Chavez Miami Foes Hire Planes to Vote in Venezuela Race

[naaman fletcher]

We haven't heard from PP yet about this Chavez election tactic of making it hard for his opponents to vote

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-09-25/chavez-miami-foes-hire-planes-to-vote-in-venezuela-race.html

Alicia Rodriguez so dislikes President Hugo Chavez, and blames him for making her native Venezuela unsafe, that the 80-year-old retiree is flying 1,300 miles from her adopted home in Miami to cast a vote against him.

She’s not the only one. In what’s shaping up to be Chavez’s toughest election battle yet, Venezuelans who’ve fled to Florida since he took power in 1999 are mobilizing on the Internet to oust him from office. At least two groups have pledged to transport thousands of voters by chartered planes and buses to a polling center run by Venezuela’s consulate in New Orleans so they can cast ballots on election day, Oct. 7.
Enlarge image Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez frequently taunts the Venezuelan community in Miami, calling them “fugitives” in reference to opponents and one-time allies who’ve relocated there fleeing prosecution. Photographer: Juan Barretto/AFP via Getty Images
Enlarge image Venezuelan Presidential Candidate Henrique Capriles





Just 2 percent of Venezuelans in Florida voted for the self-declared socialist leader in his 2006 landslide victory, official results show, meaning that expatriates may provide an edge to opposition candidate Henrique Capriles Radonski in a tight race. Still, for the largest community of Venezuelans living outside their homeland, exercising the right to vote has been hampered by Chavez’s decision to close Venezuela’s consulate in Miami over U.S. charges of spying.

“We’re happy to go and do our bit to support Capriles,” Rodriguez, who plans to travel with her older sister nursing a bad back, said in a phone interview. “It was deceitful of Chavez to close the consulate in Miami because he didn’t want us to vote.”

[Warren Stupidity]

1. That would be about right: rich exiles opposed to democratic socialism.

The opposition's loyal base.

[naaman fletcher]

2. right

But, you think it's ok to disenfranchise them?

[Mika]

3. If they no longer reside in Ven., then they shouldn't vote there.

Many countries work that way regarding expat voting, with a plethora of rules and regs of exceptions.

[joshcryer]

4. Wow.

No words. Being against voting abroad is just mind boggling undemocratic... you're arguing for the disenfranchisement of people most of whom cannot vote here in the United States.

It's basically saying if they don't live in their country of birth or upbringing they shouldn't be allowed to have a say ever again.

[naaman fletcher]

7. It's always nice when they openly admit the petty stalinism

that we all already knew that had

[Mika]

8. It is not uncommon. Canadians who no longer reside in Canada can't vote in Canadian elections.

Of course, there's a list of exceptions such as temporary residency in another country for work, military service, etc etc.
Canada is one example of among many. Now tell me how Canada is a Stalinist nation.

The disruptors/forum sliders really have to get out and about more often. It would help their myopic world view (unless they know differently and are here to simply disrupt, hmmm).



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[naaman fletcher]

9. It's because

you are just interested in the outcome, not the principle. This is proven by the fact that Chavez didn't try to pass a law like Canada's, but instead undermined existing rule of law for electoral benefit. And you support it.

[Mika]

12. Well, not all Canadian "Stalinists" agree.

No point in discussing much w/you. Your puerile projections and fantasies are not worthy of retort.

Bye bye.

[naaman fletcher]

14. You refuse to address the issue, that is why you won't reply.

While Canada may very well not let overseas residents vote, that is a choice the country made through democratic means. Venezuela also made such a choice, but Chavez is abusing his power to undermine the existing law, rather than to put the law up for vote.

You are in favor of this because you are not a man of principle, you believe that the ends justify the means.

You are probably in favor of the butterfly ballot, as well.

[Mika]

15. Keep making shit up.

Seems an easy pattern for you. Ms Cleo? Is that you?

If you look at my posts I say no such things as you project. I merely opined that Ven expats shouldn't vote in Ven elections, just as is the FACTUAL case in Canada and several other democracies.

Your resulting projections as to my being "Stalinist" and not being a man of principle, plus your childish projection of my 'being in favor of the butterfly ballot' is very revealing as to how you come here to discuss topics... puerile.

Bye bye

[naaman fletcher]

16. The issue

In my first reply to you, was that rather than change the law, Chavez is undermining law. You have refused to comment on that.

You have also not commented on the butterly ballot.

Anything to have to avoid stating your undemocratic beliefs I guess.

[joshcryer]

10. It's myopic to expect people of a country to retain their vote as long as they are citizens?

There is a drive for Canadians to be able to vote abroad: http://www.letcanadiansvote.com/

Canadians see it as a draconian policy.

Just because half of the countries in the world don't allow voting abroad doesn't mean diddly squat with regards to the moral and ethical implications of removing ones political voice from someone who doesn't have that voice in the country they're residing in.

[Mika]

13. HUH. My point was for Canadians who NO LONGER reside in Canada.

I have no idea what you are babbling about regarding your perceived "moral and ethical implications of removing ones political voice from someone who doesn't have that voice in the country they're residing in".

I was referring to persons who DO NOT reside in their country of birth.

Nonetheless. No reason to discuss this with you either ... you constantly shift the bar and your "points" are no more than fantastical projection.

Bye bye.

[joshcryer]

18. So was I!

The website I linked is about Canadians who no longer reside in Canada after 5 years who are ineligible to vote! It used to be if they visited for some time (to see family or whatnot) they could still vote. But they changed it so that after 5 years of being gone, they lose their voting rights!

That's just bizarre to me coming from a country where if I were to leave I could still vote. There are plenty of expats posting on DU who vote from abroad.

I haven't shifted the bar one iota. My disagreement started with your not thinking people should be able to vote abroad. I think that is wrong even if the majority of countries don't allow it (by my count 100 countries to 96 don't allow it, that was the reason for my statement).

It's not about "practice" it's about what's right, what I believe is right. You already made it clear you think it's right that people have their voting rights removed.

[Mika]

19. Well, if the USA does it, then those who don't must be Stalinists.

-

I'm glad you have an opinion. I don't agree with it. Does that make me a Stalinist, or undemocratic, or not in the "right"? No, it doesn't. It means we have a different opinion. It's not about "American practice" it's about what's right, which, in this case, is rather subjective.




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[joshcryer]

20. No, I didn't agree with the "Stalinist" sentiment.

However, I do think it is undemocratic if the person doesn't have voting rights in the country in which they reside (in the US you must be a citizen, you can live here for decades under a green card, but can't vote in federal elections) and they're ineligible to vote in the country in which they have citizenship. That's basically a completely dis-empowered human being.

I mean it's effectively relegating someone who lives abroad to felon status. Simply for ... living abroad.

[naaman fletcher]

6. So you think Americans overseas should not be allowed to vote? nt

[joshcryer]

5. Apparently so.

Impossible.

[Marksman_91]

11. You'd have to be pretty stupid to think all Venezuelans out here are rich, anti-socialists

I'm Venezuelan myself, also living in Miami, and most of us are actually gonna be driving or taking the bus all the way to New Orleans just so our vote counts for something. Try to look at things from different perspectives, m'kay?

[roody]

17. THEY LET PLANES VOTE!!??