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Yes, Venezuela Is a Socialist Catastrophe
New York Times ^ | Jan. 25, 2019 | Bret Stephens

Posted on 01/28/2019 8:56:52 AM PST by george76

In the age of A.O.C., the lesson must be learned again.

Conspicuous by its absence in much of the mainstream news coverage of Venezuela’s political crisis is the word “socialism.” Yes, every sensible observer agrees that Latin America’s once-richest country, sitting atop the world’s largest proven oil reserves, is an economic basket case, a humanitarian disaster, and a dictatorship whose demise cannot come soon enough.

But … socialist? Perish the thought.

...

the Venezuelan regime’s admirers used to speak of “21st century socialism,” as it was dubbed by Hugo Chávez. The late Venezuelan president, said Britain’s Jeremy Corbyn, “showed us there is a different and a better way of doing things. It’s called socialism, it’s called social justice, and it’s something that Venezuela has made a big step toward.” Noam Chomsky was similarly enthusiastic when he praised Chávez in 2009. “What’s so exciting about at last visiting Venezuela,” the linguist said, is that “I can see how a better world is being created and can speak to the person who’s inspired it.”

...

New York University professor Greg Grandin opined, “the biggest problem Venezuela faced during his rule was not that Chávez was authoritarian but that he wasn’t authoritarian enough.”

At least Grandin could implicitly concede that socialism ultimately requires coercion to achieve its political aims; otherwise, it’s human nature for people to find loopholes and workarounds to keep as much of their property as they can.

...

in the age of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez it has to be explained all over again. Why does socialism never work? Because, as Margaret Thatcher explained, “eventually you run out of other people’s money.”

...

Twenty years of socialism, cheered by Corbyn, Klein, Chomsky and Co., led to the ruin of a nation.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Crime/Corruption; Cuba; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: New York; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: catastrophe; chavez; chomsky; chvez; corbyn; cortez; grandin; greggrandin; hugochvez; jeremycorbyn; noamchomsky; ocasio; ocasiocortez; socialism; socialist; venezuela
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To: george76

Sucks for Venezuelans, but it’s a great backdrop for Trump to make the closing argument in 2020 since he’s likely to face a challenger who, at the very least, will not repudiate socialism and may expressely embrace it.


21 posted on 01/28/2019 9:26:25 AM PST by MountainWalker
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To: blueunicorn6

And then some guys from Cuba and Hollywood show up and give you some ideas and organization.


22 posted on 01/28/2019 9:27:15 AM PST by KC Burke (If all the world is a stage, I would like to request my lighting be adjusted.)
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To: blueunicorn6

You’ve got it!

Take advantage of human emotions!

Play on people’s greed and envy!

Promise the lower 51% of the nation a bunch of free shirt! Taken from the upper 49% of the nation!

Socialism!

Legal stealing!

And you skim some off for yourself and your compatriots.

Brilliant!

Who is going to complain about you helping out the lower 51%?

They’ll be labeled as greedy capitalists if they try.


23 posted on 01/28/2019 9:29:23 AM PST by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer")
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To: rktman

Yeah, but she and burnee know how to do it the “right” way.


Yup, those are the stock answers:

1. It works well in Denmark
2. We are smarter in the US
3. They aren’t doing it right
4. Socialism will help us fight Global Warming

And, really, a lot of their Socialist cheerleaders know that people just want free stuff anyway. They are going after the short term thinkers or people who make decisions based on feelings only. Sadly, there are too many of those.


24 posted on 01/28/2019 9:31:28 AM PST by rbg81 (Truth is stranger than fiction)
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To: blueunicorn6

And what about those scrawny bastiches who pull out in front of you?

“Enemy of the revolution!”

Disappear them.

Pretty soon, everyone knows not to upset you or your compatriots.

You now have the wealth and power you desired!


25 posted on 01/28/2019 9:32:58 AM PST by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer")
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To: blueunicorn6

But,

Can it last?

Who cares?

I only have so many years anyway.

And if they catch on to me, well, my private jet can whisk me away from those who want revenge.

It’s all upside with no downside.

And the Democrats in the US will support me!


26 posted on 01/28/2019 9:36:28 AM PST by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer")
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To: george76
That settles it...the NYSlimes isn't totally fake news....

OK...../s

27 posted on 01/28/2019 9:36:42 AM PST by trebb (Don't howl about illegal leeches while not donating to FR - it's hypocritical.)
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To: blueunicorn6

It’s not about a new political system.

It’s not about improving the lives of the lower 51% in my country.

It’s about

ME ACQUIRING THE WEALTH AND POWER I DESIRE!


