In the real world Chavez has been elected three times in elections AT LEAST as democratic and fair as ours.

Mike Whitney, Counter Punch, Jan. 4 2011

In late November, Venezuela was hammered by torrential rains and flooding that left 35 people dead and roughly 130,000 homeless. If George Bush had been president, instead of Hugo Chavez, the displaced people would have been shunted off at gunpoint to makeshift prison camps--like the Superdome--as they were following Hurricane Katrina. But that's not the way that Chavez works. The Venezuelan president quickly passed "enabling laws" which gave him special powers to provide emergency aid and housing to flood victims. Chavez then cleared out the presidential palace and turned it into living quarters for 60 people, which is the equivalent of turning the White House into a homeless shelter. The disaster victims are now being fed and taken care of by the state until they can get back on their feet and return to work.

The details of Chavez's efforts have been largely omitted in the US media where he is regularly demonized as a "leftist strongman" or a dictator. The media refuses to acknowledge that Chavez has narrowed the income gap, eliminated illiteracy, provided health care for all Venezuelans, reduced inequality, and raised living standards across he board. While Bush and Obama were expanding their foreign wars and pushing through tax cuts for the rich, Chavez was busy improving the lives of the poor and needy while fending off the latest wave of US aggression.

Washington despises Chavez because he is unwilling to hand over Venezuela's vast resources to corporate elites and bankers. That's why the Bush administration tried to depose Chavez in a failed coup attempt in 2002, and that's why the smooth-talking Obama continues to launch covert attacks on Chavez today. Washington wants regime change so it can install a puppet who will hand over Venezuela's reserves to big oil while making life hell for working people.

ArchStanton, That's all fine and well and for the sake of argument let us presume you to be 100% correct. Great. Now 'splain me please, Lucy, what does any of that have to do with the topic at hand, namely, shipping petroleum product to a land run by a very un-democratic regime which is acting murderously against its own citizens? Sorry, no matter how much you think the US sucks and Venezuela rocks, that's no justification to aid and abet the Assad regime. You do, however, demonstrate through your flawed thinking that Chavez's actions in this matter may indeed be an "F--- you!" to the US, if Chavez thinks anything like you do. Real maturity on display there. Not.

Since Chavez has been elected as President in democratic elections,how is he a dictator.Oh,I forgot,we like to call anybody we don't like a dictator.

Arch Stanton and or Uncle Bob- Have you been to Venezuela lately? If you had you probably would have seen the thousands of shacks built on the hillside above Caracas. As the construction extends up the hill, each shanty is built upon the uppermost portion of the one located below it. This shanty-town is built of any material the impoverished people can get. Perhaps you can envision a family of 4, 6, 8 or more living in glorified cardboard or plywood shacks. These shacks have no sanitary facilities and they obtain electricity through stolen connections that look like bees nests on the adjacent power poles. During heavy rains it is common for hundreds of these shanties and their occupants, to get caught in massive mudslides down this slope. Now, would you please explain to me why Chavez allows his people to live this way when he is supposedly such a caring and benevolent humanitarian??? I have great empathy for the people of Venezuela. Their elections are always rigged so they have no hope of ever changing their lives. The only difference between Chavez and Assad is that one hasn't been actively waging war against his own people.

Now, Arch Stanton, please explain to me how much GREATER Venezuela is over the U.S.

I wonder how much their country is in debt compared to our country, and I heard the gas prices are just over a dollar is that true ......

Venezuela can't be compared with USA... If Venezuela were as rich as USA was on the 80 everyone were speaking spanish... O never mind; anyway 20% of "American population" not just speak spanish... We speak english much better tha you "gabachos" speak spanish and we gonna take over this f... country very soon so start practicing... You allways barking to the wrong tree... Viet Nam; kwait; Afganistan; and so many more... You should start looking inside instead of outside and fix yourselves instead of being telling other countries what to do and what not to do...Always so convinient only for you.

... And do not wories for the gas; next week it will change here expensier than in all arround the globe... It's a Republican estrategy to make look Obama like all this mess was his fault when everybodie know it was Bush and Bush jr.

Don't be so hard and short sighted on Arch Stanton's post !!!

