AP reported today: "Cities across Venezuela are increasingly agitated, as government offices closed their doors for the rest of the week in the face of a worsening energy crisis that is causing daily blackouts. Looting for food and fiery protests started spreading Wednesday in Caracas, as hundreds of angry voters lined up to sign a petition beginning the process of recalling the deeply unpopular President Nicolas Maduro. The socialist administration began imposing a four-hour daily blackout around the country this week to save electricity. Then, Maduro announced that millions of officials will now work only Mondays and Tuesdays, taking the rest of the week off in a bid to save electricity". (By the way these government officials will continue to be paid for the days they do not work, another cornerstone of a government controlled socialist society).
Ah yes, as Venezuela continues to mourn its hero Hugo Chavez the folks are not too happy. No food, no electricity, an oil powerhouse that cannot even supply gasoline to the few that can afford a car. The country is in chaos as they harvest the fruits of socialism. So following Cuba's example here we have another definition of insanity....trying socialism and expecting a different result.
But there is a silver lining in this story, now that Bernie Sanders has no chance to win the primary here in the US, the potential job openings keep coming. If the people in Venezuela are successful in overthrowing their President Maduro, maybe Bernie with his large unused campaign war chest should move there and try to convince the population to "Try socialism just once more, I know how to do it right". I wouldn't bet on that insanity Bern.
Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
Albert Einstein
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/alberteins133991.html
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/alberteins133991.html
Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
Albert Einstein
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/alberteins133991.html
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/alberteins133991.html
Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/alberteins133991.html
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/alberteins133991.html
Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/alberteins133991.html
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/alberteins133991.html
Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/alberteins133991.html
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/alberteins133991.html
11 comments:
Australia is Socialist, the U.K. is Socialist, most of Scandinavia is Socialist, Canada is Socialist. Venezuela is essentially a dictatorship and has been since Chaves was running the place. South American Banana Republics have always been peasants ruled by the elite. Put lipstick on a pig, and call it something else, but it's still a pig.
Nighthawk you keep using Europe as an example, is that really what we want in this country? I have been there as much as you have(probably more), and there is nowhere the freedom and liberty that we (used to?) enjoy here. A young entrepreneur in those countries does not have the opportunity he has here. Europe had a several thousand year head start and the USA overtook them in a few hundred years.
Bjorne, Bjarne, Nigel, Lawrence, Don, Richard in Europe and Scandinavia; Carl, Dave, Russell in Australia.....all socialist economies that enabled people to build successful businesses, employ many people and become wealthy......I can go on and on with my list of names of people who have been very successful in those countries, and these are just the few people that we both know. The health care systems there also have lower infant mortality than here.
The systems there are not better, they are simply different, and they work for those countries. It's possible to learn from other systems, without adopting them. My comment was simply that using Venezuela as an example of a Socialist economy, in fact as a typical Socialist economy, was not appropriate. It's a dictatorship, just as Cuba is.
My former comment is correct, you can't put lipstick on a pig and call it something else, it's still a pig. Venesuela isn't Socialist, it's a dictatorship.
Contrasting socialism between Venezuela and Europe, Canada, and Australia is less interesting than the benefits derived from our Obama variation of socialism. There are long lists of Obama style socialism, so I will select only one here. Although the government hacks tell us unemployment is currently about 4 ½ percent that does not include those people who have given up searching for employment and are surviving on the dole. Amazingly, there are close to 50 percent of African American people unemployed. The real unemployment numbers are close to 20 percent across the nation. That is one of the key benefits of Obama style socialism that is contributing significantly to our economic malaise. Perhaps we should concentrate on what is wrong here in America and fix it. That includes giving Hillary Clinton the electoral raspberry.
Agree with you on those points Chuck. Unfortunately for Bernie, if you are honest you don't get to pick and choose what to be honest about.
Bob, Chuck and I have privately hashed out the unemployment numbers more than once. I think we pretty well agree it is at about 10%, with 5% being the official rate and another 5% or so being those that stopped looking. Whatever it is, it's vastly lower than it was 6 years ago, and not even the most extreme pundits put it at 20%. Rising wages, housing starts, unemployment payrolls, while not where we would like them, donot support 20%. It's probably time for Democrats to stop blaming Bush for everything, and for Republicans to do the same for Obama. Let's work on keeping HC out of Government and call it a win if we do.
Yup, except for possibly being off a bit on the unemployment numbers that are not important to the discussion, we are in full agreement. John, my point was not to counter what you and Chuck hashed out privately in the past, but to try to move the dialogue in a more domestic direction. Personally, I could care less what sort of government is controlling other nations, since we have no control beyond our borders. We have had 7 1/2 years of Obama style socialism albeit lightweight with Hillary knocking on the same door. It would seem to make sense to identify the problems and benefits brought to us by Obama and clarify our choices moving forward.
Keep in mind that a significant number of people that have quit looking for work are boomer retirees (like John),so the number is probably closer to 10% than 20%. But the 2016 first quarter growth rate of 0.5% is an ominous number. One more quarter like that and the recession flag may start going up.
I'm greatly offended by your comment that I have stopped looking for work. Why I worked two days consulting in March, and I've made at least two calls, and sent four emails following up on Consulting opportunities since the first of February. The stress of living in Taos has me barely able to get out of bed in the morning some days. 😎😎😈😈
Wow John being a 20+ year retiree who has worked on and off, I am impressed. I certainly could not handle that work load at my age. Thankfully I have a large family that will prop me up as I fade into the sunset.
Hopefully, someone will recognize my talent for sitting quietly in a comfortable chair, nodding at the right moment, and giving non-specific advice, while talking no responsibility for anything......and offer me a Board position at some point.
John looks like you are looking for a job in politics.
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