair61 I AM from Venezuela, that is why I am making comments about it. And even if I wasn't I could still comment about it.

[tom6612]

@leshager2009 -- Yeah he's real tight with God. Everybody knows God condones murder if Pat says it's OK.. Pat needs your money you senile suckers. He only has 10 cadillacs and it's unreasonable to expect him to survive on such a level of deprivation. Send him your money . His diamond mines are played out and he's facing hard times. Won't somebody please think of poor Pat.

[nomis101uk]

Oh please. Stop apologizing for this anti-democratic clown of a leader just because he is a socialist and has a mutual hate relationship with America. This is exactly what gives the right wing fodder. They always say "Oh look at these left wing loons talking about how much they admire Mao, Charvez and Castro. They must be loons". And sadly they're so often right. Just because someones a socialist doesn't mean we should wrap our arms around them. Have some intellectual integrity.

[tom6612]

@nomis101uk -- I noticed you came up with absolutely zero proof to back up any of your assertions.

I guess thats just a coincidence. And then you finish up by with some lip service about integrity. God your a fucking joke.

[translationwiz]

Hey, Pat, "Thou Shall not Kill.".............Hey Mr. Robertson, "Thou shall not covet thy neighbors property."........ Love thy neighbor, as what?......"Should assassinate him"; and you call yourself a Christian? advocating murder? THe killing of a foreign head of state no less. I once said you're a war monger. I add to that today, YOU are a terrorist. YOu scare me. No different than Osama Bin Laden.

paz/peace/salam/shalom

[MasonicEyes]

@translationwiz Yea, that guy really takes the piss; when he speaks about politics and then switches to Christianity.

[groov20]

Instead of putting up the long intro, why not improve the sound quality when Chomsky actually speaks?!

[disdanic]

Chavez poses no threat to the US whatsoever. His '21st century socialist' ideology is utterly untenable in any country that does not have massive resource wealth. Venezuela is fast becoming the new basket case of Latin America, and if global economic activity remains anemic, the situation will become increasingly desperate. Venezuela's gaping iniquities indeed require addressing, but they need to be addressed in a manner that does not decimate the economy in the process.

[wicapis]

I am an American and I truly believe that United States cannot dictate its ideology on any other countries. Freedom for ALL.

[elsoultero]

What a first class prick Paul Roberson is!!!!!

[smilingasteroid]

this is titled "Noam Chomsky discussing Hugo Chavez " so where is chomsky?

all I see is an idiot with a midget in their little rap video, lol

[jamesallen74]

This video sucks. I want to see UNEDITED footage of Chomsky HIMSELF, not chopped up bits of him talking, interlaced with crap footage of Chavez and Pat Robertson.

[kalai333]

Hugo Chavez said nothing wrong in his statements in this video. He identified real American geo political and security concerns regarding Venzuela.

I cant comment on Chavez, I dont live in Venzuela. I hope the US stays out of internal Venzualan poiitics; its time we stop interfering in Latin American politics.

[yuppyguitar1]

What the hell is Chomsky talking about? Under Chavez' policy, Caracas the capital of Venezuela has become the #1 murder capital of the world. He also stole the population's cash by reducing the official Bolivar to dollar rate. This video sucks, there's only 30 seconds of Chomsky actually talking about Chavez.

[DMPineau]

@yuppyguitar1

Which policy was that? The amnesty for murderers? Venezuela's crime rates were already soaring at the the time Chavez took office, but his administration hasn't seemed to be able to manage the problem effectively, that's true. But as for the Bolivar, a currency revaluation doesn't 'steal' anybody's cash, its what you do when you need to slow inflation and in the long run it'll keep people's savings from devaluating.

[yuppyguitar1]

@DMPineau Lack of policy. He devalued the Bolivar. This increases inflation because there will be more currency in circulation. It also reduces citizens' spending power (read: cash stolen), and gives Chavez double the currency received for oil sold. He stole the citizens savings through monetary policy. Most economists are predicting this will add another 5% to the already high inflation in Venezuela, which is #2 in the world. Good job Chavez.