He basically said that Chavesz has thumbed his nose at the Bankstres ( I.M.F., World Bank and the captions & Kings of industry). He is 100% correct. That alone is the chief reason our corrupt government wants him out. He is following ( some what ) in his predecessor's foot steps. He is just being more careful . The last president was splattered on a mountain side, because he would not play ball with those guys. Al thou it is true he is taking some of the profit for himself . If left alone he will do what is necessary to raise his people's standard of living. The guy is no dope. He knows he must walk on the razors edge to survive. He has many enemies trying to bring him down . Also true is the fact he is a bit of a clown and will play both ends against the middle. Also there is the fact he sent the U.S. heating oil during a long cold winter when oil was high and many american's could not afford it.

With a net worth over $1 billion, Cavez is the corrupt one here. Easy to win elections if you control all media outright and repress any opposition.

Joaquin Roby

Nice try! Had to look at your name again, I thought maybe you were talking to Luzy. Good message hidden in there, however.

Gabacho

Since Chavez has been elected as President in democratic elections,how is he a dictator.Oh,I forgot,we like to call anybody we don't like a dictator

Uncle Bob

How do you calla democratic president that silence all ways of freedom of speech, how do you call a president that take over the private industry, how do you call a president that send people to jail because is against his regime, how do you call a president that ignore the Parliament t and make his own rules. He is a DICTATOR enemy of liberties , who as the support of Americans scum bags enemies of the democracy , like Moore and Penn , who demand incarceration to a reporter for the the truth, call Chavez dictator.

http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2010/03/08/sean-penn-wants-reporters-jailed-calling-chavez-dictator/

And about the generosity of Chavez toward poor Americans in NY , is just part of the Anti American propaganda to ridicule our country for not subsidize the oil to poor people, meanwhyle in his ciountry the populatin bellow the poverty level is over the 30 % . That is ridiculous

Joaquin, you say you speak English so much better? Go back to school, and if you try real hard, someday you will graduate from an elementary school that hopefully has an ESL curriculum. Until then, good luck!

Oskar

It was not our country he was trying to ridicule, rather it was G.W.B. he was after. Agreed he is a Dictator, but his country is quiet and stable . Also true he takes his off the top. Their news media may not be free, but then again neither is ours. 5 major corporations own all of our news media and twist, slant, and don't tell the whole story. That's if they tell the story at all.

Old Hugo has been demonized by our media at the request of the oil Barron's, world bank and the I.M.F. ( they also want him dead ). The whole fight about him is over the country's natural resources . They have them and we want them along with total control of them and any and all profit from them.

Suggest you check out the history of that country. I believe it was Jose To-res was president before Hugo. He would not play ball with the big boys. Found him self splattered on a mountain side. Hugo became president and started to follow in his foot steps. The boys had a little talk with him. From that point on Hugo has been fighting for his life. He threw out the big oil boys and fruit companies ( G.H.W.B. former pres of ours ) and he threw out Haliburten (Chainie ) . Check it out for your self. Good reading !1

bob

ArchStanton

I had no idea that Bush forced the displaced survivors from Hurricane Katrina into prison camps at gunpoint.

Why did the media miss this story? Thanks for shedding light - we'll know in the future how reliable your information is.

lol

bob1/28. " Agreed he is a Dictator, but his country is quiet and stable ."

Of course it's quiet - anybody that complains is put in jail.

Also, it's nice that he has about $10,000 per family each year from oil exports to buy votes with.

Joaquin Roby

With your obvious eloquence, I'm glad that you represent the Liberal philosophy so well.

I was thinking colon ....

“The international community must respect the sovereignty, stability, and unity of Syria.’’ ~ Hong Li, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, Feb, 21, 2012

lol

What ethnicity is the Levine name, hmmmmmm?

cheryl, you're an idiot

Really Tom? Nice contribution to the forum.

