New law will make Venezuela a dictatorship, warns archbishop

[steven johnson]

Comandante chavez ahora es el payaso de verdad mal.

Archbishop Roberto Luckert of Coro, Venezuela said President Hugo Chavez's new law will turn the country into a “constitutional democratic dictatorship.”

On Dec. 17, Venezuela's National Assembly approved President Chavez's request to rule by decree for 18 months. The additional power, the president argued, would help him address the damaging floods within the country.

During the elections on Sept. 26, Chavez’s ruling party only won 95 of the 165 seats in the Assembly, which is not enough to maintain a majority. Although three Assembly members from other parties are expected to vote with the ruling party, with just 98 votes, Chavez would still fall short of a two-thirds majority needed to get his measures passed.

The new law gives Chavez the power to enact laws on land use, the military and police forces, transportation and public services. He will also have greater control over the treasury and the tax code, urban and rural development, international relations and the emergency response to the flooding.

The new law has turned the National Assembly into “a congress of political eunuchs who will not be able to do what they are supposed to do . . .The tasks of lawmakers are “to pass laws, to legislate - not to sit on their hands and act like useless fools or mute dogs in a congress in which they won’t be able to do anything,”

New law will make Venezuela a dictatorship, warns archbishop

[ret5hd]

1. That's kinda ironic, coming from an AB in the catholic church.

[The Straight Story]

2. That's OK - Chavez will plant pretty flowers in all the yards and sing the children to sleep

While handing out cases of beer and food to the people.

There is none, no not one, ever criticism of him and his actions that has any merit. Please remember that, he is a demi-god and his worshippers will ensure you know of his great personal sacrifice and the pain and suffering he goes through daily by the sinners who call him names.

Let us now pray to him and ask forgiveness of those in media who do not kneel before him and play his magical flute.

[originalpckelly]

4. I agree. I've been telling the same folks for years now about this...

and they never listened to me. Centralization of power will never be good, no matter who's in charge, but especially a guy who tried a coup before he decided to come to power before he decided to do it the legal way.

It was bound to happen one day.

[COLGATE4]

10. AMEN

[Name removed]

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[Name removed]

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[UTUSN]

6. K&R big #5, until the troopers arrive!1 n/t

[druidity33]

7. same Archbishop from Wikileaks?

You know, the one that collected money for Anti-Chavez orgs, backed the coup attempt and told the US they needed to "get rid" of him?

The Church doesn't like him over there. He usurps too much of their authority and control over the highly Catholic population. It's just awful when people start to realize they don't need the Church to lift them out of poverty and hopelessness. Weird how a lowly Secular authority can make daily life better for people, huh?

Nothing new here... plenty of Chavez foes out there. He deserves them. He's better for Venezuela than an American puppet regime however, which is what they would have if he wasn't there...

:shrug:

[NeedleCast]

8. So are you supporting rule by decree?

Please list a few examples of when such things have been good for the country they've happened in.

[druidity33]

11. you talkin' to me?

List your own examples, buddy...

:eyes:

[NeedleCast]

21. Yes

And your post doesn't make any sense...I'm not the one taking the position that rule by decree is a good idea. I'm assuming, from your initial reply, that you do.

I'm simply asking if you can provide me with a list of countries where one person has assumed a very broad and deep level of power and things have turned out for the better in that country.

[druidity33]

29. Don't assume. nt.

[bemildred]

9. I thought it was already a dictatorship? Can't we get the story straight? nt

[Better Believe It]

15. It's a "constitutional democratic dictatorship" just like the Pope's "yes man" says.

mmmmmm .... Venezuela is a "democratic dictatorship" according to the head Venezuelan bishop and a "constitutional" one at that!

How does that work?

Let's see now .... if Chavez governs according to the constitution and the government is democratic .... that would make it a dictatorship!

OK!

I get it!

[Better Believe It]

12. Right. Chavez should follow the example of a really democratic Pope!

[EFerrari]

13. If the Catholic Church says it, it must be true.

:)

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

24. The Church has a long history of being anti-authoritarian...except for..all those other times.

[EFerrari]

26. LOL. There's a Reformed Catholic Church in Venezuela

that must drive these people nuts. :)

[apocalypsehow]

14. Venezuela already *IS* a dictatorship. n/t.

[Better Believe It]

16. But according to the Archbishop it's a democratic and constitutional one!

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

30. I knew somebody would criticize the archbishop for not being rabid enough. -nt

[walldude]

17. You know it didn't work out too well

when they gave Senator Palpatine "rule by decree".

[hughee99]

18. If Chavez is going to rule by decree for 18 months

and be able to skip over the legislature for most (if not all) issues, doesn't that fit the definition of a "dictatorship"?

[Better Believe It]

20. Sounds a bit like the "socialist" FDR presidency in the United States!

"The new law gives Chavez the power to enact laws on land use, the military and police forces, transportation and public services. He will also have greater control over the treasury and the tax code, urban and rural development, international relations and the emergency response to the flooding."

So President Chavez thinks the executive branch should have the power to control military forces, foreign policy, public services, the treasury, etc.,

Will Chavez also be "stacking" the Supreme Court like FDR tried to do according to Republicans?

Damn .... wonder if he'll also set-up a "communistic" national health service like Great Britain or a "socialist" single payer system.

[hughee99]

22. Even FDR had to send his stuff through congress.

I'm not passing any judgments on how Chavez will handle it (for better or worse), I'm just saying that any leader "ruling by decree" seems to fit the definition of a dictatorship.

[Better Believe It]

23. And now we have a Congress with minority rule. Is that democratic?

Where 41 Republican Senators can stop legislation and presidential appointments with secret "holds" and bogus "procedural filibusters".

[Selatius]

28. It wouldn't be so bad if so many Democrats actually voted like Democrats and not Republicans.

When the Democratic caucus had 60 votes, the only stumbling block was the fact that a bunch of them were right wingers with Ds behind their names. That's what killed the Public Option. That's what made the Stimulus Package too small. That's why the financial reform bill fell short of expectations.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

19. a “constitutional democratic dictatorship.”? Like the UK? The Netherlands? Sweden? The Vatican?

[Capn Sunshine]

25. we can't have THAT!

We need a corporate oligarchy much worse.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

27. Wait, what?

Here in the UK the prime minister has significantly less power, and the MPs significantly more, than your President and Congress.