[DMPineau]

@yuppyguitar1

Adjusting the exchange rate doesn't actually devalue the currency, every country with high inflation ends up doing it sooner or later, it's not fun but it is a sound economic practice. There would be less currency in circulation after , it would eliminate savings.. but in countries with high rates of inflation nobody keeps their savings in cash anyways.

[yuppyguitar1]

It does actually, thats why the term is called "devalue", because the currency holds LESS VALUE. And since Venezuela imports almost everything, people will have to pay more to get the same thing. Chavez gets paid double because his oil dollars produce more bolivar for domestic spending. He traded the public savings so his government could spend more money. Chavez is a disgrace.

[DMPineau]

@yuppyguitar1

But I didn't say devaluation did I? I said adjusting the exchange rate. Redenomination doesn't effect the value of a currency, that's what I meant. People sometimes say devaluation when they're talking about depreciation (exchange rate), I thought we were talking about the latter, lopping zeroes off bills.

[DMPineau]

@yuppyguitar1

Ok, I see what you're talking about, I'm surprised I didn't read this story earlier. I thought we were talking about something else entirely. As for Chavez, I'm taking a 'wait and see' attitude toward him, I don't like a lot of his policies but I'm enthusiastic about his support for cooperative industry.

[DMPineau]

@yuppyguitar1

Actually a devaluation would make sense for a country that depends on imports, it's a protectionist measure, small enterprises in Venezuela can't compete in their own domestic market without some government interference. Of course it'll make life rough in the short term, could spur growth in their domestic in the long term though. Problem is, I understand Venezuela is a very difficult place to start a business given gov't regulations, so I guess we'll see how that all pans out.

[yuppyguitar1]

Devaluation makes sense now because after 10 years of failed policy, nobody wants to own bolivars. The point is that this is Chavez' fault. Yet another example of his mismanagement is the murder rate growth of 67% since taking office. Or how about the forced daily electricity outages, while this country has one of the largest oil reserves in the world. People had clean water and electricity before Chavez took over and imposed his socialist "Utopia".

[DMPineau]

@yuppyguitar1

I've been reading about Chavez' predecessor, Rafael Caldera, who also devaluated the currency in a similar attempt to stimulate domestic industry. I mentioned earlier the murder rate began escalating before Chavez took office, I can shoot you some graphs of the timeline if you'd like. Point is, the problems you've mentioned here are things Chavez has inherited and any wrongdoing on his part lies in not resolving them, rather than inflicting them as you seem to be insinuating.

[yuppyguitar1]

Pretty much all the economists agree that the recent devaluation will raise inflation another 5%. Chavez led Venezuela to #2 in that category, just behind Nigeria. Maybe he'll take them to #1 soon. He also inflicted the daily electricity outages and lack of clean water as well as the numerous free speech abuses which you can read in the news on a daily basis.

[kalai333]

@yuppyguitar1 I visited Venzuela in the 1990's. I can assure that country had big problems long before Chavez. He may not be helping as much as anyone would like; but he didnt start out with the greatest to work with either.

[DMPineau]

@yuppyguitar1

And who said anything about utopia but you anyhow?

[DMPineau]

@yuppyguitar1

I thought Zimbabwe was #1? Oh well, I know their inflation is one of the world's highest, dutch disease, it's their petrol dependency in large part. I understand the devaluation will reduce spending power, but it could also stimulate domestic enterprise which is necessary in their situation. That's the Chavez administration's defense of it anyhow. That country has serious problems, they'll have a hard time juggling issues. I'm curious to see what Chavez impact will be.

[yuppyguitar1]

Zimbabwe trades in USD now, so their inflation ranges from 0-3%. Yes history will tell, as we can see the totalitarianism unfold on a daily basis. The latest is Chavez' desire to censor the internet because students are using Twitter to rally against him. It only seems to get worse as time passes. The dumber and poorer (remember the devalued currency?) he can keep his people, the harder it will be for them to take the power back. I feel sorry for them.