I would like to say the Venezuelans take note, they have for years! many have died fitting to take chavez off power or forced to leave the country due to political pressure, most talented professionals have been forced to leave... the guy is a clown and for that reason the US has not paid close attention to him, (or perhaps the US goverment can't forget they STILL need HIS oil) BUT, under his silly face, he has been working HARD to join US enemies, the worst part is, our country is VERY RICH in resources also including Uranium... and he loves to enpower US enemies..everyone knows he GIVES Iran all the natural resources they need for their nuclear agenda, every week direct flights to Iran leave the country, who knows what they carry.. if you want to bring up elections, perhaps the first time he was elected people honestly voted for him (including some intelectuals) maybe thinking he would make a difference for the country, but after that EVERY single election or attemp to get him off power he has cheated the voters, burning and replacing ballots, busing and paying the homeless,etc. he has surounded himself with a group of (violent)brainwashed people that would do anything for him for a bit of power and money, there's is a high level of ignorance among the poor and they prefer to still support him despite him not doing much at all for them all these years.. his agenda has been to BUY his popularity among dictarors and socialism around the world to CHANGE our CONSTITUTION,our FLAG, our country's name, currency among others.. taking freedom of speech and property away.. so I would like to say... Venezuelans take note, but perhaps this time around THE US SHOULD TAKE NOTE, help all Venezuelans in our fight to GET HIM OFF power in elections this coming OCTOBER 7TH 2012... ! to simply be off power because of cancer would not be fair, specially after all the damaged and suffering he has caused .. that would just make of him an idol for the ignorants

Saltlife

What you say is true. I've been following Venezuelan news since 2000 after one of my good friends moved there to be with and marry a girl he met on the internet. It seemed like a very good place to want to visit until I started seeing the ugliness of the Chavez regime and the suppressions of those that do not support him. Hopefully that changes in the near future and the citizens can find the peace and democracy they want and deserve.

Chester, you still have failed to understand that a theocrat standing next to a socialist is a strange twist of irony. One is just waiting for the other to fail and only are allies because they both hate freedom and liberty. Once those nagging problems are eliminated and the populace is subservient, they turn on each other.

Chester, kind of reminds you of Hitler and Stalin and their little Nonagression Pact they signed in 1939 before cutting up Poland.

What was so diferent with "BuLsh" Hi was a Cocahead, he give a @!$%# about his people and worst than that; hi's suspect in the Twin Towers as an terrorism auto-atemp against his oun people... Just let others fix their problems and you take care of your oun butt.!

Gee, guess I didn't realize we were shipping weapons to Syria. I'm sure you can cite an irrefutable source??

Russia built a small arms factory in Venezuela 2 years ago !

And surely the NYT reporter is joking when he says Chavez may have a tough time being reelected!

To the poster who stated in socialism the people have the power than why is there no middle class in socialism , just drones and the elite , like the direction the US is heading ! In our case the workers , the moochers and DC ! Guess the moochers and DC would be one and the same !

Wake up America !

I'm not a liberal. I don't identify with any party because I don't vote and probably never will. The United States have been trying to overthrow governments since 1805. The United States have played a supporting role in almost every foreign conflict of the last 100 years, yet this country is too "patriotic" to say so.

If anything, I'm the opposite of a liberal. I believe in everything conservatives used to believe in. It's a shame politics have degenerated to the state they have today. We face much smaller issues in today's world but you would never know based on what you see in the news or hear from politicians.

socialist ratbastard conspiracy theorist you some conservative huh

@agdoc Stop being so naive. That region is unstable due in part to western intervention. Iran, Israel, Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait and Lebanon all have leaders either in power because we kept them in power or because we put them there. They also have weapons because we armed them. I'm not here to school you, but you need to realize for every action there is a reaction.

Right now, the Middle East is the focal point of conflict as a result of nearly a century of being trounced on by the west... INCLUDING the United States.

Don't misunderstand what I'm saying. I like living in the US and I love a lot about this country. However, I can't stand people who want to believe we are innocent when it is clearly not the case. If we want to live on this planet for more than the next 50 years, we need to learn from our mistakes and move on. We can't continue to repeat them by arming the world and valuing money over people.

He was and is a bigger mistake than McClain.

You do realize that the United States has one of lowest voter turnouts in the entire world, right? I'm sorry, but there is no point in voting for "the lesser of two evils".

There is almost zero difference between the Democratic Party and Republican Party. Shoot, the only conservative candidate for the Republican ticket (Ron Paul) is considered "too crazy" by the majority of his party... including Bill O'Reilly.

