Why is the RW so obsessed with Hugo Chavez?

[BattyDem]

Is it simply about oil and the fact that he won't kiss BushCo's ass or is there something else going on? :shrug:

[LiberalVoice]

1. "Socialist"

That word scares the shit out of those RW asshats.

[bryant69]

3. Land reform goes along with that

Chavez is taking away land that isn't being used - so naturally they have to crush him

Bryant
Check it out--> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[1932]

12. Ironically, the US imposed land reform on Japan after WW2.

In Richard Gott's book Cuba, A New History, he writes that US freaked out when Castro proposed land reform after he took over. Castro's response to the US: we're limiting private land holdings to 400 acres. You limited the Japanese to 4 acres.

[bribri16]

34. He's helping the poor people in his country and therefore setting a bad

example for our captialists-corporate whores.

[julianer]

2. They keep trying to get rid of him

but he's too smart for them.

[JohnnyBoots]

4. I am pretty sure they have oil, I think that is where Citgo is from

not sure though.

[ooglymoogly]

14. they supply 10% of american supply

[1932]

5. It's about a lot of things, but it's primarily about neoliberalism.

Since WW2, the right wing has built a world which efficiently channels immense amounts of wealth from developing countries to the US. It's the modern version of 18th century monarchy or 19th century slave trading.

Chavez's danger is partly in his inevitablity. Justice almost always prevails. The question is usually how long it takes before injustice gives up.

Chavez represents the inevitability of developing countries standing up and saying that justice demands that developing countries get to benefit from their own human and natural resources.

The long term consequences of this are a net positive. But in the short term it's going to cost people who believe they're entitled to immense wealth a significant portion of their ill-gotten gains.

[Raksha]

26. Very concise, very well stated. Thanks! n/t

[1932]

37. Hey, no problem.

If you're interested in what inspired that post, check out:

- Globalization and its Discontents by Joseph Stiglitz
- Aleida Guevara's book about Hugo Chavez
- Confessions of an Economic Hit Man by John Perkins

[ooglymoogly]

6. undercut their world wide trade in drugs

he is taking away dea agents diplomatic immunity...the right wing gets its marching orders from the neocons...imho

[KeepItReal]

7. Has Oil, elites hate him, masses love him, he ain't down with Bush & Co.

The fact that he's Democratically elected *really* gets under the Neocon's skin.

[SammyWinstonJack]

10. Yep! Sums it all up nicely. n/t

[TahitiNut]

29. Plus ... National Oil, not private oil.

He hasn't 'privateered' the oil.

[KeepItReal]

32. Hey, *I'm* a Privateer!

Univ. of New Orleans Privateer - type, that is.

[TahitiNut]

33. An 'original' huh?

:silly:

[walldude]

8. It's because he represents the underdog

and they hate that. He's Robin Hood and they are the polar opposite. They rob from the poor to give to the rich. While he is trying to level things out. You know there is a guy on the radio in Denver, Mike Rosen, who actually said once that he was tired of all these people rooting for the underdog. He always roots for the "overdog". Dork...

[mmonk]

9. left+oil=hate

[Maddy McCall]

11. The PTB worry that the upsurge of populism in Venezuela could threaten...

their power at home by showing the populace in the US that such a change is possible if enough people join together to force such a change.

It threatens their stranglehold on power, domestically and abroad.

[steve2470]

13. check out this thread also

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=4444895&mesg_id=4444895

[BattyDem]

23. Thanks for the link .. I missed that thread.

:-)

[bemildred]

15. A competent leader is always a threat to incompetent ones. nt

[whalerider55]

16. Chavez

with a name like that,they assume he's an illegal immigrant.

chavez. sounds like ortega.

noriega. yup.

he has the oil and he won't roll over for the oilmen.

whalerider

[datadiva]

17. One word

OIL

[CatholicEdHead]

19. Oil and not willing to play ball with the admistration

[wli]

18. oil & cocaine n/t

[Double T]

20. American right wing Can't Stand To Help Support The Poor Or Give.......

them ownership of anything. The right wing wants it all for themselves; oil, land, money, etc.

[SmokingJacket]

21. A popularly elected populist/socialist with tons of oil. nt

[Rex]

22. The BFEE doesn't like competition

has nothing to do with political ideology and all to do with the US getting our gasoline fix.