[yuppyguitar1]

Its quite simple. Users on #freevenezuela called for his resignation and restored freedom of speech. Chavez promptly responds stating that twitter is a tool for terrorism and pushes legislation to further limit freedom of speech by allowing him to censor the internet. This falls in line with his approach of shutting down any TV/radio station that disagrees with his policy. And why equate child porn with voicing political dissent?

[DMPineau]

I equate the two because any sort of legislation the Venezuelan gov't might introduce regulating the media will be framed as a dictatorial maneuver by the opposition. Chavez has not actually pushed for censorship, he has endorsed a move to nationalize servers and it's being used by the opposition to claim he's attempting to silence them. It's absurd, even if Chavez did have such ambitions it would be political suicide to attempt censorship with the elections coming up.

[DMPineau]

He hasn't simply shut down any tv/radio station that disagrees with his policies. Venezuela's airwaves have always been state owned, the government decline to renew certain firms contracts. It may be a political maneuver on Chavez' part, but opposition propaganda is no more valuable to political discourse than state propaganda is, until Chavez replaces the opposition contracts with official mouthpieces any accusation of censorship is hyperbole - Venezuelan media remains dominated by opposition.

[DMPineau]

It really burns the Venezuelan elites the working poor are now using democratic process to address the social misery that's been imposed upon for decades, and nothing terrifies the privileged more than the prospect of getting a taste of the conditions they've created for the average Venezuelan. I'm not saying Chavez is the answer, but by my estimation he's no more corrupt, incompetent or authoritarian than his predecessors. The campaign to demonize him is class driven.

[kalai333]

@yuppyguitar1 Alot of American politicians oppose foreign news organizations. The US BOMBED a al Jazeera outlet because it thought it was used for terrorists purposes. It says news organizations are a tool for terroirsts as well. This from our country that triumphs freedom of the press. hmmm. The US needs to stop the 'do as say not as I do foriegn policy. '

[cayetanoluis]

"The dumber and poorer he can keep his people, the harder it will be for them to take power back."

What "power", dumb arse? The power that the opposition gave them when THEY were in office? Venezuelan elites never cared for the poor. Chavez has lifted millions OUT of poverty and is now encouraging them to DIRECTLY take part in democratic, participatory processes, both politically and economically. But your fucked up brain can't register that.

[yuppyguitar1]

Money is power and Chavez has done a good job of reducing financial freedom in Venezuela. By reducing everyone's net value he's ensured people need to depend more on the government for handouts. This is the poor part. Democracy is freedom to dissent, another thing Chavez has destroyed by closing down so many television/radio channels that disagree with his policy. This is his plan to keep people dumb. When was the last time a pro-Chavez channel was shutdown?

[cayetanoluis]

"Money is power and Chavez has done a good job of reducing financial freedom in Venezuela"

Yawn. What that translates to in non-Orwellian English is: Chavez has prevented the elites from robbing as they please. Of course, the commissar for power and privilege is incapable of making the distinction. It makes perfect sense that you would automatically view any reduction in the power of the elites to accumulate money as an outrageous curbing of "freedom".

[yuppyguitar1]

Yawn. Go move to Venezuela and experience daily electricity and water outages. Want to move back home? Too bad, your bolivar savings are worth nothing against other world currencies. Also I never mentioned elites, I was talking about the middle class. Elites are still elite in Venezuela, and they do quite well by pandering Chavez.

[DMPineau]

@yuppyguitar1

I'm only skeptical of your criticism sbecause of the intense partisanship that tends to surround any discussion of Chavez. You seem intent on damning him since you conclude every comment with a snide remark, but history will judge, and governments are only as competent as the people and institutions that they're made up of. The fact that Chavez labels himself a 'Socialist' is beside the point, The word has such a convoluted definition in popular discourse today.

[SUPERPHANTAZM]

GOD HATH SAID, BABYLON THE GREAT WHORE WILL FALL.

SEE:

America Will Be Destroyed As Babylon In Revelation

It will be fast, then you will see the spiritual realm was the real reality. Judgment is coming.

[SUPERPHANTAZM]

ROBERTSON represents the children of Satan, creepy looking guy too.

See: TERRORSTORM.

U.S. MUST STOP TORTURING A ND BOMBING INNOCENTS.