There was no difference between Obama and McCain. They both supported the Bailout. They both had healthcare plans (McCain's was estimated to cost $3.6 trillion over 10 years while Obama's current plan will only cost $940 billion over 10 years). In fact, the only thing Obama said he would do that McCain did not was shut down Gitmo and end our wars. He did neither.

Now, please tell me why I should vote again?

Kuwait is a "constitutional monarchy" that we defended and put back into power. It is illegal to criticize the Sheikh in Kuwait. What is pretty funny about the Desert Storm situation is that almost all those weapons used by Saddam were given to him by us. Whoops.

Israel, we played a very direct role in putting them their w/ the UN. Now, we have to arm them so they can remain there.

I'm not here to change anyone's mind. Idgaf about what you think just like you don't care what I think. All I'm saying is the US has played an active role in that region for a while now and it would be irresponsible to shift all of the blame onto everyone else.

MPV - If you do not excercise your right to vote - you have no business posting here - you are one of those fence sitters who feel your above it all, but can intrude your opinion on other people's beliefs and sit there and watch the parade pass you by

I sir have no use for you - you are not part of the american population who cares deeply about this country - and considers a vote an honor and a obligation

Just because I don't vote doesn't make my argument any more or less valid. Saying "you don't vote so you don't count" is like telling a history major that they can't commentate on history because they weren't there. It's essentially irrelevant.

Also, I do care about this country. I just refuse to be support candidates I don't like. Did you know that nearly a fourth of this country does not vote? I like your parade hyperbole though. It can be used to explain my feelings about politics. Regardless of whether I vote or not, that parade will continue down it's path. I can choose to stand as the flag passes by and even collect candy that is thrown, but I know that people will be more concerned about which band sounds better than they will be about where those two bands are going.

Less than 15% of America approve of Congress yet statistics show that about 90% of them will be reelected. I'm sorry, but it's not the people who don't vote that you should blame, it's the people who vote for all the wrong reasons.

Since some of you guys want to comment on our "elections".Here's a few facts for you.The last stats show a stunning 38% of the voting age population in the US voted in the 2010 elections.Not of total population,which would make it even smaller.But 38% of voting age population.Then when you consider that the usual split is only a few points difference between the parties.That means that only a little over 20% of our population elected our rulers.How pathetic can we get.

Im with MPV24. As a Syrian citizen recently said - the reason the citizens of Homs have been abandoned to slaughter by the International community, is because there is no oil under Syria! Our vaunted "leaders" seem only interested in the humanitarian rights of the citizens who happen to have several billion barrels of oil under their feet. The USA was sure eager to help those poor civilians in Lybia - meanwhile, back in Syria, there is a slaughter going on of an entire city - men, women, and children. Like an old-fashioned medieval Ottoman Empire sacking.

As for Chavez, I have always liked his "in your face" ways with the USA. The USA has a long history of meddling in the affairs of South America. Just go read "Confessions of an Economic Hitman" to learn about that. I dont blindly wave my flag and label myself a patriot like too many fools who blindly lionize the government regardless of its actions. That kind of blind loyalty is akin to Nationalism. Its a very dangerous state of mind. A government intent on empire does not need to first subdue its own population if they blindly go in lockstep with it's actions because they have unshakable "faith" in the Flag. Faith is to believe without asking questions.

Now Chavez is an enigma. I do think he has done good things for his people, and he has seemed to me to be a brave man who is more concerned that government REALLY works for the people. But power has a way of corrupting people - and it doesnt have to be absolute power. Chavez is authorizing the sale of Venezuelan petroleum to the Syrian government. Any country is going to use whatever advantages it has to advance its own interests on the global stage. In Chavez's case, that is Venezuela's vast petroleum reserves. He is no fool that those reserves are what give Venezuela a seat at the international table.

What I dont understand is why Chavez is sending petroleum to a government that is arbitrarily slaughtering entire neighborhoods, including women and children. If these rebels were to be drawn out and then dealt with, I could perhaps tolerate it, as it seems unclear right now if these rebels are actually no better than the dictatorial government already in place. There is concern that the rebels are eager to put a Theocracy in place in Syria. Afghanistan-style. Regardless of who the players in this conflict over in Syria are however, no government should inflict such an attack on its own innocent civilians, and children are always the innocent. Chavez's role in this is baffling to me. I think it is wrong to aid such a vicious government as Assad's in any way, and it does show cracks in Chavez's facade as a compassionate leader. Power has a way of corrupting men who once had the best of intentions.

