1 more step and its Life.

DuH2 · #1 (**permalink**) 11-30-2007, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has urged voters to approve constitutional changes in a referendum on Sunday.
Addressing tens of thousands of supporters at a rally in Caracas, he also threatened to stop oil supplies to the US if it tried to disrupt the vote.

The reforms include allowing abolishing presidential term limits and ending the autonomy of the Central Bank.

Mr Chavez said the proposed changes would return power to the people, but critics accuse him of a power grab.

Mr Chavez said that his opponents could try to sabotage the vote, with backing from Washington, through violent protests.

He said: "If this [referendum] is used as a pretext to start violence in Venezuela, Energy Minister Rafael Ramirez on Monday will order that oil exports to North America be stopped."

He added that troops had been sent to "protect" the country's oil fields.

Mr Chavez has accused Washington of conspiring to topple his government and possibly backing plots to assassinate him. US officials have called the accusations ridiculous.

On Sunday, voters will be asked whether they agree with a package of constitutional reforms.

Mr Chavez proposed 33 changes, and the National Assembly, which is composed of his supporters, put forward a further 36 amendments.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7121487.stm

Quote:

Mr Chavez initially proposed amending 33 articles of the constitution, but the National Assembly added another 36 changes.

Among some of the main changes are:

Allowing the indefinite re-election of the president - not applicable to any other political post

Increasing the presidential term from six to seven years

Introducing changes to the country's administrative structure

Ending the autonomy of the central bank

Placing the president in charge of administering the country's international reserves

Reducing the maximum working week from 44 to 36 hours

Quote:

The Venezuelan opposition won the support of 37% of voters at the last presidential election, but it has little power.

The National Assembly is fully controlled by Chavez supporters and the judicial system is heavily influenced by the president as well. The only mechanism the opposition has to voice its positions is the media.

Earlier this year, the most popular television station, RCTV, which in 2002 broadcast calls to overthrow Mr Chavez's administration, did not have its licence renewed.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7119371.stm

Its too late to stop him

He is a wonderful example of a despot using Democracy to destoy it. In the open and in your faces.

Even if by some miracle the oppositon managed to get through all the Reality of the situation.

Quote:

What happens if Mr Chavez loses?

His present presidential mandate expires in January 2013. However, this does not mean that if he loses he will be a lame-duck for the next five years.

The National Assembly has granted Mr Chavez an "enabling law" (ley habilitante), which allows him, over the period of one year, to pass laws on specified issues as decrees. The National Assembly could easily keep renewing this law.

But his defeat would nonetheless be a huge boost to the opposition, especially to the student groups which have been leading the marches.

These groups may become the main opposition voice given the disarray of the traditional parties and push for another recall referendum half-way through Mr Chavez's present mandate (in 2010) just like the opposition did in 2004.

President Chavez has said that if he loses it will be time to start looking for a successor. It is difficult to say if he was being serious, but one thing looks certain - Mr Chavez will not go without a fight.

IOW it doesn't matter. Its too late.

Blade · #2 (**permalink**) 12-01-2007, 01:48 AM

If he pulls this off, the Hollyweord types will LOVE him! They never saw a dictator they didn't like.

NJV · #3 (**permalink**) 12-01-2007, 02:29 AM

will we do when he cuys off our oil?
Regime Change

DuH2 · #4 (**permalink**) 12-01-2007, 03:16 AM

Funny..why would you assume "we" would have to do anything if he did somethign so utterly stupid as that?

He'd destroy Venezuela's economy if he did that.

I realize "Socialist" believe money grow on trees(just ask Hillary) but don't be ridiculous as to assume the mans that big of an idiot.

He's a bombastic loud mouth in the mold of Mussolinni..but he is neither an idiot or insane. Nobody reaches such positions in their societies by being stupid..people who think they do are frankly boobs.

NJV · #5 (**permalink**) 12-01-2007, 04:52 AM

funny DuH2. You think we're the only contry
that uses oil. There economy surely won't
fail, not as long as China continues to trive

nonsqtr · #6 (**permalink**) 12-01-2007, 05:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NJV";p=&quot

funny DuH2. You think we're the only contry
that uses oil. There economy surely won't
fail, not as long as China continues to trive

Yep. That's exactly right. The US ain't the only consumer nation on the block anymore. This whole oil thing is really wierd though, I mean, the way they trans-ship and stuff, you're hip to that, right? Like, we (the US) will buy oil from Canada, and ship it straight to Japan, and it never actually touches the US or gets used by any US citizens, it just kinda gets "trans-shipped" through a US company or something.

But yeah, I mean, whatever "economic leverage" we may have once had, is slowly but surely being pissed away by debt service to China (thanks George Bush, there's another fine feather in your cap....

), and countries like Venezuela now have "plenty of other options" in terms of keeping their economies going -

And I mean, that's what finally drove the Soviets out of business, right? It's 'cause their economy couldn't stand up - but in today's world, that would be a very different equation.

Yep. The times they are a-changin'. Yesterday's model don't work anymore.

DuH2 · #7 (**permalink**) 12-01-2007, 01:47 PM

There are various types of OIL and most of Venezuelas is not an easy one to process. In fact its mostly processed in the USA who has the plants set up for it.
The USA is Venezuelas most important trading partner as well.

You guys make ridiculous assumptions based on simply invalid premises.

gene430 · #8 (**permalink**) 12-02-2007, 05:57 AM

Chavez can be taken care of with one phone call......just a minor distraction...he will implode.

DuH2 · #9 (**permalink**) 12-02-2007, 09:22 PM

Quote:

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) - President Hugo Chavez suffered a stinging defeat Monday in a vote on constitutional changes that would have let him run for re-election indefinitely and solidify his bid to transform this major U.S. oil provider into a socialist state.
Voters defeated the sweeping measures by a vote of 51 percent to 49 percent, said Tibisay Lucena, chief of the National Electoral Council, with voter turnout just 56 percent.

She said that with 88 percent of the votes counted, the trend was irreversible.

"This was a photo finish," Chavez said immediately after the vote, adding that unlike past Venezuelan governments, his respects the people's will.

It was the first victory for an emboldened opposition against Chavez after nine years of electoral defeats.

"Don't feel sad," he urged his supporters, saying there were "microscopic differences" between the "yes" and "no" options in a referendum that Chavez's opponents feared could have meant a plunge toward dictatorship.

Chavez's supporters had faith he would use the reforms to deepen grass-roots democracy and more equitably spread Venezuela's oil wealth.

The changes would have created new forms of communal property, let Chavez handpick local leaders under a redrawn political map, permit civil liberties to be suspended under extended states of emergency and allow Chavez to seek re-election indefinitely. Now, Chavez will be barred from running again in 2012.

Other changes would have shortened the workday from eight hours to six, created a social security fund for millions of informal laborers and promoted communal councils where residents decide how to spend government funds. The reforms also would have granted Chavez control over the Central Bank and extended presidential terms from six to seven years.

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php...show_article=1

Yep just barely lost.
Then again so what?
Not like he is not already ruling by decree, or that he and his party do not control the nation as is.

What he wants will be... It will just done a lil slower and less overtly. Or maybe totally overt..but whatever he isntl going anywhere and anyone foolish enough to think he is probably believes he wears uniforms just for fun.

Then thweres always the chance he will pull a vote was damaged by the "imperialistic USA, the King of Spain, and traitors within our society"..routine and force a re-vote.

He hasn't said he lost..just that it was close...with a man who relishes power as much as an army officer tries to take it by coup....it ain't over until he's dead.

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