[htuttle]

24. Originally, it was for the oil before the Iraq invasion

I think they wanted to 'secure' Venezuela's oil supply in case things went even worse in Iraq -- such as an oil embargo by Gulf States. They tried to depose him -- in fact they DID depose him, but only for a few hours before he was put back in power by an upswelling of the people (and the loyalty of most of his military and the foresight to stash a few dozen loyal paratroopers in the basement of the Miraflores).

Then they hated him because he beat them. It keeps them awake at night. Then he beat them again, when they threw a huge amount of money at the recall election, and they still lost. They really hate that.

And they hate him the most, perhaps, because he's not taking Venezuela down the path of IMF slavery. In fact, his example has been encouraging other South and Central American countries to think twice about the next IMF deal. In that capacity, he's a danger to their plans all around. By putting his people's needs above that of big (and often foreign) corporations, he's going the same path as FDR took during the depression. Don't forget that the corporate right tried to pull a coup on FDR as well!

And it's not just Bush that's out to get Chavez. Ultimately, Chavez threatens the Corporate World Order that the corporate backers of both parties seek to maintain. Look at most of the Democrat leadership, and you'll see the same attitude toward Chavez. Kerry spewed all sorts of bullshit about Chavez during the campaign. On that measure, they are cut from the same Neo-Liberal cloth as the Republicans (with precious few exceptions).

[CottonBear]

25. He's a native South American i.e. non-white.

The members of the white (Spanish) upper class (i.e. Bu$h's friends) of Venezuela don't like him.

[NNN0LHI]

27. RW obsessed? John Kerry Says Venezuela's Chavez is Becoming a Dictator

http://www.globalexchange.org/countries/americas/venezuela/1846.html

John Kerry Says Venezuela's Chavez is Becoming a Dictator

"He is breaking the rules of democracy"

venezuelanalysis.com

May 06, 2004

By: Eva Golinger - Venezuelanalysis.com

Thursday, May 6, 2004 (Venezuelanalysis.com): For the second time in the first quarter of the campaign trail, John Kerry, the democratic candidate for president of the United States, has declared that "democracy is a risk" in Venezuela. Kerry also said that Venezuela's democratically--elected President Chavez is becoming a dictator.

The statements were made on Wednesday night during Kerry's first interview with the U.S. Spanish-language network, Univision, in an obvious attempt to garner the Hispanic vote. The 38 million strong Hispanic population in the United States is considered to be an important voting block in the upcoming 2004 presidential elections.

The Univision interview, conducted by Jorge Ramos, was clearly targeted at Southern Florida Spanish-speaking voters, known to be opposed to Cuban President Fidel Castro and with strong ties with the Republican Party. Yet in recent months, South Florida's Hispanic population seems to have placed its votes up for grabs; the candidate with the firmest stance on Cuba and Venezuela is likely to acquire its support -- democrat or republican aside.

For the last two years, the anti-Castro Cuban American community in South Florida has attempted to link anti-Chavez sentiments to its four-decade old battle against Cuba's government. Cooperation between Venezuela and Cuba during the Chavez administration has prompted the Cuban conservative community in Southern Florida to join forces with Venezuelan Chavez opponents, as the Venezuelan President is seen as helping Castro stay in power.

:popcorn:

[Thtwudbeme]

31. That's something that most here hate to hear but it's TRUE.

Oh well, it's nice for many to play anti-Imperialist but when push comes to exploit they sink back in their barco-loungers and get fat watching Friends and really don't give a fuck about how the "US" economy is even possible in a World of 6 Billion people most of whom are impoverished.

Fuckers.

PS~ This is Jan Michael posting on Stephanie's ID probably for the first time.

[NNN0LHI]

38. You said a whole lot with just a few words Jan Michael

I am as guilty of limousine liberalism as the next guy though. I just am not afraid to admit it. Take care.

Don

[staticstopper]

28. I think all of those things

Some dork was on TV defending robertson and called Chavez a "dictator" and the woman on MSNBC (or CNN) did not even correct him. :mad:

[stepnw1f]

30. He Challenges Their Idealogy

He also illustrates how a leader COULD treat it's own people, essentially empowering ALL instead of a select few.

He is Anti-Aristrocratic

or AntiKracker

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

35. Same reason they hate Castro. He fights back.

Instead of meekly accepting the dictates of the neo-colonialists he dares stand up for the people of Venezuela.

[Jade Fox]

36. There is nothing the right hates more....

than successful socialist/peoples governments.