And as for voting, what sad hubris it is to think that only people who have a little "I voted" sticker on their jackets have any "right" to speak on the state of this nation or of this globe. Its the same kind of inane thinking that has made the flag lapel pin some kind of bizarre test for which leaders really love America! Symbolism means NOTHING. Its the action of these people that count. I think that forward-thinking leaders should all start wearing smiley face pins on their lapels, just to make a comical point.

The act of NOT voting is just as patriotic as voting, for those who choose not to vote because they are disillusioned with the entire system. However, those people need to then raise their voice in some public forum so that the discontent can enter into the public concsiousness. And that is EXACTLY what MPV24 is doing. In fact, its not unreasonable to say that MPV's not voting, then coming onto public forums such as these to call out why, can have far greater impact than the person who quietly casts a vote for the lesser of two evils!

Barbara Adam Jackson you just tallk bull@!$%#... Tell your brain to elaborate something out of the manual... Ups.!... You americans do not know that, right?

Joaquin.
Since it appears you are not American, perhaps you would like to enlighten us as to who you are and what your interest in us and our attitudes is?

chester12
I know you are right about Clinton not giving the go ahead for Bin Ladin when a drone had him in thier sights, the rest I don't know but would have to wonder if it were not true.
Now, because the seals had him located, the current admin had no choice but to give the go ahead. Perhaps he was just being used as a boogy man all this time to keep us from noticing all the other sneaky stuff going on like setting up legislation and reducing banking regulations to force banks to give loans to people unqualified to get them that set this financial melt down in motion. Perhaps that is why all the sudden attack on religious values and attention to social issues to keep us from focusing on the things that we really should note and do something about before our own version of Chavez comes to be a reality. It could happen if this election goes the wrong way, the set up for such an eventuality is certainly been progressively put in place.
People put in places of power without the Constitutional process being used. Presidential decrees over and over and over disregarding our Legislative branch of the government, building a paid force of armed contractors, reducing the military.
Iran could be trading nucluer information and or weapons with Chavez for oil. What is our administration concentrating on? Who eats lunches packed by mom instead of chicken nuggets and Black History Month because those are the section of his people easiest to fool. The other half of his people are not that easily taken in .

Barbara~~He is exercising his right to vote by choosing to not vote. I completely agree with MPV on the point of choosing the lesser of the two evils. Why vote on a candidate simply to vote when you have decided than nether of the candidates should be in office. I have chosen to vote at times and not vote at other times. It's my right as it's yours to spew the hate coming out of your pie hole.

Joaquin~~What is your angle? It's pretty clear you hate America but why? Has America done something to you? Did I see you on that last episode of Border Wars?

You seem to think this is funny. Perhaps that is the problem we face here, people just don't get how the world works and what is going on around them. Not a joking matter.

Not that I support giving money to Brazil, because I don't, but hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are the least efficient of the choices on the table. Cheap non pollutant energy source is wayyyyy off base. Your only looking at tank to wheel advantages. You need to consider the hydrogen production cost (which would probably use natural gas), just like electric vehicles (usually using coal), it is not a clean source of transportation, nor is it cheap. Research has shown at this time the most efficient and clean method on the board to be hybrid diesel vehicles. Source-memagazine.org/supparch/mepower03/gauging/gauging. However the manuf are taking different directions in the R&D department, motor magazine jan 2012. Seems that you still need to be rich in order to save money, check out the fisker karma, if you got $120000 to spend on a car do you really worry about the gas milage?

Ido stop for once being so ridiculous. Obama never gave 2 billions to Brazil. You are totally crazy. Maybe Petrobras the 3rd world energy company in the world will drill oil in deep waters here in the USA as it does in many countries in the world. That would be a benefit for the United States and Petrobras will be compensated so the petroleum will stay here in the USA. Brazil is auto sufficient in oil now and 80% of its oil were found in very very deep waters in the ocean and the most recent discovery was the pre-salt even deeper. Obama will be reelected and shut up.

It has already ate most of his brain hopefully it will hit something vital soon?

So what "deaths" has Chavez been accused of.Where do you guys get that stuff from,lol.