[LIVINGSPIRITS]

Robertson should read up on Jesus. What demented Christianity is that. someone should take him out.

SEE

TERRORSTORM

DECONSTRUCTING AIDS

[LIVINGSPIRITS]

Strangling Robertson must be so enjoyable.

SEE

TERRORSTORM

[rickbar123]

Dear Pat Roberts,

Shut up you jack ass!

GO HUGO

[DestroyerAlexandros]

Workers, UNITE!!!!!!!!!!!

Make sure your country NEVER becomes a colony for the imperialists!!!!!!!!!!!!

[DestroyerAlexandros]

Hugo is the best! I have him in facebook

[magoblanco12]

Busquen en youtube y miren ... La decepción OBAMA , ZEITGEIST ADDENDUM I (español), EndGame - Alex Jones - Sub Español y entren a la pagina RAFAPAL punto com . Basta de dominacion, esclavitud y manipulacion de la realidad Lean libros o bajen de internet obras de Frank Hatem, Drunvalo Melchizedek, Gregg Braden, David Icke, Noam Chomsky y Eduardo Galeano Abran su mente, vean la verdadera realidad leyendo obras de mentes despiertas, no la vil ilusion q los medios multinacionales les imponen.

[lexcorona85]

Chomsky is a genius. Look at all he has done and accomplished with his distinguished academic work. He sees nothing wrong with the ideas Chavez is conveying to his people. I wonder why the whole lot of fat, complacent, and otherwise stupid Americans feel the opposite about Chavez?

[dancebaby808]

Well put.

[ssike0]

the average American hates Chavez because the media tells him he should.

[jkiene]

I guess the standard of living is Veneszuela is higher than the USA...

Don't think so. The fact is the people are suffering because the wealth is held by the Dictator HC

[yjh606]

cruel and brutal amricans!

[shurednichso]

LOL. Yes, look 1 second on the statistics since Chavez is in the government and than try to repeat your nonsence.

[kaduisaui]

Pat Robertson is a scam artist. Pat Robertson is not a Christian.

[chickenisafoolofatoo]

Interesting how Europe and Canada don't have much of a problem with Chavez. Only the USA has an issue with a socialist government? How about we just leave Chavez to it; if socialism fails then a different system will evolve to take its place. It's not up to us to tell them what will work and what will not work. It is all subjective, every case is different.

[Desarollo]

it's because in the U.S. a lot of the elite (wall street, washington dc) have thought of South America as the "backyard" of the US. and Chavez is a socialist, which in this context means he is willing to nationalize resources instead of opening them up to the free market which is owned primarily by US capital. Basically the US is pissed because it's losing money and control in Venezuela which the elite feels potentially threatens other areas of money and control in Latin America.

[chickenisafoolofatoo]

Blame it on the Monroe Doctrine. That basically was America proclaiming it had the right to butt in to every country in the Western Hemisphere. If FTAA succeeds, the doctrine will almost be mature.

[tgalk]

i'm from portugal, europe. i have no problem with chavez. he is a populist, yes, but i much more like him there then american puppets. and i like his speechs against bush. all europe like it actually.

[elsamuraiguapo]

You're right on the money, comrade!

[GeorgesBarras]

@Desarollo Plus Chavez continually speaks out against the U.S, which might make people a little nervous.

[arzoyan]

@De Nationalisation is not Socialism, its State Capitalism , just what ex-Soviet Union was or China presently. Socialism is world community of humanity sharing the Earth in cooperation for our common needs and well being in a moneyless, classless,stateless social reality of taking care of our lives for living in meaningfull plenty in harmony,creativity and enlightenment within and without. you are recycling all the lies and distortion that the criminal world leaders have manufactured .

[Desarollo]

@arzoyan you can't say that nationalization isn't socialism. socialism is defined as the common ownership of the means of production. the theory goes, Venezuela is democratic, the state is run by the people, the state owns the means of production, therefore the people own the means of production, i.e. common ownership. the moneyless, classless, stateless reality is what Marx called communism NOT what he called socialism. to change the definitions now only adds to confusion. and you're no Marx.

