One thing that needs to be said is that Venezuela's economy is tied to oil.

on page 8 of this pdf

http://www.cepr.net/documents/public...la_2007_07.pdf

you can see this relationship quite clearly along with a huge improvement in GDP since 2003, after the oil strike.

The HDI is a bit misleading because no other latin america nation has an economy as tied to oil as Venezuela does. Although Chavez has been trying to diversify.

Andrew

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Ethanol is a fabulous solution to our energy dilemma because it will provide more fuel for us to drive around and look for food.

-- Unknown

Hugo is providing them with oil at discounted rates. So if it is true that neighboring countries are improvong, some of it is due to Hugo;s economic policies.


Considering he has spent billions already on his own nation, im not sure it would have done anything more significant than it already has. Money is important, but its not the entire picture.

Andrew

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Ethanol is a fabulous solution to our energy dilemma because it will provide more fuel for us to drive around and look for food.

-- Unknown

Yes, but with the rapid growth in the price of oil, where's the rapid growth in the HDI (and other indicators) in Venezuela?

The fact that these things are flat, while revenues have risen exponentially, seems to indicate that Chavez is doing an even worse job than one would think at first blush.

Matt

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De duobus malis, minus est semper eligendum

Perhaps because some of the neighbors, specifically Kirchner, Lula, and Bachelet are better Presidents than Chavez?

__________________
"Jesus said: I have cast fire upon the world, and behold I guard it until it is ablaze."
Gospel of Thomas

Ugh.

What does yanqui interference have to do with Chavez's attempt to follow create another pathetic dictatorship?

As a Libertarian Communist I find both his adherence to Socialist nonsense and his willingness to place himself in as the new "dear leader" of Venezuela completely absurd.

A "dear leader" that miraculously wins every election by a landslide - for life.

What's new with that however; ever since the "great mummy" went on display at the Kremlin Socialists around the world have been aspiring to "lead the people" into Communism (an event that never happens) by getting chauffeured around in their Mercedes to another meeting with a supermodel.

What really happens is that the people have to endure miserable living conditions while El Jefe orders his assistant to fire his live in chef for banging his live in maid while he was supposed to be cooking up a simple lunch of lobster and caviar for his meeting with another bleeding heart liberal actor.

This of course will transpire for a couple decades until his Socialist shit hole reverts back into Capitalism just like every other Socialist society has.

There is nothing miraculous about Chavez's electoral victories. By all accounts they are entirely legitimate.

If he was tamporing with the electoral process he would have won the referendum.

__________________
"Jesus said: I have cast fire upon the world, and behold I guard it until it is ablaze."
Gospel of Thomas

Yup - he's about the worst leader in the region.

And yet people cheer for him like he was the second coming.

Odd.

Matt

__________________
De duobus malis, minus est semper eligendum

Worse than the President who's in bed with Paramilitaries and drug cartels?

I guess it's all about priorities.

__________________
"Jesus said: I have cast fire upon the world, and behold I guard it until it is ablaze."
Gospel of Thomas

I my post I was referring to what transpires in "elections" after the would be despot makes unlimited terms of office the policy of the nation.

Ala another sham of a Communist in good old Fidel.

In terms of the HDI, yes, worse.

Matt

__________________
De duobus malis, minus est semper eligendum

Actually based on that pdf and the detailed HDI stats, it seems improvements have taken place 2003 and after. And i think you are not being fair. It takes time to educate and make a population healthy and stable, the HDI over the next ten years will tell a more complete story.

Andrew

__________________
Ethanol is a fabulous solution to our energy dilemma because it will provide more fuel for us to drive around and look for food.

-- Unknown

high turn outs? 30% of his own didn't turn out.....yes, democracy in action....he has met the limits of his power....BUT alas, once he packs the military as he did the courts, I fear this will change....I don't quite think he is done yet...despite wrecking the food production and distribution network etc....egotistic dementia dies hard....

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No individual can plan his own existence in their view.

So the state planners must arrogate to themselves the right to manipulate any sector of the economic system if the good of “society” or the “general welfare” is paramount.

Ipso- if the rights of the individual get in the way, the rights of the individual must be sublimated.

The Road to Serfdom
FA Hayek (interpretation)


Mortgage Backed Security survivor

Paradoxically, the fact that a ton of his supporters didn't vote is democracy in action in and of its self.

__________________
"Jesus said: I have cast fire upon the world, and behold I guard it until it is ablaze."
Gospel of Thomas

Actually i did read that and was surprised given the high turn outs of previous elections. I think either his supporters became complacent or this was their way of protesting his constitutional reforms.

The democracy that i was impressed with though was the student movement in the urban centers. Had those students not organized, campaigned, and otherwise raised a bit of hell, Chavez would have won easily.

Andrew

__________________
Ethanol is a fabulous solution to our energy dilemma because it will provide more fuel for us to drive around and look for food.

-- Unknown

The latter, in my view. I think they are sending him a message that, while they support his views in general, and him, their support is not unconditional.

__________________
"Jesus said: I have cast fire upon the world, and behold I guard it until it is ablaze."
Gospel of Thomas