Jimmy Carter Unveils Plan to End Venezuela Crisis

yahoo.com ^ | January 21, 2003 | Pascal Fletcher, Reuters

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Chavez is using Carter to stall a referendum on his rule. Jimmy is such a useful idiot.

Hugo Chavez - Venezuela

The president's other face***Mr. Chavez was democratically elected with an overwhelming majority in 1998. This mandate allowed him -- through several referendums -- to dissolve Congress, create a Constitutional Assembly that drafted the current constitution, and to be elected once again -- as first president of the newly christened "Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela."

But democratic legitimacy demands consistently playing by the rules. And once re-elected, Mr. Chavez revealed his true nature: the former paratrooper head of the failed military coup d'état of 1992. Soon showing a total disregard for democratic institutions, he moved to gain a stronghold on the country's legislative and judicial systems, and to involve the military in a myriad of civilian affairs, even selling food at cost on the streets.

The President has systematically harassed the media, intimidated his opposition, and alienated critical sectors of Venezuelan society, such as the Church, businesses, the middle class, civilian organizations and NGOs -- those who now march in the streets calling for his ouster. His violent speeches are loaded with diatribes against "them." Anyone who is not a loyal supporter is accused of being a fascist, sometimes in scatological terms. (Despite his claims, Mr. Chavez's "little blue book," as he calls the constitution, does allow for civil disobedience; Article 350 should grant the general strike legitimacy.) ***

[The Obstinate Insomniac]

bump

[jriemer]

We have no canals in Venezuela to hand over so this limits our diplomatic options.

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[Miss Marple]

LOL! I do't think anything turned me against Carter as much as losing the Panama Canal (and there was a LOT...no Olympics, malaise speech, gas prices, interest rates, Iran hostage crisis). I KNEW at the time it was a doofus move, and events have proved me (and I am certain millions of other Americans) to have been right about Carter. He is a MORON!

[SierraWasp]

I wondered what was driving the Dow Jones Industrial Average down below 8,500 again!!!

[ijcr]

Can't we build them a couple of nuclear reactors?

[SierraWasp]

Ping-a-Ling! One Pingy-Dingy, Two Pingy-Dingy...

[Eva]

Chavez is using Carter to stall a referendum on his rule. Jimmy is such a useful idiot.

I agree. Chavez is probably going to demand that the strike be ended before any movement is made toward a referendum that will never happen.

[steplock]

Jimmy (the peanut brain) carter helps his lover Castro again!

[EternalVigilance]

Carter was spotted wearing a "Vote Ortega" button left over from his attempts to keep Nicaragua in communist hands, as well as sporting his well-worn "Viva Fidel" bumper sticker on his brief case.

[Calvin Locke]

He is a MORON!

But the left's response is "But he's Our MORON!

(Or, Rapist, Perjurer, Oldsmobile Submarine Commander, B!tch, Grand Kleagle, Statutory Rapist, Communist, Traitor, Idiot,
Anti-American, America Subverter, Terrorist, ...)

[ApesForEvolution]

I'm sure that Jimmy would be more than happy to handpick a couple of lefties to replace his beleagured communist friend Chavez...

[Dog Gone]

I love how one of Jimmy's alternatives is exactly the same as Chavez's position.

The other alternative could never be achieved prior to August, so it's moot.

Thanks so much for the help, peanutboy.

[toenail]

Whatever happened to good, old-fashioned self-immolation?

[Political Junkie Too]

How much will appeasement cost us this time?

-PJ

[anobjectivist]

Hmm...early elections, sounds good to me. Waiting around until August is NOT a good idea.

As far as constitutional reforms, I don't know much about Venezuela, but I doubt the people want anything to do with Chavez, as witnessed by the strikes.

[anymouse]

As long as the anti-Chavez protestors don't bring out their secret weapon, sure to foil the Nobel peanut farmer. :)

[jriemer]

Can't we build them a couple of nuclear reactors?

Hmm, I doubt think that President Carter will provide Venezuela with reactors.

You see, their country doesn't have the adequate long-range missile technology to match a well-running nuclear power program. The only way around that problem is to have one of our defense contractors help Venezeula boot-strap their unknown-before-now satellite delivery projects.

To give a dictator access to nuclear energy without the means to deliver its "by-products" is just plain mean and unfair. It's downright cruel if that dictator happens to live in America's back yard. [/sarcasm]

jriemer

[Uncle Sausage]

Who pays for his flights, lodging and meals on these "junkets"?

How much tax payer money is being wasted on his Secret Service retinue?