28 posted on 01/28/2019 9:38:51 AM PST by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer")
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To: george76

To kill Socialism’s cancer, we have to eradicate it from the university syllabus. Leftist professors, who are envious of the wealth of others whom they consider their inferiors, have indoctrinated their students with hatred toward capitalism. We need to keep our students out of such institutions to dry up their supply of converts to this disastrous philosophy.


29 posted on 01/28/2019 9:41:18 AM PST by txrefugee
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To: george76

If a real commie, like occasional cortex ever ran for president the media would treat her the same way they treated Trump. The billionaires and globalists that run things don’t want full on communism in America, they want to extract as much as they can from our citizens and treasury as possible, and from our military, and communism would totally kill the economy. They want to increase taxes on the middle class workers, they want lower wages for the middle class, they want to off shore jobs and import skilled foriegn workers. They actually do not want marajauna legalized, they want a lot of government spending that ends up in their coffers. The people in the shadows actually running things basically want what Obama delivered along with Bush and Clinton. We are where we are because they have been getting there way for decades.
They think if they have their Democrat promise enough free stuff they will placate the growing commie impulses seen in many Americans today.


30 posted on 01/28/2019 9:43:26 AM PST by McCarthysGhost
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To: blueunicorn6

Now, if I come out and admit that I’m going to steal and kill people, I probably won’t get the help I need.

Hmmmmmmm.....

Camouflage my intentions and goals!

Give em The Old Kansas City Shuffle!

I’ll lie and lie and lie!

I’ll call it Socialism! Nobody knows what that is anyway.

I’ll keep telling everyone I’m just trying to help.

I’ll scare the hell out of any serious opponents!

I’ll promise stuff I can never deliver.

I’ll act and talk like a yankee Democrat.

You know!

Like the Clintons!


31 posted on 01/28/2019 9:49:45 AM PST by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer")
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To: txrefugee

Rather then keep the students out of the institutions, keep the students out of the “hobby” majors those people attract.

The real solution is the following FR’ers put pressure on the school presidents through the state legislators if state schools. If you are graduate of those institutions (state & private) put pressure on through the alumni associations. If asked to serve on any governing boards, commissions or committees do so! Don’t be bought off by great seats at the football or basketball games! Make the school president defend the myriad of administrative positions from diversity deans to “sitting-by-the-door-and-looking-stupid!” deans and worthless degree programs that generate no future ROI (A particularly important point for private schools. They are under enormous financial pressure!).


32 posted on 01/28/2019 9:54:28 AM PST by Reily
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To: rey

Yet NO ONE ever says Real National Socialism (Nazi) has never been done right yet. Wonder why.

It was pointed out by someone that the Russians always referred to the Nazis as “Fascists” as they did not want people to realize both Russia and Germany were “Socialist” countries.


33 posted on 01/28/2019 9:54:47 AM PST by Ruy Dias de Bivar
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To: blueunicorn6

It was never about helping anybody but myself....to other people’s wealth and to power.

Socialism?

Communism?

Social justice?

Liberalism?

Just big words covering up what is really important.

My greed and envy and anger.

I am Hugo Chavez.

I am a human being.

What did you expect?


34 posted on 01/28/2019 9:55:23 AM PST by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer")
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To: rktman

> Yeah, but she and burnee know how to do it the “right” way.

Exactly. This happens over and over with failed models in business and government. We have at least one entire generation that thinks that “tweaking” will perfect and fix anything - especially something that is fundamentally evil.


35 posted on 01/28/2019 9:58:03 AM PST by old-ager
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To: arthurus

> glimmer of understanding of when the NYT is about to look really stupid

too late


36 posted on 01/28/2019 10:00:00 AM PST by old-ager
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To: Ruy Dias de Bivar

So the question is...

Can you have a non-fascist, socialist state?


37 posted on 01/28/2019 10:01:48 AM PST by Crusher138 ("Then conquer we must, for our cause it is just")
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To: old-ager
Socialism can actually be a great system.

You really only need 2 skills to succeed:

1. Cry poor

2 Play dumb

38 posted on 01/28/2019 10:09:10 AM PST by bankwalker (Immigration without assimilation is an invasion.)
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To: george76

When is the SOTU speech going to be? I want to see the EMPTY SCOTUS seat:-)


39 posted on 01/28/2019 10:12:43 AM PST by Harpotoo (Being a socialist is a lot easier than having to WORK like the rest of US:-))
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To: old-ager

Slimes has to recover from the Covington school fiasco....they took a big bite and it left a nasty taste...it’s still BS..


40 posted on 01/28/2019 10:13:57 AM PST by Doogle (( USAF.68-73....8th TFW Ubon Thailand....never store a threat you should have eliminated)))
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