[arzoyan]

@D It was Lenin who started to define State Capitalism as Socialism and to Burden Marx with more distortions and lies, well its very common on the left and right of political circus.

[dleiros]

@Desarollo Another that read "Las venas abiertas de America Latina".... it's precisely this victim BS that has us in the shitter. People like Chavez use this kind of speech to divert any kind of guilt of his wrongdoings. It's always the fault of somebody and that somebody is NEVER him.

[TheProgressistViewer]

@chickenisafoolofatoo Yes, but tremendous harm will be done to the people of Venezuela, socialism is already failing but it can take decades before democracy and liberty come back.

[chickenisafoolofatoo]

@TheProgressistViewer Seems so. I don't know the specifics on Venezuela or the Bolivarian Revolution. Depending on how the situation is handled, tremendous harm can inflict any population under any system (just look at Russia for a capitalist example to Venezuela's socialist one). The best we can do is leave them to it to work it out themselves. It has to be a bottom-up evolution.

[TheProgressistViewer]

@chickenisafoolofatoo Russia under the tsar was not an example of laiser-faire capitalism. But I agree with you that we must be careful of what we do, we don't whant to give Chavez tools for his anti-western propaganda. Still i think if we won't do anything about it we could at least register of dissaprobation.

[chickenisafoolofatoo]

@TheProgressistViewer On Russia I was referring to the post-Soviet experience under the auspices of Jeffrey Sachs. Russian robber-barons or 'oligarchs' as they call them. Again, not laissez-faire but then we haven't seen such purity in any system and to debate from the ideological root doesn't help anyone. Gotta be pragmatic about it.

[mortemdei]

@chickenisafoolofatoo He is a crazy man, I'm a colombian, an can tell you that most people here are terrified of him, he's arming himself and helps the gorilla armies in my country. He's not a good man

[lmchucho]

@mortemdei You should be scare of your own goverment allowing US install militar bases. You have received the US help to fight narcotrafic for decades and nothing had improve. What a coincidence, US is the largest coke consumer, they put troops in colombia and the trafic dont stop...mmm itsmelllikebullshittome. And you should know that the colombia's goverments had kill more people than guerrillas. Chavez dont help FARC that is crap to get you distracted from the real issues of your country.

[mortemdei]

@lmchucho XD I'm by no means a supporter of the current goverment, don't be stupid. "colombia's goverments had kill more people than guerrillas" That's plain fals. "Chavez dont help FARC" He openly does, he has stated many times "our brothers from FARC" ¬¬, besides, after the incident in Ecuador, some coputers were found with TONS of emails that made the frienshiprelations between Venezuela and FARC quite clear. Finally, he actually threatens to invade every year or so... he's fucking crazy

[lmchucho]

@mortemdei You know that paramilitars responded to Colombian goverments and they kill much mor people than FARC. Yes, Chavez supports Farc ideologically, but not economically or any other way. Dont be naive, Colombia is a hell because of USA and should fear them, Chavez will never atack Colombia if the US soldiers dont fuck with him. If you kick out the yankees you will see that Venezuela and Colombia will live in peace.

[mortemdei]

@lmchucho "responded to Colombian goverments" Not fully true, tehy only responded (and only to a small degree) to the last goverment. "Chavez supports Farc ideologically" that's horrible enough, FARC are assasins, they kill tons of innocent people, thus Chavez is a fucking asshole, but besides, there is evidence taht he assists them economically (venezuelan weaponscarried by FARC). I do not support the presence of USA troops in my country, don't be silly, but that's a far lesser threat.

[lmchucho]

@mortemdei USA supported every dictartorship latinamerica had suffer. They dont care about liberty, neither your goverment, your media or your bussines mans do. They only want power and money, thats why they hate Chavez. If Chavez is a dictactor why they dont support him, they allways did it in the past. Farc started as a guerrilla group, imitating Castro in Cuba, they now may lost the path, but they are not the problem.

