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Venezuela’s Collapse Brings ‘Savage Suffering’
The Wall Street Journal ^ | 2/12/2016 | ANATOLY KURMANAEV and MAOLIS CASTRO

Posted on 02/13/2016 7:24:51 AM PST by grimalkin

Dying infants, chronic power outages and empty shelves mark the world's worst-performing economy

CARACAS, Venezuela--In a hospital in the far west of this beleaguered country, the economic crisis took a grim toll in the past week: Six infants died because there wasn't enough medicine or functioning respirators.

Here in the capital, the crisis has turned ordinary life into an ordeal for nearly everyone. Chronic power outages have prompted the government to begin rationing electricity, darkening shopping malls. Homes and apartments regularly suffer water shortages.

Rosalba Castellano, 74 years old, spent hours this week in what has become a desperate routine for millions: waiting in long lines to buy whatever food is available. She walked away with just two liters of cooking oil.

"I hoped to buy toilet paper, rice, pasta," she said. "But you can't find them." Her only choice will be to hunt for the goods at marked-up prices on the black market. The government, she said, "is putting us through savage suffering."

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


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: bernie; maduro; rationing; socialism; venezuela
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To: Travis McGee

GREAT photo/image...but the death toll is > 200 MILLION in 20th century.


21 posted on 02/13/2016 7:42:33 AM PST by newfreep (TRUMP & <S>Cruz</S> 2016 - "Evil succeeds when good men do nothing" - Edmund Burke)
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To: grimalkin

Imagine a Present Sanders imposing wage and price controls to remedy the runaway inflation caused by massive government spending for social welfare programs and free stuff. This after tax revenues dropped because of his massive tax increases drove the rich to leave the country taking their money with them and the economy skidding to a halt due to lack of investment. America could quickly become just like Venezuela.


22 posted on 02/13/2016 7:42:34 AM PST by The Great RJ (�Socialists are happy until they run out of other people's money.� Margaret Thatcher)
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To: Travis McGee

I want to know why the Venezuelan stock market is up quite a bit for the year.


23 posted on 02/13/2016 7:43:06 AM PST by tiki ( r)
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To: txrefugee

They should be forced to spend a “sabbatical “ there without any “grants” and be forced to see the practical results of the crap they teach.


24 posted on 02/13/2016 7:45:07 AM PST by Shady (We are at war again......this time for our lives...)
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To: exDemMom

Socialism is imposed by votes.

Communism is imposed by force.

Both have the same result.


25 posted on 02/13/2016 7:45:16 AM PST by newfreep (TRUMP & <S>Cruz</S> 2016 - "Evil succeeds when good men do nothing" - Edmund Burke)
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To: grimalkin
Venezuela’s Collapse Brings ‘Savage Suffering’

Don't like suffering? Don't follow socialism.

26 posted on 02/13/2016 7:46:47 AM PST by DiogenesLamp ("of parents owing allegiance to no other sovereignty.")
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To: The Great RJ

I hate to say it by I think the reality will be the USA going down a road much like you described.


27 posted on 02/13/2016 7:47:04 AM PST by Sheapdog (Chew the meat, spit out the bones - FUBO - Come and get me)
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To: butlerweave

If you view ancient history as within the last century or so, yes.


28 posted on 02/13/2016 7:47:13 AM PST by onedoug
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To: tiki

Are you serious?
What counts are the goods on the shelves, and the ability of people to purchase what they need.
Ever see a Zimbabwe 100 billion note?


29 posted on 02/13/2016 7:48:31 AM PST by Travis McGee (www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com)
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To: exDemMom
We still have to wait and see how many Americans believe in unicorns. Hopefully there are not enough to produce a socialist "utopia."

The following quote is attributed to Scottish professor Alexander Tyler. Some historians doubt if he really did say it, but anyway it makes sense, and predicts that eventually most Americans WILL come to believe in unicorns.

"A democracy is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as a permanent form of government. A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover that they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates who promise the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally collapse due to loose fiscal policy, which is always followed by a dictatorship."

30 posted on 02/13/2016 7:48:52 AM PST by Leaning Right (Why am I holding this lantern? I am looking for the next Reagan.)
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To: newfreep

I didn’t make the meme, I just added the black border on the left.


31 posted on 02/13/2016 7:49:03 AM PST by Travis McGee (www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com)
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To: grimalkin

Root cause: socialism.
Corrective action: capitalism.


32 posted on 02/13/2016 7:50:23 AM PST by LoneStar42 (Turn right.)
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To: tiki

Never mind, I did just a little research and most of it is probably caused by inflation. Probably the same with Argentina.


33 posted on 02/13/2016 7:51:46 AM PST by tiki ( r)
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To: The Great RJ
Imagine a Present Sanders imposing wage and price controls to remedy the runaway inflation caused by massive government spending for social welfare programs and free stuff.

Oh, yes. And inflation doesn't even have to be involved. Sanders could decide, for example, that bread prices hurt minorities/the poor/the proletariat. Therefore, by executive action, no loaf of bread can cost more than 15 cents. The result will not be cheap bread. It will be no bread.

34 posted on 02/13/2016 7:53:06 AM PST by Leaning Right (Why am I holding this lantern? I am looking for the next Reagan.)
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To: The Great RJ

And when the rich leave, the middle class will pick up the tab.


35 posted on 02/13/2016 7:54:26 AM PST by gattaca (Republicans believe every day is July 4, democrats believe every day is April 15. Ronald Reagan)
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To: grimalkin

PLEASE do not post summaries of articles you have to pay for online. Thank you.


36 posted on 02/13/2016 7:56:03 AM PST by pabianice (LINE)
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To: CaptainAmiigaf

And yet, Maduro eats well, sleeps soft as the rest of Venezuela collapses. I wonder where the money he has stolen is.


37 posted on 02/13/2016 7:58:00 AM PST by Jimmy Valentine (DemocRATS - when they speak, they lie; when they are silent, they are stealing the American Dream)
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To: grimalkin

Sounds like another SOCIALIST success story!


38 posted on 02/13/2016 7:58:33 AM PST by Ruy Dias de Bivar
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To: Travis McGee

Yes, I’ve seen the image before - just wish someone with tech skills could update to the 200 million deaths.

Your adding BS Bernie’s beliefs is excellent.


39 posted on 02/13/2016 7:58:39 AM PST by newfreep (TRUMP & <S>Cruz</S> 2016 - "Evil succeeds when good men do nothing" - Edmund Burke)
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To: dforest

Another huge story being ignored by the LSM a right now is what is happening to Europe as we speak. If we stop 10 people today and ask them what’s the news about Europe, how many of them do you think would know?


40 posted on 02/13/2016 7:59:33 AM PST by uncitizen (TRUMP THE SYSTEM)
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