Where "hope" is just another word for something new to steal.
"Clash of hope and fear as Venezuela seizes land"The squatters arrive before dawn with machetes and rifles, surround the well-ordered rows of sugar cane and threaten to kill anyone who interferes. Then they light a match to the crops and declare the land their own.
For centuries, much of Venezuela's rich farmland has been in the hands of a small elite. After coming to power in 1998, and especially after his re-election in December, President Hugo Chávez vowed to end that inequality, and has been keeping his promise in a process that is both brutal and legal.
Chávez is carrying out what may become the largest forced land redistribution in Venezuela's history, building utopian farming villages for squatters, lavishing money on new cooperatives and sending army commando units to supervise seized estates in six states.
The violence has gone both ways in the struggle, with more than 160 peasants killed by hired gunmen in Venezuela, including several here in northwestern Yaracuy State, an epicenter of the land reform project, in recent years. Eight landowners have also been killed here.
"The oligarchy is always on the attack and trying to say you are no good," Chávez said to squatters in a televised visit here. "They think they're the owners of the world."
Related: His mother's looks, his father's admiration for fascist dictatorships.
It seemed to work out well for Zimbabwe ...
Let's start the countdown to the start of food aid due to the collapse of agriculture and the environmental degradation caused by poor land management. Starting now ...
my thoughts exactly....another Zimbabwe in the making.
Redistribution of land... How familiar! He's following the trail, blazed by Lenin, Stalin, Pol Pot and the rest of Marxist gang. If I had 10 lives, I'd spent them all with a sword in my hand back in 1917, when my grand-grandfather's land was confiscated by the bolsheviks, chopping off the bastards' heads. Ruining entire countries is their sweet dream.
There's "social justice" for ya.
Agree with the sentiments already expressed: give it five years and it'll be another Zimbabwe.
".....and has been keeping his promise in a process that is both brutal and * LEGAL * ."
Legal? Misprint? Hooboy!
and Just in Trudeau is only one of the horrid spawn ,Sacha's praise of Castro was almost erotic.
I wonder how CBCpravda missed this opportunity to follow the flock.
man, that turdeau lite is going to be worse than his old man....talk about wannabe commie....what an idiot....he feeds off the system built by private capital, and has the nerve to slag it...what a POS....it would truly be a nightmare come true if that moron ever becomes PM
Forced land redistribution isn't that great a stretch from forced wealth redistribution. Especially if it's the natives doing the forcing.
Something to think about in this tax-heavy nation.
These quotes from the IHT article were reminiscent of the sanctimonious blatherings of Russia's political leaders and fellow travellers in the 1930's: "...Governor Giménez said some friction should be expected on "the road to socialism."
"The upper class had more than 400 years of benefits from the system," Giménez said. "They need to understand we're committed to the construction of a socialist fatherland."
Bobby Mugabe would be so proud of his Latin American proteges. Murder, theft, corruption and general mayhem are haughtily dismissed as "friction".
I have to chuckle though; these twits sound like bad caricatures out of a socialist comic book.
When the country collaspes they can always blame it on Bush.
The government has the same power in Canada. Think about that. Read the Expropriations Act in your jurisdiction. In most, if not all jurisdictions, the policy decision underlying an expropriation is unassailable. It's only the proportionality and necessity of the particular seizure itself that can be challenged.
Wow, let's see, Chavez has made himself the CHIC. He has taken the Oil, now he is taking the Land, and is threatening to take control of the Banks, Man, if that ain't Communism I sure as hades don't know what is. Pat Robertson was right this cat needs to be taken down a peg.
And, just think, I am worried about our local Parish Police Jury voting in Health Insurance for theirselves, children and spouses, seems trivial now.
"Trudeau was invited to speak to the 600 students by Leadership Windsor/Essex, a group dedicated to grooming youth to become community leaders."
WTF!!!
"dedicated to grooming youth to become community leaders."
Why bother grooming kids for leadership, if you're actually dedicated to annointing leadership cred. on birthright elitist morons, born with a silver communist manifesto, sticking out of their ass.
Cut Lisa Kolody's funding from gubmint yesterday, and get her the hell, out of our schools.
"He declined to speak to the media, said Lisa Kolody, the executive director of Leadership Windsor/Essex."
