I'd be much more worked up over what's happening in Venezuela and the coming of President for Life Chavez aka "Permanent Majority Hugo," if we weren't living through the same sort of transformation in this country. From the pro-war WaPo:
The changes would create new forms of communal property, extend presidential terms from six to seven years and let Chavez seek re-election. If Chavez were to lose, he would be barred from running for re-election in 2012.
The reforms would also grant Chavez control over the Central Bank, allow his government to detain citizens without charge during a state of emergency, and empower him to redraw the country's political map and handpick provincial and municipal leaders.
The big difference is that we aren't getting the benefit of a referendum.
UPDATE: Chavez lost. This quote, which captures the essence of democracy, probably captures the reason why:
"I've voted for him every time before but not this time, I'm worried where this is headed," said Jonathan Machado, 25, a taxi driver in Barinas. "I want him to stay in office but on a leash."
Does anyone know how we can get people to use some of those leashes around here?
Talk about double standards. It's OK for the Premier of Azerbaijan to boil his political opponents alive because, hey, he says he's against terrorists and he's basically a dictator. But Chavez lets the people decide and he's a Commie thug.
It isn't Hugo's autocratic side that's got them fuming. It's the fact that he's willing to put it to a vote where BushCo doesn't dare. The Shrub has to resort to signing statements, subterfuge, and outright law-breaking because he knows what we'd say if he asked.
Ain't it somethin' when a quasi-authoritarian loudmouth is actually more restrained and reasonable than the President of the United States? How the mighty have fallen....
Posted by: mick arran | December 03, 2007 at 10:42 PM