Venezuela socialist? Set an example?

[peacetalksforall]

I'm reading and hearing comments of the right about the frightening socialism of Chavez. What I choose to hear is that Chavez wants more of the country's riches to go to the citizens, including the lower classes.

Do our right wing oil barons and political leaders have three things to be sad about - the loss of influence over Venezuela oil and other riches of their land, profits for themselves, and possibly more important - that Chavez will set an example of using the wealth of the country to help the lower class. Supposedly, there is no middle class which is what the right wing is fighting in this country and what they love about other countries that have only the top end that can be influenced and the lower end that make up the slave units.

The right demonstrates in all their words and agendas that the middle class is too much of a threat in their utopia because the middle class will educate themselves and may find time to become active and want to do something for their country rather than just offer their bodies for war. Creating a larger middle class is one of the top reasons they despised Clinton.

Can the threat of the middle class be equally important to profit and control?

[diablerie]

1. Sounds like a stand up guy....

<snip>Congress, which is controlled by Chavez supporters, recently approved a measure allowing that body to remove and appoint judges to the Supreme Court.

<snip>The government is also seeking to exert control over TV and radio stations, many of which are deeply critical of Chavez and carry one-sided news reports against him. The government plans to submit a bill to Congress that would allow the government to ban programming it sees as slanderous or an incitement to violence and to punish violators.

<snip>The government is also studying the possibility of unifying municipal and state police forces into a national police force, wresting control from mayors and governors, many of whom are Chavez opponents.

Sounds like a slippery slope....

Entire article here http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=589&u=/ap/20040817/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/venezuela_recall_8&printer=1

[htuttle]

2. If it is, the US slipped down that slope long ago

Point one: our own Congress has the power to impeach Supreme Court justices. It's the only way they can be removed. Who else should have that power? Do you think they should be entirely unimpeachable? Our own founding fathers would apparently disagree.

Point two: Our own media operates under FCC guidelines about decency and truth in advertising (except where political ads are concerned). Without seeing the actual regulations, you can hardly fear the mere existence of them.

Point three: We have the FBI, Federal Marshalls, the DEA and Customs. How is this different than what they are proposing in Venezuela?