[mortemdei]

@lmchucho I agree with almost everything you just said there. USA doesn't support Chavez because he openly attacks them, and he claims to be a "socialist". We don't "hate" Chavez, we know him to be fucking out of his mind. In two occasions already he sent fucking tanks to our border ¬¬ Btw, I don't need you to teach me colombian history ;)

[arzoyan]

@chi Chavez is not a socialist Nor is there a Socialist government as it is a contradiction in term. Socialism is a world -wide reality of Cooperation for our coomon needs and well being and as such buying and selling, Market,Government, Class divisions are prehisory of human suffering. You are unknowingly recycling confusion,lies,distortions to what real socialism is about. Chavez like Castro are leaders of a State Capitalist country doing business in world market place.

[dleiros]

@chickenisafoolofatoo and Desarollo are simply watching Venezuela through the eyes of a multibillion dollar political campaign. As an educated college graduate in the field of politics and economics I went out of my way to look for anything good in one of Chavez's most famous social proyects while doing my thesis and found NOTHING. It's an autocracy with a tint of necrocracy. The streets crawl with criminals and inflation goes above 20% each year. Let's not forget terrorist groups roaming free.

[chickenisafoolofatoo]

@dleiros That is alright and I respect your knowledge here. My comment didn't really throw up personal support for Chavez; simply that we should wait and see if his system works and if not then let it be replaced. If what you say is true then I suspect the latter will occur soon enough, or he will do something to remain in power that will draw condemnation. He already tried (and failed) to pass a referendum giving him unlimited time in office if I recall correctly.

[dleiros]

@chickenisafoolofatoo Hello, regarding your comment, I think you would appreciate the recent UN report on Latin America to see the effect of the Chavez regime. Cheers.

[Yasir178]

@dleiros lol a person who proudly calls himself an EDUCATED COLLEGE GRADUATE in POLITICS and ECONOMICS is anything but, get ur head out of ur ass first, then look around .................

[dleiros]

@Yasir178 So let me get this straight, if for example a person goes to college to study Journalism, he is anything BUT a college educated in journalism? Does this backward ass logic actually work for you?

If I mentioned my education it's because there has to be reason why I conducted the proper research. And I also studied History and Philosophy btw. My head is out of my ass and I am looking around but I don't like what I see.

[Yasir178]

@dleiros man ur head is so far up, people who come out saying I am so so and so and I hav done this this and this so listen to me are always to proud and arrogant to see clearly, that is wat i meant, i never declared my education here as some devine gift or a lisence to voice my thoughts, neither did nyone else, so again, heads out plz, for ur own good !!!!!!

[henkvanderlaak]

@chickenisafoolofatoo Haven't seen the video yet, but I have the answer.

That one's actually easy: Chavez has oil. Oil he wants to sell. Oil he wants to sell in Euro's instead of Dollars. Dollars that keep the US economy inflated. Let him be the first to abandon the Dollar as the preferred currency and the other oil countries might soon follow. End of the US. That's why.

[HoGraz]

@chickenisafoolofatoo Our Republican governor bought oil from Chavez with his company, Pilot.

[southsydney]

is he talking to a midget?

[DIJV79]

Pat Robertson these people call themselves christians.

[drmnys]

Nice vid. Hugo Chavez is a man who commands my respect & I admire his honesty & courage. But who is that American terrorist in the vid who is commenting on assasinating President Chavez??? I cant believe they allow terrorists such as him to speak on tv.

[SoCalSocialism]

CORRECT TRANSLATION:

Chavez: "One of the largest reserves of gas in the world and Venezuela has a primary reserve of petroleum that a country has in the world. That is the fundamental reason for the desperation of Mr.Danger (bush)!

They want the venezuelan petroleum!

and the venezualan gas!

They had it for a hundreds of years!

We've recovered it!

And now that petroleum is for the developement of our people!

And for the developement of the poorest people in this continent!!!

[Entropy56]

In other words the US developed in Venezuela a commodity they knew nothing about and invested in technology to extract it they know nothing about and developed the economy to use it.

[patient0Studios]

"hyrulianwarlord". I think that says it all.

[HyrulianWarlord]

fuk dude its frome a videogame, if you want to be ean asshole who ahead but dont do a fucking ad hominem like "that says it all"

[mrtyles]

i know the guy in the video! i've seen him in toronto!

