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http://www.rethinkvenezuela.com/index.html

This is their website. I would be interested in seeing alternative views of what they say here in terms of their social programs. Is there any evidence that these programs are not taking place?

There's lots of evidence that massive and involuntary socialization is taking place in VZ. As for their "social programs," Cuba has those, too. Next question?

They're stealing left and right. Go visit the Veni blogs for details on how much cash was ripped off that should have rebuilt Vargas.

For the first time, many Venezuelans have access to education, job training, housing, and health care.

The joke is that Chavez is not really a departure from previous administrations in terms of his economic philosophy. There is no Republican Party in Venezuela, and never has been. The spectrum there among mainstream political parties runs from pro-business socialism to leftist socialism to ex-guerrilla socialism. It is precisely the populist politics of previous administrations that has driven the country into the ground. Chavez has simply promised, and delivered, more of the same.

And his more aggressive applications of "more of the same" have had the predictable effect of driving the economy further into the ground.

The mainstream parties were unable to confront him ideologically because at heart, they agree with him. This is why they imploded when he ran for office, and this is a big reason why they have been unable to unite around a competing ideology. They know he's a bad guy, but in political and economic terms they are unable to explain why.

True, he is in bed with the FARC and with Castro, but they can't articulate why that is bad. So he rolls right over them again and again.

The idea that prior to Chavez, Venezuelans didn't have access to health care and education is simply silly. But if there is some good that comes from the several thousands of Cuban doctors deployed without medicines around the country, in bartered payment for free oil to Cuba, it still doesn't explain how rural health programs justify turning Venezuela into a FARC ally, or making the US into a propaganda whipping boy. The US has no interest in stopping him from setting up medicine-free clinics around the country, we couldn't care less.