A light at the end of the fscking tunnel - Venezuela
From
Reuters:
Capriles rallies Venezuelans to challenge Chavez
Hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans flooded downtown Caracas on Sunday to support opposition candidate Henrique Capriles in the biggest rally to date of his campaign to unseat cancer-stricken socialist President Hugo Chavez.
The athletic 39-year-old walked and jogged 10 km (6.2 miles) in the company of supporters to register his candidacy with electoral authorities, burnishing his image of physical fitness in contrast to the convalescing Chavez.
Capriles hopes to replace Chavez's state-driven socialism with a Brazil-style balance between free enterprise and social programs, and promises an end to the sectarian polarization of Chavez's 13-year rule.
"On October 7th we will decide not between two men but between two different ways of life," Capriles intoned from a stage set up before a plaza jam-packed with sympathizers before entering the election's council.
"Today I'm the candidate because the people have decided, but on October 7th I'll be the next president of all Venezuelans," said Capriles, saying one million people had turned out.
Chavez had this hand-waving 'idea' of some
Bolivarian Revolution (end to political corruption -- good luck on that!) that was going to fundamentally transform Venezuela. He put the Nation into deeper and deeper debt, nationalized major industries and generally made things worse for the man on the street all the while he was 'floating' above it all. He was a mastermind who knew how to rule, the dirty little details weren't for him, those were for other people. He was The One with The Vision.
Fortunately, it seems that Chavez might have is royal ass handed to him in a few months. There seems to be a bit of that going around which is a very wonderful thing to see.
I have some complaints about Brazil -- their social welfare programs are being funded by their natural resources which at some time will diminish. The desire and expectation for those programs will only increase over time -- there is a profound crunch-point scheduled for about 20-30 years from now as these resources play out. Of course, there is always fusion, more oil deposits being found, etc.
And Chavez
He faces a formidable electoral battle against Chavez, whose inimitable mix of folksy charisma and torrential public spending have maintained his popularity even though his cancer has lowered his profile.
The president and his allies have since last year been handing out apartments, pensions and stipends to poor mothers in a wave of election-driven state largesse.
Blowing even more money out the door, runaway inflation and increased debt. But my granny got a free apartment so I am voting for
FREE STUFF instead of
FREEDOM.
Posted by DaveH at June 10, 2012 9:56 PM