[distantvoices]

Misleading title does not help your reasoning for posting this-you are just as bad as Fox etc

[blingbling65943]

Hard to believe so many Americans are so ignorant to what is really going on in the world. I have to conclude it is a direct result of the propaganda of the dominant media in America, the conservative main stream corporate media. I can't count how many times I've heard the phrase "brutal dictator of Venezuela".

Brutal dictator? We usually reserve that adjective for someone who is ruthlessly killing his own people not a guy who's only crime is taking back his country from American Corporations.

[AnarchyIsForMe]

You have to understand that most people believe that American corporations are just greedy bastards, they don't see them getting government guns behind their paperwork. I think if you want people to dislike the United States Government you have to show them that it is breaking it's own stated rules. Don't argue against free trade, just show how said free trade (by text book definition) did not happen, and was just an excuse to set up things in favor of corporate enterprises.

[patient0Studios]

Why are you mixing the hierarchy up? Its corporate "guns" behind government policy.

[thorsmitersaw]

No. it is marxist- tards like you who confuse the situation. you are just as bad as the most vulgar of libertarians... mistaking state intervention for free market activity

[HyrulianWarlord]

its true the american media portrays chavez in an unfair way, but that doesnt mean you have to get behind the guy. I mean, you dont know what it is to live under chavez or under his best friend, rafael correa, the president of my country

[patient0Studios]

You make it seem like just because he is president he can snap his fingers and make every illness disappear. At least he is trying to make life in Venezuela better, considering the limited number of options he is presented with. That is my reason to support him.

[HyrulianWarlord]

really? by segregating the nations because of the crimes of their forefathers? and im not the one who is over simplifying it, it is the oil surplus that allows for chavez to be able to give money to the poor. I think he shoudld start planning on what he should do once the oil is all gone. Also, by eliminating so congre4ss and other authorities, im sorry to say, he is a dictator and he can do whatever he wants, and until you live in venezuela, I suggest you shuld jump to conlcusions so quickly

[KentAllard]

eliminating congress? what?

[HyrulianWarlord]

note that my comments deal with both my president an chavez, but the point remains, chavez has eliminated various state powers, leaving him with the ability to do whatever he pleases. Also, Having several venezuelan firends who know what it is to live under such a ruler, and having to deal with the fact that they wont get jobs if they vote for the opposition, I would claim he is "helping the nations" he is not screwing with the rich to give to the poor, he is screwing with anyone who opposes him

[KentAllard]

I think you'd better check your facts re: chavez

[HyrulianWarlord]

well, seeing that I have to deal with this problem every day and my president is chavezs best friend (after castro that is), I am a little more than familiar with the facts

[KentAllard]

then you must be among the wealthy minority that now must pay their dues

[HyrulianWarlord]

I was expecting that comment, so seeing that you are australian im guessing you are white, right? well, just because your ancestors where bastards doesnt mean you have to suffer the vengeance from the people, and chavez and correa are segregating and creating more hate in he people, when in reality they should be trying to elevate theirstatus,not fucking up people with a higherstandard of living, and there are hundreds ofcriminal corporations that must be dealt with, but having money isnt acrime

[HyrulianWarlord]

now I get this alot from ignorant foreigners who dont now much about this country, I live a confortable life, but the wage my dad earns here is about the same a maid gets at the states, thats very little for a man who has a phd in microbiology from the states. But really that was such an assanine comment you just made, we must pay our dues! fuck, my parents earn an honest living, they dont ow corporations and even if they did, unless your explointing people, there is nothing wrong with that

[Faanat]

So? the job of maid is like any other job.

[HyrulianWarlord]

thats not the point, kent allard was saying that my family is part of the waelthy minority tha deserves punishment

[ausnexus]

I consider myself a democratic socialist but fuck yea I agree with what you just said. Some work IS worth more than others. The key is just to make things more FAIR, give everyone equal OPPORTUNITIES etc. The fact your father gets what a maid gets in USA is partially to do with the fact your economy is weaker than the Americans?

