Chavez once again porves he's a tin pot dictator in the making.

[Dinner]

Perhaphes with so few posters...

[DinoDoc]

Originally posted by Oerdin
Perhaphes

WTF Oerdin?

[Spiffor]

Originally posted by GhengisFarb
Nice to see you too, Spiffor.

It's been a long time. How are you doing?

[Spiffor]

Re: Its always easy

Originally posted by pchang


to be generous with other people's money

Especially considering that Total made this year the highest profits ever in the history of French capitalism. Cry me a river.

[GhengisFarb™]

Re: Re: Its always easy

Originally posted by Spiffor

It's been a long time. How are you doing?

Okay, as long as I don't win a mortar shell lottery.

Originally posted by Spiffor

Especially considering that Total made this year the highest profits ever in the history of French capitalism. Cry me a river.

Highest profits in French capitalism.......... mmm can't help but wonder if that's more than the average hourly pay of a third world factory worker........

-jk

[chequita guevara]

Capitalists are parasites on their own system. It's no surprise their own companies do better without them.

[Dinner]

Few checks remain on the president’s power

A strong mandate in the December election has emboldened the president, Hugo Chavez, to start off his third term with a pledge to deepen the drive towards “21st-century socialism”. Complete control of the legislature and significant influence over weak and politicised institutions should facilitate this agenda, but obstacles remain, including weak public-sector managerial capacity, the potential for damaging splits in government, and evidence that there is little support for an increase in state control among the electorate. Another obstacle to policy delivery will be the gradual decline of fiscal oil revenue, which, combined with a downturn in private investment, will produce an economic slowdown. The decline in fiscal revenue will raise pressure for devaluation, although our baseline forecast is for the authorities to maintain the peg at current levels this year to contain inflationary pressures. Inflation is rising as a result of expansionary fiscal policy and exchange controls, and is unlikely to abate in the short term, although some relief will come by the end of the forecast period as domestic demand growth slows. Although this will slow import growth, the current-account surplus will narrow as oil export earnings fall.

Key changes from last update

Political outlook

A controversial enabling law was passed at the end of January which will allow Mr Chavez to rule by decree for 18 months. The law will make relatively little practical difference to a legislature made up entirely of the president's supporters, but is a strong signal of Mr Chavez's desire to move forward quickly with reforms in support of his state-led development model.

Economic policy outlook

The government is considering reducing the petrol subsidy, which would relieve pressure on the public finances without recourse to devaluation.

Economic forecast

In the light of a recent spike in the parallel exchange rate, the Economist Intelligence Unit has revised upwards its forecast for inflation in 2007-08.

http://www.economist.com/countries/Venezuela/profile.cfm?folder=Profile-Forecast

[DinoDoc]

Why is this still open?

[Dinner]

Because the mods are lazy?

[DinoDoc]

Possibly. Any other suggestions?