Ha, stick that in your cakehole, Chavez!

[MOBIUS]

Chávez loses bid to rule until 2050

Chavez suffered his first taste of electoral defeat in almost 10 years after his thinly veiled attempt to bribe the electorate by sweetening his proposed electoral reforms with promises to cut the working day to six hours and grant pensions to housewives and informal workers and the like…

It’s been clear for some time that he has been showing increasing signs of megalomania and arrogance, and it’s about time that the very people that put him in power reminded him that he is still their servant and therefore not able to pick and choose the parts of Venezuela’s democratic, or make new bits up that suit his grasp for unending power.

Still, I’d rather have him in charge of Venezuela than some corrupt right-wing government and he does have another 5 years to go anyway…

[PLATO]

I doubt that this will be his last attempt at retaing long term power.

[rah]

Yeah 51% to 49% shows how close he is to attaining something similar.

[Arrian]

Obviously he failed to drum up a big enough external threat to Venezuela. Teh evil Bush wasn't enough. Back to the drawing board...

-Arrian

[Wernazuma III]

At least, he conceded defeat, I thought he'd rig the results if it comes down to a close match. The man is hysterical and kind of megalomanic, yet there are worse guys and less democratic ones out there (I think Chavez and Berlusconi have actually similar personalities, they even both bestowed their people with a crappy CD) - compare Venezuelan and Russian politics, e.g.
So this means I basically agree with MOBIUS.

[rah]

Yes, I was surprised also on how close it was and still a loss. That never would have happened in Chicago, and I usually consider Chicago more democratic.

If you read the article he did use Bush as a demon to scare them with.

[Dinner]

Great news for democracy.

[Spec]

Originally posted by Oerdin
Great news for democracy.

Democracy my ass. USA has democracy and look at your president. Look at ours!

Harper

Bush

Chavez

Spec.

[Whoha]

Originally posted by Oerdin
Great news for democracy.

the CIA messed up here .

[Dinner]

Even if you like Chavez for some bizarre reason then you still have to admit allowing the guy to be President for life isn't a good precedence.

[Whoha]

Well, as the guy in the James Bond film said: "And remember, El Presidente, that you are only president for life.".

[Arrian]

The point, Spec, is that we will have no more than 8 years of Dubya. And Harper's time will end too.

Chavez has done some good things, IMO, but his attempts at consolidating foreverpower are not to be ignored.

-Arrian