Then ask Lisa, executive director of Leadership, TM ; How young upstart leaders are "groomed" in Trudeau's utopian Cuba?
Alan: ...In most, if not all jurisdictions, the policy decision underlying an expropriation is unassailable...
MOLON LABE
Funny the media's definition of legal:
Get rid of psycho dictator who has violated UN resolutions ad nauseum = evil BushMcHitlerburton's illegal war.
Steal land, impoverish a nation leading to inevitable mass starvation = legal land reform for equality.
And these leftards wonder why the media's circulation is down.
Alan: thanks for reminding me in what kind of country I live! Ontario: http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/DBLaws/Statutes/English/90e26_e.htm
Excellent reading before going to bed. Nightmare guaranteed!
Past experience would indicate the time line will be just about on schedule: claimed international victimization ---> nationalization ---> chaos ---> implosion ---> victim-status granted ---> blame America ---> demands ("now, give us some money to rebuild") ---> liberal breast-beating ---> boat loads of money headed south.
Did I leave out any steps?
I agree with a first comparison between Zimbabwe and Venezuala. Both actions of land expropriation were/are geared to political agendas, not economic agendas.
But remember, Venezuala, unlike Zimbabwe, has OIL. Therefore, it can, for a few years, afford to destroy its agricultural base - while Zimbabwe's economic base was its agriculture.
Alan - despite the fact that our government has the same power to expropriate land, we have a democratic system that would never allow a similar scenario to the dictatorships of Zimbabwe and Venezuala.
Phase 4 of the Bolshie guide to dystopia proceeds as per the prototype plan dictates.
Phase 5 occurs when phase 4 state seizure of the means of production fails to produce economic incentive/expansion. Phase 5 involves "quatas" with no incentives but pernicious disincentives for missing targets.
The killing fields are in the final 2 phases of dystopia's leadership realization that all statist collectivism does is ensue that impoverishment is shared equally.
A couple more years of Chavez' inspired leadership will make Venezuela ripe for takeover by that other extremist nutbar group, the Islamists. Keep it up Chavez, you are playing right into their hands.
Justin Trudeau called on hundreds of high school students in Windsor Wednesday to rethink the capitalist system and reconsider Canada's reputation as a model nation.
"Trudeau suggested to the students the capitalist "machine" that sustains modern existence may also become modern civilization's downfall.
The system promotes exploitation of natural resources without accounting for future consequences of consumption, he said."
Is this the commie Y chromosme speaking or a Apostle of "Uncle" Fidel?
I can see that dangerous civil/social/economic deconstructionism is genetic in this sencond gen cloistered patrican bambino...what is it about farting through silk sheets all their lives that makes these pampered class bobble-heads want to lead Bolshie revolutions?
Trust me, give Chavez five years and he will do to Venezuela what Mugabe has done to Zimbabwe, turned an exporter of food into a literally starvation situation.
Chavez and Putin are living large on oil revenues. That will come to an end someday.
Politcal murders will increase too.
A valid and valuable point by Alan. We Canadians do not have a Constitutionally protected right to own property, unlike our American brothers. Part of the reason I have faint hope for the CPC is section 13 Property Rights in their 2005 Policy Declaration.
The apocalypse of socialism: pestilence, war, famine, and death; 4 horses-in-one = socialism.
Called to witness: Venezuela, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, China, Russia, NKorea, Cuba, ...
...-
Ethiopia and third world myths [Ethiopian famine is caused by Marxism, not overpopulation]...-
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1835205/posts
"The first land reform of March 1975 laid the basis for an agricultural policy which has effectively destroyed agriculture. All rural land was nationalised - a significant change in a country where agriculture is by far the largest source of earnings.
Land was redistributed, with a ten hectare limit placed on holdings and transfer of holdings forbidden. This has ensured that agriculture in Ethiopia will never progress beyond peasant level,..."
"Forced land redistribution isn't that great a stretch from forced wealth redistribution."
Oh no, it's different, wealth distribution is "progressive".....never forget that.....
ET: ...democratic system that would never allow a similar scenario...
What makes you to make that extremely naive statement? I would only agree with one 'IF': it is IF we keep and bear arms, that would never allow a similar scenario.
Yoop: Boat loads of troops is what's due, and now before it's too late. Where are the times when free people of the world would volunteer to go there with rifles to defend freedom? The UN would have quickly pronounced them war criminals today.
