Venezuela Congress OKs Chavez's reforms

Government opponents - and of course opponents from United States - have attacked the reforms, saying they will further socialism and weaken democracy by permitting Chavez to become a lifelong leader like his ally Fidel Castro of Cuba.

But other reforms would create new types of property to be managed by cooperatives, give neighborhood-based "communal councils" administrative responsibilities usually reserved for elected officials and create "a popular militia" that would form part of the military. The workday would also be reduced to six hours.

Imagine if the constitution of United States of America guaranteed not only the right to private property, but also to collective, social, state, and community property? Venezuela is truly inventing a new form of socialism far from the oppressive bureaucracies of Soviet Europe and has risen from the corrupt neo-liberal to full sovereignty and a strong social democratic program, which is made from the people FOR the people. But of course, for some people (here and there), he shall just be called a dictator.

Yahoo News

The reforms extend presidential terms from six to seven years and allow Chavez to run again in 2013

Venezuela’s congress, dominated by allies of President Hugo Chavez, gave initial approval Tuesday to constitutional reforms that would allow him to run for re-election and possibly govern for decades to come.

After about six hours of debate, National Assembly president Cilia Flores said Chavez’s proposed changes to the constitution, including the lifting of presidential term limits, received “majority approval.”

Flores did not say how many of the 167 lawmakers voted in favor of the reforms, saying only that they were approved with overwhelming support. Final approval is expected within two or three months, and the changes would have to be approved by voters in a referendum.

There was once a guy named Hitler .... I suggest our good friend Hugo look him up.

"a popular militia"

Sounds alot like the Mussolini's MSVN, Noriega's Dignity Battalions, Saddam's Fedadyeen, etc. Like those organizations this one will be decimated in about 5 seconds if there should ever be a war.

After about six hours of debate, National Assembly president Cilia Flores said Chavez’s proposed changes to the constitution, including the lifting of presidential term limits, received “majority approval.”

Now that just reeks of dictatorship. If Chavez was replaced with Bush then 100% of this forum would be in approval with my initial comment and that goes to show how biased this forum is. Thankfully there a few of us who see things for the way they really are.

[edit on 25-8-2007 by ChrisF231]

Originally posted by ChrisF231
There was once a guy named Hitler .... I suggest our good friend Hugo look him up.

"a popular militia"

Sounds alot like the Mussolini's MSVN, Noriega's Dignity Battalions, Saddam's Fedadyeen, etc. Like those organizations this one will be decimated in about 5 seconds if there should ever be a war.

After about six hours of debate, National Assembly president Cilia Flores said Chavez’s proposed changes to the constitution, including the lifting of presidential term limits, received “majority approval.”

Now that just reeks of dictatorship. If Chavez was replaced with Bush then 100% of this forum would be in approval with my initial comment and that goes to show how biased this forum is. Thankfully there a few of us who see things for the way they really are.

[edit on 25-8-2007 by ChrisF231]

1 - Chavez receiving majority approval doesn't sound like a dictator to me.

2 - Chavez isn't rounding up people into concentration/death camps or executing anyone.

3 - The U.S. was formed because of militias who were willilng to fight tyranny. What's wrong with militias?

I think you need to quit reading U.S. propaganda against Chavez and do some real research. Chavez has done alot for Venezuela and raised the standard of living for many people.

reply to post by ChrisF231

Looks like we got another case of heavy socialismo-phobia. I guess you failed to realize, that United States are not a socialistic republic - and Venezula is. Chavez has a lot of approval among the people, because 80% of Venezuelans are poor and he is targeting the poor people and he promised them more power more control and more money. The government is this time really working for the people and for the community and not for the egoistic goal of few corporations, who basicly own the entire world governments and even entire countries and their natural resoruces. This time the natural resources are in the hands of the people of this land - not like in Africa or Iraq, where they are owned by private companies.

And when talking about militia - what do you think U.S. National Guard is? Let me enlighten you:

Title X of the US Code states:

• (a) The militia of the United States consists of all able-bodied males at least 17 years of age and, except as provided in section 313 of title 32, under 45 years of age who are, or who have made a declaration of intention to become, citizens of the United States and of female citizens of the United States who are members of the National Guard.
  
  
• (b) The classes of the militia are:
  
  (1) the organized militia, which consists of the National Guard and the Naval Militia; and
  (2) the unorganized militia, which consists of the members of the militia who are not members of the National Guard or the Naval Militia.

Sounds like the Mussolini's MSVN, Noriega's Dignity Battalions, Saddam's Fedadyeen, ey?



[edit on 25/8/07 by Souljah]

Well when it comes to the capitalistic mentality of America it seems that even me forget sometimes that capitalistic control means freedom and democracy.

So any country that do not allow corporations to rule the nation are either dictatorships or socialist.

But then again look what is happening in our nation when corporations run unrestricted . . .

I will patiently wait and see if Chavez new form of government will be a model of for the people government and no just another grasp for power and the people's money.

As disturbing as this trend is, it's their country, if they foolishly elected this man, and are now paying for it, who are we to deny them the pleasure?

There's majority approval then there's majority approval, one is a joke and the other actually is majority approval. Anyone remember Saddam being reelected with nearly 100% of the vote?

Seagull, Venezuela's last 2 elections (at least) have been watched closely by international observers, at Chavez's request; Hussein's elections were another story.

I'm generally not comfortable with elected officials not having term limits, but if it's
what the people want, than they wont have any.

Of course it would be somewhat hypocritical for anyone to say America is somehow greater
than Venezuela because we have term limits, since only the executive has term limits
and even than that was'nt until th first 1st to 2nd quarter of the 20th century.

I support Chávez simply because he has'nt done anything really negative in my opinion,
that's not to say he' perfect to me or anything, but I'll continue to watch, perhaps Chávez
is (like me) one of the few people who can be trusted with large amounts of power.



Oh, and I have no real inkling to respond to neocons, anti-socialists, anti-Chávez's or
anyone like that, so if you're one of those people, don't bother trying to get into an
argument or criticize me because I'll just ignore it.

Freedom from tyranny very hard to come by very easy to give up seemingly.

This may sound like a good idea today but what happens after the honeymoon period - The funny thing is I thought this might be what was going to happen in another country and i'll give you ten guess's which one.