[HyrulianWarlord]

again that whole point of my dads salary was because kent allard said I was part of a wealthy minority that deserves punishment, thats all

[MarxBakuninMe]

Dude . . . it is the owners of the means of production that should be worried. Not the PhDs in microbiology.

[HyrulianWarlord]

again that was a response to a claim that it was the wealthy people that had to pay their dues, and the guy tried to lump meand my family into that group. Also, my president has a feud with the university where my dad works at because it refused to sponsor his campaign, and he wants to shut it down

[MarxBakuninMe]

Well, fine. Sorry, but I didn't read the whole conversation.

[HyrulianWarlord]

and really, if your going o make comments like that, it only shows your ignorance about a country you dont know anything about

[DosWallandros]

How much money does a maid make in Venezuela?

[HyrulianWarlord]

umm, not sure, maybe like 300$ a month

[DosWallandros]

I meant more like compared to your father or a maid in USA.

I mean you were talking about a doctor in Venezuela make as much as a maid in USA, so I gues a Venezuelian maid make much less than a maid in USA as well.

[HyrulianWarlord]

Yes, of course, they make much less, and I think I know what your point is so just say it

[DosWallandros]

It was just an assumption but, you were critisizing Chavez and said a doctor make as much as a maid in USA. Since he is a leftist leader I thouught you meant taxes, but I wanted to piont out that evryone makes much less. I know you knew it, but anyway.

A doctor would have made much less in Venezuela than in USA with a rightist leader to.

[HyrulianWarlord]

ok, i see your confusion, you didnt read the whole conversation, i wasnt attacking chavez or correa for that, I was just answering to a attack some idiot made that I was somehow part of the rich aristocracy of ecuador and that my family got what they deserved. The reality is that we live a normal middle class life by US standards and by ecuadorian standards we live confortably, but I know enough people not to even dare to call myself wealthy

[DosWallandros]

I read the whole conversation and guessed taxes may be involved (but not the subject discussed). So I decided to find out.

I don't like "hate-the-rich" leftist people either, I like the "understanding and co-operation" better. But I think it's missleading to say you live a middleclass life if it isn't by your area's standard.

[HyrulianWarlord]

I understand how it might b misleading, but even by my areas standard, and I said so in my previous comment, i am not what would be considered a wealthy life. Yes, i live way more confortably that the majority of the country, but by the standards of the wealthy minority, I am middle class. And you wont believe me unless you have lived here for a while, so you either you must take my word for it or dont. and it isnt a left vs right thing, i am not a conservative, nor do i identify with any party

[DosWallandros]

By the standards of the wealthy minority you are middle class. Well then it would just be a matter of how you divide groups. The next richest person could say he is worker class, in the top-2-richest group.

Still, I understand it could be hard to understand the situation in a country you've never been to.

The question about the rich paying their debts could be a left-right question, if you put it differently.

[HyrulianWarlord]

It was never a question of taxes, if correa wanted to tax the shit out of us, I really would be that against it(I mean of course taxes with representation). We were talking (or atleast I was) about the redestribution of wealth, not by taxes, but by taking property away and also about the hatred he has stirred against wealthy people, thats all. I have nothing against taxes, aslong as it they are notcharged by a corrupt government

[DosWallandros]

Sorry for bringing the question af taxes up so often, even if it wasn't the topic. But in a way taxes are disstribution of walth. But does Correa and Chavez redistribute wealth by just taking it and give it to others? That would be a unfair way of doing it. Also I like conversation, understanding others situation and building togeather. That doesn't count only between cultures but also between classes I think.

[thorsmitersaw]

he cant. he wont. he will only bring with him more state power, more centralization, more economic chaos, more calculation impossibility

[AnarchyIsForMe]

Is he the guy that the united states makes him out to be?

[blingbling65943]

I don't think he is, which really scares me because if you just listened to ANY media outlet in America, you would think this guy is Satan. But what he did was demand that American oil companies pay more for the oil they take out of Venezuela. For nearly 40 year American oil companies expected their oil and payed them nothing, Would we stand for that?

There is a lot done in the name of America, that would outrage most Americans