Latin Americans rank as happiest people on planet

[tailfins]

Latin Americans rank as happiest people on planet

Read more: http://www.myfoxorlando.com/story/20385232/poll-says-latin-americans-most-positive#ixzz2GMjjaKgZ

[James]

I'm not exactly surprised Venezuela's on that list. Chavez's leadership has been a beautiful success. :D

[jimnyc]

I'm not exactly surprised Venezuela's on that list. Chavez's leadership has been a beautiful success. :D

I have no issue with Venezuela, but Chavez is nothing more than a loud mouthed wannabe power grabbing dictator. The world will be a better place when he's no longer showing up at the UN and elsewhere with his retarded rhetoric.

[James]

I have no issue with Venezuela, but Chavez is nothing more than a loud mouthed wannabe power grabbing dictator. The world will be a better place when he's no longer showing up at the UN and elsewhere with his retarded rhetoric.

I disagree. Though some of his actions don't exactly sit well with me - the writing of a new constitution and seizure of privately owned land, for instance -, the bulk of what he's done is for the best. Venezuela's economy hasn't been the best, so the establishment of cheap housing, communes and worker collectives(the last two will be phased in within the next four years) was a brilliant idea. Keep in mind that Chavez established the freedom of speech/press, as well.

[tailfins]

I'm not exactly surprised Venezuela's on that list. Chavez's leadership has been a beautiful success. :D

Some people show their best when things are at their worst.

[jimnyc]

I disagree. Though some of his actions don't exactly sit well with me - the writing of a new constitution and seizure of privately owned land, for instance -, the bulk of what he's done is for the best. Venezuela's economy hasn't been the best, so the establishment of cheap housing, communes and worker collectives(the last two will be phased in within the next four years) was a brilliant idea. Keep in mind that Chavez established the freedom of speech/press, as well.

Imagine if an American sitting president made such power grabs, and then went around the country talking down various world leaders as he has. Imagine GWB or Obama doing such crap with our constitution? No thanks. He comes off like a mini dictator to me.

[aboutime]

Some people show their best when things are at their worst.


James....you mean, this kind of success.....? 4217

[tailfins]

I'm not exactly surprised Venezuela's on that list. Chavez's leadership has been a beautiful success. :D

I'm not either, but it's because of a knack South Americans have to block out utter misery and somehow find a way to make happiness. Why don't you go to Venezuela and have a thorough good look-see? Do you see Cuba as a well governed country?

[fj1200]

I'm not exactly surprised Venezuela's on that list. Chavez's leadership has been a beautiful success. :D


Venezuela’s economic freedom score is 38.1, making its economy the 174th freest in the 2012 Index. Its score increased by 0.5 point since last year, with a modest gain in labor freedom partly offset by a drop in trade freedom. Venezuela is ranked 28th out of 29 countries in the South and Central America/Caribbean region, and its overall score is much lower than the world average.Venezuela continues to be mired in a climate of economic repression. Severely hampered by state interference, the formal economy is increasingly stagnant, and informal economic activity is expanding. Monetary stability is particularly weak, and there are extensive price controls on almost all goods and services. Government interference in the financial sector further distorts price levels and constrains private-sector growth by allocating credit on non-market terms.
Because of rampant corruption and deficiencies in the legal framework, the rule of law remains fragile and uneven across the Venezuelan economy. Contracts and property rights are not well respected, and the threat of government expropriation remains high. The government dictates most production and investment activity.


President Hugo Chávez styles himself the leader of Latin America’s anti–free market forces and has sought allies in China, Cuba, Russia, and rogue states like Iran. He has hobbled political opponents, outlawed free speech, done away with property rights, nation*alized private businesses, pursued a military buildup, imposed foreign exchange controls, and antagonized neighboring Colombia. A 2009 constitutional revision permits Chávez to rule as president for life, although his many treatments for prostate cancer in 2011 may presage the ultimate term limit. Legislative elections in 2010 split evenly between pro- and anti-Chávez forces. Venezuela has Latin America’s highest infla*tion rate, a chronic electricity crisis, food shortages, an epidemic of crime, and the lowest economic growth rate currently measured in the Americas.


The judiciary is completely controlled by the executive, politically inconvenient contracts are abrogated, and the legal system discriminates against or in favor of investors from certain foreign countries. Land and other private holdings across the economy are expropriated by the government arbitrarily and without compensation. Corruption, exacerbated by cronyism and nepotism, remains rampant at all level of government.
http://www.heritage.org/index/country/venezuela


I disagree. Though some of his actions don't exactly sit well with me - the writing of a new constitution and seizure of privately owned land, for instance -, the bulk of what he's done is for the best. Venezuela's economy hasn't been the best, so the establishment of cheap housing, communes and worker collectives(the last two will be phased in within the next four years) was a brilliant idea. Keep in mind that Chavez established the freedom of speech/press, as well.