We better keep a listen to that Trudeau spawn, mother's looks and father's fixtures, great combination to get rolling in politics in the Liberal party of Canada.
What's in his head, we really won't know for some time although we've had a couple of gaffes already.
"We Canadians do not have a Constitutionally protected right to own property"
Yes we so in the Canadian bill of rights...we also have the old commonlaw right to absolute ownership via british civil law heritage...but you have to claim it by envoking charter section 26 and asking the court to recognize this as a pre-existing right...al in all civil liberty is quite confused and ultimately open to interpretation or truncation by 8 jurocrats.
If they think that my inviolate basic rights are priviledges to be dispensed or disposed at their whim, they haven't begun to understand the nature of civil disobedience and principled non compliance.
If the state leaves your personal property rights in the wind so that any vindictive dipshit with a minor bureaucratic office can make claim on it...the time has come to cut his frikking hand off when he comes to steal it and put your faith in the empathy of 12 of your peers.
If you think I don't have property rights just try to take my property and see what the consequence will be...all that matters is that I believe I have property rights ...it makes my defense of my private property just and moral in my mind.
Lenin, Stalin and Marx had strong ties to the oligarchy in fact.
The modern left seems reduced to, anything goes, as long as you're putting it to the "man." Oil certainly qualifies. Unfortunately for them, it has made them strange bedfellows with Islamist militancy, and collectivist nutbars like Chavez.
Re: Justin the heir. So, far, error seems a better term. Where did he ever get the idea that capitalism is bad for the environment? What a demonstrably false statement.
In BC a few years ago, then NDP Premiere "Glen - I beat the wrap - Clark" tried to expropriate all of the seniors homes which were built and operated by volunteer groups across the province. The rational being that because the government had provided the operating funds for a number of years the province did in fact own the homes and expropriation was merely a formality. One of the groups fought back and took them to court to get their homes back. It was a very short trial. The judge asked the province's lawyer if she was familiar with the Magna Carta and she struggled with her memory and the nature of the question. The judge then gave her an example: did the government pay for your gas to drive to the court house? She responded that she was being compensated. The judge followed up by asking her if she believed that government therefore owned her car? It was a very short trial the outcome of which was that the volunteer groups retained ownership of their seniors' homes. Even our beloved benevolent Pierre could not wipe out every principal of the British common law.
Loony in LotusLand: any chance you could recall the case information, i.e. who vs. who? I might need this for some Firearms act challenges that are in progress and future ones.
Sorry Aaron, the best I can do is it was between 1995 and 1999, and the case was a Victoria based charity vs. the Government of BC.
Aaron - you've focused on a point that shouldn't be missed. I'm sure history will support that Marxists/Socialists prior to their land confiscation schemes made sure the citizenry had turned in all weapons.
In the blessed heritage of our shared English Common Law, our forefathers were always mindful of defending oneself against the capriciousness of the King. Stupid lefty sheeple are too dumb to get that. Multi-culturalism dictates that that intelligent and unique English principle is worthless.
You can thank the entrenched Marxists that we taxpayers fund, that are entrenched like barnacles on our campuses, for destroying our unique heritage.
The damage done by 40 years of lefty crap in NA is appalling. Can we take back our heritage before it's too late?
We Canadians do not have a Constitutionally protected right to own property, unlike our American brothers.
I used to think so but the Supreme Court says otherwise.Now using eminent domain any local hack city council can condemn your property and sell it to a developer for a "fair" price.
High real estate taxes rule.
and for commentary from someone living in Venezuela, see http://daniel-venezuela.blogspot.com/2007/05/wall-street-journal-does-yaracuy.html
an added note, in the past, Venezuela has always been a food importer, not an exporter like Zimbabwe was. Now with oil exports falling and with the handouts to both Venezuelans and "others" in the southern americas causing a run on government funds.. there are some who estimate that Mr.Chavez has about 6-8 months before he needs to stop the spending spree. What spending gets cut first? who knows? any guess is as good as the next, although basic foods (sugar, rice, chicken ect) being bought by Mercal for cheap distribution to the poor have fallen now to a similar level set in 2003...
and the last thing these people need is a Trudeau interferring... if Cuba is so great, why doesn't he just emigrate there? (really.)