I agree. THis is one instance in which I wish cancer was a guaranteed death sentence.

Hmmmm ..... when all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.

I don't think we (USA) are in shape right now to do something about Venezuela.

Venezuela happens to be our 4th biggest 'imported oil' supplier..Canada,Mexico and United Kingdom are rank 1st -3rd ahead of Venezuela as our other suppliers. We import very little oil from the middle east countries.

I don't think we (USA) are in shape right now to do something about Venezuela.

Venezuela happens to be our 4th biggest 'imported oil' supplier..Canada,Mexico and United Kingdom are rank 1st -3rd ahead of Venezuela as our other suppliers. We import very little oil from the middle east countries.

MSNBC did the double post not me..their system been acting strange lately I see.

It's ok Mike. It was better the second time.

If someone's going to torpedo it, I'd prefer it to be on it's return trip...when it's EMPTY.

Venezuela is in South America..No Central,But Chavez still a Perro-Dictator!

(we'll burn through the US supply in 10-12 years) Where did you get your facts from, some left wing nut source? LOL, your drinking the liberal koolaid and sad to say, the hook, line and sinker appears to be in your mouth my friend. Obuma sank the oil line from Canada that would have not only created a vast amount of oil but jobs as well instead of these fictitious numbers of unemployed we hear from the liberal room. Lets see what this months report is concerning unemployment sen as how word is it's over 9%. You have some nerve to talk about Reagan and accuse him of anything related to oil dependency. How about you take some time, head over to Thomanbill dot gov and do some actual research and present facts based on these alleged bills you say Regan supported. You'll find real quick that the democratic strong arm only pushed alternative resources due to special interest groups and back pocket payoffs similar to Obuma and his failed "green" source that ended up being an FBI probe because it backfired in his face. America is more than capable to production of it's own oil to support our current usage. They propaganda that we would run out in 10-12 years is simply that, BS. Your facts come from the very same sources that claim man is responsible for temperature change and global warming even though this was the same bandwagon crying about the deep freeze back in the 60/70's. The exception is that Al Gore and other liberals, found that you could become overnight billionaires and so we have Al. I guess if I made millions off of a lie and had political powers to back me up, pass idiotic bills that make life harder for every American in turn costing the average American more money while I kept on gaining the ching, I would be happy as well. You also sound like one of them fools who shouted "blood for oil" during the war while people like myself and others who were willing to die so you could continue your rants of liberal BS........... Oh boy...

Anyhow, those of us who fought know what the real deal was, not what CNN, Wolf Blitzer, Rachel Maddow, Kieth Olbermann, Cris Matthews, etc.... pumped your head with. Can you believe I had a professor tell me I didn't know what I was talking about when I stated that Al Jezera would get dropped off by what was left of Saddam's Royal Guard in areas where they had committed genocide and mass ethnic cleansing and wait for US forces to drive through and jump out, ambush us and them place blame on the US telling the world what "we" just did? LMAO, and get this, this professor, he "read a book" so because some fool wrote a book filled with lies and liberal agenda, that outweighed the fact that I placed my service on Integrity and lets not forget the fact that I was there to see this exact issue take place. You rant about big oil being a republican thing? Why then is Obuma the 3rd largest recipient of big oil then? You cry because most of the big oil companies from states like Texas and such that happen to be republican and prior to many of them being elected to public office placed their own money into oil production and because they became wealthy this mean what? Bush passed bills so he could get even more wealthy? LOL, tell me, how much money did Bush make during his presidency from big oil? Yeah, I thought so........ Passing bills and contracts for oil companies in the US to work in the Middle East did what for the US? Provided jobs for American citizens. How can you be so ignorant? I do not agree with everything that big oil companies get away with however. I do not support the CEO pay of any company where they make millions of dollars. I certainly do not support bail outs where my tax dollars were used in paying some idiot who was the reason for the bailout, his bonus, for what? Because Obuma knew better than the people of America who told him no? Because demo-rats know how to handle your money and spend it on more important things like Nancy Pelosi and her illegal works in her "vineyard"? LOL< hang your head in shame for you liberal gibberish and get educated please. Listening to the liberal accusation of the republicans being guilty for the oil dependency in this country is as interesting in guessing who Obuma is going to blame next for his future fiasco's.