Censorship in Venezuela (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venezuela) was ranked 117th out of 179 countries in the Press Freedom Index 2011-2012 from Reporters Without Borders (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reporters_Without_Borders).[1] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Censorship_in_Venezuela#cite_note-1)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Censorship_in_Venezuela

[Tyr-Ziu Saxnot]

I disagree. Though some of his actions don't exactly sit well with me - the writing of a new constitution and seizure of privately owned land, for instance -, the bulk of what he's done is for the best. Venezuela's economy hasn't been the best, so the establishment of cheap housing, communes and worker collectives(the last two will be phased in within the next four years) was a brilliant idea. Keep in mind that Chavez established the freedom of speech/press, as well.

freedom of the press, that's right they are perfectly free to print whatever the government tells them to.-Tyr

http://www.hrw.org/news/2012/07/17/venezuela-concentration-and-abuse-power-under-ch-vez

Venezuela: Concentration and Abuse of Power Under Chávez (http://www.hrw.org/news/2012/07/17/venezuela-concentration-and-abuse-power-under-ch-vez)

Critics Targeted by Government

JULY 17, 2012








http://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/imagecache/scale-300x/media/images/photographs/2012_Venezuela_chavez.jpg (http://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/media/images/photographs/2012_Venezuela_chavez.jpg)
President Hugo Chávez waves to supporters on the day he registered for re-election in Caracas, Venezuela, on June 11, 2012.

© 2012 Meridith Kohut/The New York Times/Redux


“For years, President Chávez and his followers have been building a system in which the government has free rein to threaten and punish Venezuelans who interfere with their political agenda. Today that system is firmly entrenched, and the risks for judges, journalists, and rights defenders are greater than they’ve ever been under Chávez.”

Jose Miguel Vivanco, executive director, Americas division

The concentration of power under President Hugo Chávez has taken a heavy toll on human rights in Venezuela (http://www.hrw.org/americas/venezuela), Human Rights Watch said in a report released today.

The 133-page report, “Tightening the Grip: Concentration and Abuse of Power in Chávez's Venezuela (http://www.hrw.org/reports/2012/07/17/tightening-grip-0)”, documents how the accumulation of power in the executive and the erosion of human rights protections have allowed the Chávez government to intimidate, censor, and prosecute critics and perceived opponents in a wide range of cases involving the judiciary, the media, and civil society.

“For years, President Chávez and his followers have been building a system in which the government has free rein to threaten and punish Venezuelans who interfere with their political agenda,” said José Miguel Vivanco (http://www.hrw.org/bios/jos-miguel-vivanco), Americas director at Human Rights Watch. “Today that system is firmly entrenched, and the risks for judges, journalists, and rights defenders are greater than they’ve ever been under Chávez.”

[Gaffer]

I disagree. Though some of his actions don't exactly sit well with me - the writing of a new constitution and seizure of privately owned land, for instance -, the bulk of what he's done is for the best. Venezuela's economy hasn't been the best, so the establishment of cheap housing, communes and worker collectives(the last two will be phased in within the next four years) was a brilliant idea. Keep in mind that Chavez established the freedom of speech/press, as well.

So james do you have a conscience? Are you so intellectually superior that you have no feeling for others? Do you actually believe your going to be on top of the pyramid while everyone else struggles below you? How many innocent people are you prepared to kill to achieve your goals?

You appear to me to be a condescending intellectual, with no real world experience. Ever live in one of those shanties you speak so dearly about? Ever been forced to work in a collective? Ever seen people executed because they had an education? After all intellect is a threat to folks like you on your way to the top.

[aboutime]

So james do you have a conscience? Are you so intellectually superior that you have no feeling for others? Do you actually believe your going to be on top of the pyramid while everyone else struggles below you? How many innocent people are you prepared to kill to achieve your goals?

You appear to me to be a condescending intellectual, with no real world experience. Ever live in one of those shanties you speak so dearly about? Ever been forced to work in a collective? Ever seen people executed because they had an education? After all intellect is a threat to folks like you on your way to the top.


Gaffer. This member James, seems to be nothing more than a Shill for someone else. At other forums like this. The words SOCK PUPPET come to mind. Where an angry, or intellectually deprived member pretends to be someone else.

But pretending to be something they Love, and Admire...like an Anarchist fan. Really proves how the pretender has no REAL worth here. Or anywhere else.
Like Gabby, or others. James is nothing but an ATTENTION STARVED phony.

