Posted on 12/05/2006 3:33:06 PM PST by Kitten Festival
It's not stupidty. It's a belief in social justice coupled with a nonchalant point of view when it comes to whether or not it should be carried out by the private sector or the public sector.
Chavéz already eliminated all his opponents from the government, which means those who counted the vote controled the vote. He couldn't lose.
Chavez already changed the constitution to allow himself to run for a third term. Now, he threatens to change it again, to allow himself to run indefinitely. Either he'll get a saddam-like 99% of the ballot or do away with elections altogether, the hallmark of his (and castro's) 'revolutionary democracy.' That concept does away with free elections. Castro knows he'd never get anyone except party operatives on the take to vote for him so that is why he has never held elections.
That's not nothing. In virtually every tinpot dictatorship, including Mussolini's, they didn't. The fact that they do in Singapore says something, it's not all bad.
I refered to the CPF too, it's an individual retirement and rainy-day fund every citizen has some obligation and control over and I think everyone in the west should have one too.
By the way, I have lived and worked in Singapore for a few years too, and my experience there is quite recent. I was a member of the media, so I was under unusual scrutiny. I didn't live the high-life like your average partying corporate expat. I was the media - I was the enemy.
But I still can tell the difference between a hellhole and a decent place, and Singapore is much closer to a decent place. Much much closer.
<< By the way, I have lived and worked in Singapore for a few years too .... I didn't live the high-life like your average partying corporate expat ....
But I still can tell the difference between a Hellhole and a decent place, and Singapore is much closer to a decent place. Much much closer. >>
Absolutely. Singapore is my home from home and Saint Andrews Cathedral is my home church. Otherwise sounds pretty much as if you and I are first cousins, at least. But hapless Harry's still everything I said he is and but for his essentially Trotskyist tendencies Singapore would have left Hong Kong in its dust.
In 1956 Lee Kuan Yew "joked" that he wanted "an intimidated press and a government-controlled radio to regularly sing (his) praises" so that "slowly and steadily the people (will be) made to forget the evil things (Lee has) already done or, if these things are ever referred to again that their (reporting" will be) distorted -- and distorted with impunity -- because there will be no opposition to contradict (Lee)."
In encyclopedic detail in his 1998 book, 'Media Enthralled,' my Singapore hero, former Attorney-General, Francis Seow, detailed the institutionalization of Lee's "joke" into Singapore's reality.
And, finally, Stanford Raffles was and is and always will be Singapore's "founding father."
And Harry Lee Kuan Yeo was, is and will ever be but an elitist and authoritarian lawyer/politician.
Blessings - Brian
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