[tailfins]

So james do you have a conscience? Are you so intellectually superior that you have no feeling for others? Do you actually believe your going to be on top of the pyramid while everyone else struggles below you? How many innocent people are you prepared to kill to achieve your goals?

You appear to me to be a condescending intellectual, with no real world experience. Ever live in one of those shanties you speak so dearly about? Ever been forced to work in a collective? Ever seen people executed because they had an education? After all intellect is a threat to folks like you on your way to the top.

That's why I suggested he go see for himself. Flights from JFKto Caracas are under $900. Keep in mind the power of freebies. You will likely find true support for Chavez in the idle slum dwellers who are happy to have their beer paid for. which reminds me of a Bible verse:

Proverbs 26


14 (http://bible.cc/proverbs/26-14.htm)As the door turneth upon his hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed.
15 (http://bible.cc/proverbs/26-15.htm)The slothful hideth his hand in his bosom; it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth.

[Drummond]

Hello James.

May I say how much I'm enjoying your participation on this forum ? Some really excellent posts. From time to time, in my view, this forum can do with some light relief. Your material certainly qualifies, in my humble opinion.

Please bear in mind, though, that humour can be a tricky thing to get entirely right all of the time .. good taste needs to be maintained, for example.

But still, let's not be negative. There's some rib-tickling stuff to be read ! Let me point you to my two favourites, thus far ....


I'm not exactly surprised Venezuela's on that list. Chavez's leadership has been a beautiful success. :D

It's a good thing you included the 'smilie', isn't it ? We can't have people thinking you're being serious, now, can we ??

My second favourite is this ...


Keep in mind that Chavez established the freedom of speech/press, as well.

Oh, but this is good stuff !!!

Of course, that one was the giveaway, in case anyone was tempted to take you seriously. We will all know, of course, that there are various reports out there of how Chavez has been stifling the freedom of the Venezuelan Press (so he can't be said to be showing respect for such 'freedom', can he ?) ... when outlets disagree with him, they tend not to last very long ... for example ..

http://www.policymic.com/articles/11212/hugo-chavez-cristina-kirchner-and-other-leftist-presidents-persecute-the-press-in-latin-america


Hugo Chavez, in Venezuela, has closed more than 30 radio stations and many newspapers and television stations. Newspapers have been threatened and fiscally harassed by the Chavez regime. In election times Chavez utilizes all the controlled media to attack his competitors and manipulate information.
.. but then, we all know this stuff ... don't we, James ?

So anyway, keep up the good work. By the way, if you haven't found it already, this forum has a section devoted to humorous postings. You might want to spend some time there. Judging by what I've seen, I'm sure you have some excellent material to offer us all.
Oh, and can I say, the comedy avatar is the icing on the cake ?? Definitely rib-tickling potential. :clap::clap:

Tell me, are you a fan of Monty Python ?

What does the beard hide ?

... ah. I get it. Finally. Good one !

You are Jay Leno, and I claim my $10.00 ..... :laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh:

[SassyLady]

I disagree. Though some of his actions don't exactly sit well with me - the writing of a new constitution and seizure of privately owned land, for instance -, the bulk of what he's done is for the best. Venezuela's economy hasn't been the best, so the establishment of cheap housing, communes and worker collectives(the last two will be phased in within the next four years) was a brilliant idea. Keep in mind that Chavez established the freedom of speech/press, as well.

What????? Are you serious?

[Drummond]

What????? Are you serious?

It's hilarious, isn't it ?? :laugh:

[James]

Hello James.

May I say how much I'm enjoying your participation on this forum ? Some really excellent posts. From time to time, in my view, this forum can do with some light relief. Your material certainly qualifies, in my humble opinion.

Please bear in mind, though, that humour can be a tricky thing to get entirely right all of the time .. good taste needs to be maintained, for example.

But still, let's not be negative. There's some rib-tickling stuff to be read ! Let me point you to my two favourites, thus far ....

I'm so glad you're a fan. ;)


It's a good thing you included the 'smilie', isn't it ? We can't have people thinking you're being serious, now, can we ??

I guess we all have our reasons to oppose workers rights.


My second favourite is this ...

Oh, but this is good stuff !!!

Of course, that one was the giveaway, in case anyone was tempted to take you seriously. We will all know, of course, that there are various reports out there of how Chavez has been stifling the freedom of the Venezuelan Press (so he can't be said to be showing respect for such 'freedom', can he ?) ... when outlets disagree with him, they tend not to last very long ... for example ..

http://www.policymic.com/articles/11212/hugo-chavez-cristina-kirchner-and-other-leftist-presidents-persecute-the-press-in-latin-america

.. but then, we all know this stuff ... don't we, James ?

If you go back and read the post you quoted you'll find that I never denied his oppression of the press. I simply stated that with Chavez's constitution, freedom of speech was given to Venezuelans(something that the country's previous leader didn't grant them).


So anyway, keep up the good work. By the way, if you haven't found it already, this forum has a section devoted to humorous postings. You might want to spend some time there. Judging by what I've seen, I'm sure you have some excellent material to offer us all.
Oh, and can I say, the comedy avatar is the icing on the cake ?? Definitely rib-tickling potential. :clap::clap:

Tell me, are you a fan of Monty Python ?

What does the beard hide ?

... ah. I get it. Finally. Good one !

You are Jay Leno, and I claim my $10.00 ..... :laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh:

I get it. End with empty rhetoric and ad hominem and you get to keep your pride, eh? ;)

[Drummond]

I guess we all have our reasons to oppose workers rights.

????????????????????????

I've no idea what you're referring to. Perhaps the 'rights of workers' are well served when living under the rule of a character who won't tolerate dissention ?

See also below ...


If you go back and read the post you quoted you'll find that I never denied his oppression of the press. I simply stated that with Chavez's constitution, freedom of speech was given to Venezuelans(something that the country's previous leader didn't grant them).

Freedom of speech, where the only total freedom of expression you have in Venezuela is to agree with Chavez, is NOT 'freedom of speech' - very far from it. You admit it yourself, James, oppression of the press goes on in that country, and my link showed that media outlets were actually closed down for offering points of view, perspectives, not in line with Chavez's own preferences.

Try imagining an America where citizens knew that they could expect to lose their jobs just for voicing disagreement with Obama. Would you, under such circumstances, consider that Americans had 'freedom of speech' .. ??

Besides, I suggest that workers' rights are NOT best served by closing down workplaces, as Chavez has been fond of doing !!!


[B]I get it. End with empty rhetoric and ad hominem and you get to keep your pride, eh? ;)

A baffling statement. My 'pride' is not on the line, and you've no means of making any sort of impact on my capacity for it. And that's beside the point that I don't know what you're talking about.

No, there's just a lot to find amusing about your posts. I reserve the right to be accordingly entertained by them, James.:laugh:

[aboutime]

????????????????????????

I've no idea what you're referring to. Perhaps the 'rights of workers' are well served when living under the rule of a character who won't tolerate dissention ?

See also below ...



Freedom of speech, where the only total freedom of expression you have in Venezuela is to agree with Chavez, is NOT 'freedom of speech' - very far from it. [By that reckoning .. Hitler was strong on allowing freedom of speech in his Third Reich !!] You admit it yourself, James, oppression of the press goes on in that country, and my link showed that media outlets were actually closed down for offering points of view, perspectives, not in line with Chavez's own preferences.

Try imagining an America where citizens knew that they could expect to lose their jobs just for voicing disagreement with Obama. Would you, under such circumstances, consider that Americans had 'freedom of speech' .. ??

Besides, I suggest that workers' rights are NOT best served by closing down workplaces, as Chavez has been fond of doing !!!



A baffling statement. My 'pride' is not on the line, and you've no means of making any sort of impact on my capacity for it. And that's beside the point that I don't know what you're talking about.

No, there's just a lot to find amusing about your posts. I reserve the right to be accordingly entertained by them, James.:laugh:

Shucks SIR Drummond. You ruined the whole thing by exposing James. Obviously. He has grown that beard to disguise his weird sense of humor. I must say however. With so many comedians out of work. I wonder if James has a secure Day Job.

[tailfins]

Shucks SIR Drummond. You ruined the whole thing by exposing James. Obviously. He has grown that beard to disguise his weird sense of humor. I must say however. With so many comedians out of work. I wonder if James has a secure Day Job.

As someone who has traveled the hemisphere listening to different points of view, it's more instructive to ask how they got there. Intolerance is specialty of the left, not us. It's best to judge the ideology and not the person. I remember hearing an old black woman explain why she had no angst against the Klan, she said, "They just don't know no better."

[aboutime]

As someone who has traveled the hemisphere listening to different points of view, it's more instructive to ask how they got there. Intolerance is specialty of the left, not us. It's best to judge the ideology and not the person. I remember hearing an old black woman explain why she had no angst against the Klan, she said, "They just don't know no better."


tailfins. As have I. Sadly. That woman was actually speaking more broadly. Especially for our own nation. We have been seeing vivid examples of that almost every day. Either the second you step out your front door, turn on the tv, or watch the Fiasco taking place in Washington DC.

And the voters are not exempt. As that woman said "They just don't know no better!"

[gabosaurus]

My sister's former charge, who grew up in Columbia, will violently disagree with any support of Venezuela. The people there support Chavez the same way that poor people protected by drug cartels support them.