Rob with rhetoric like that maybe YOU should run for the GOP. Wow, I really don't see you presenting any "facts" just hot air. You would be PERFECT.

Now for some research:

Economic plans, taxes, and deficit

Reagan implemented policies based on supply-side economic and advocated a laissez-faire philosophy, seeking to stimulate the economy with large, across-the-board tax cuts. Reagan pointed to improvements in certain key economic indicators as evidence of success.^[3] The policies proposed that economic growth would occur when marginal tax rates were low enough to spur investment,^[15] which would then lead to increased economic growth, higher employment and wages.

Reagan was ardently opposed to raising income taxes. During his presidential tenure, federal income tax rates were lowered significantly.^[16]

In order to cover the growing federal budget deficits, the United States borrowed heavily both domestically and abroad, raising the national debt from $700 billion to $3 trillion. Reagan described the new debt as the "greatest disappointment" of his presidency. ^{Out of wikipedia.}

The Sad Legacy of Ronald Reagan

by Sheldon L. Richman

On August 2, 1988, President Ronald Reagan announced that he had changed his mind about the pro-union plant-closing bill. He had vetoed it three months earlier, but now let it become law without his signature after intense pressure from presidential nominee George Bush and former Treasury Secretary James Baker, now Bush's campaign chairman. Reagan claimed that only this action would enable him to sign a Congressional trade bill almost unequaled in its anti-consumer protectionism.

Ronald Reagan's faithful followers claim he has used his skills as the Great Communicator to reverse the growth of Leviathan and inaugurate a new era of liberty and free markets. Reagan himself said, "It is time to check and reverse the growth of government."

Yet after nearly eight years of Reaganism, the clamor for more government intervention in the economy was so formidable that Reagan abandoned the free-market position and acquiesced in further crippling of the economy and our liberties. In fact, the number of free-market achievements by the administration are so few that they can be counted on one hand—with fingers left over.

Let's look at the record:

Spending

In 1980, Jimmy Caner's last year as president, the federal government spent a whopping 27.9% of "national income" (an obnoxious term for the private wealth produced by the American people). Reagan assaulted the free-spending Carter administration throughout his campaign in 1980. So how did the Reagan administration do? At the end of the first quarter of 1988, federal spending accounted for 28.7% of "national income."

Even Ford and Carter did a better job at cutting government. Their combined presidential terms account for an increase of 1.4%—compared with Reagan's 3%—in the government's take of "national income." And in nominal terms, there has been a 60% increase in government spending, thanks mainly to Reagan's requested budgets, which were only marginally smaller than the spending Congress voted.

The budget for the Department of Education, which candidate Reagan promised to abolish along with the Department of Energy, has more than doubled to $22.7 billion, Social Security spending has risen from $179 billion in 1981 to $269 billion in 1986. The price of farm programs went from $21.4 billion in 1981 to $51.4 billion in 1987, a 140% increase. And this doesn't count the recently signed $4 billion "drought-relief" measure. Medicare spending in 1981 was $43.5 billion; in 1987 it hit $80 billion. Federal entitlements cost $197.1 billion in 1981—and $477 billion in 1987.

Foreign aid has also risen, from $10 billion to $22 billion. Every year, Reagan asked for more foreign-aid money than the Congress was willing to spend. He also pushed through Congress an $8.4 billion increase in the U.S. "contribution" to the International Monetary Fund.

His budget cuts were actually cuts in projected spending, not absolute cuts in current spending levels. As Reagan put it, "We're not attempting to cut either spending or taxing levels below that which we presently have."

The result has been unprecedented government debt. Reagan has tripled the Gross Federal Debt, from $900 billion to $2.7 trillion. Ford and Carter in their combined terms could only double it. It took 31 years to accomplish the first postwar debt tripling, yet Reagan did it in eight.

Taxes

Before looking at taxation under Reagan, we must note that spending is the better indicator of the size of the government. If government cuts taxes, but not spending, it still gets the money from somewhere—either by borrowing or inflating. Either method robs the productive sector. Although spending is the better indicator, it is not complete, because it ignores other ways in which the government deprives producers of wealth. For instance, it conceals regulation and trade restricdons, which may require little government outlay.

If we look at government revenues as a percentage of "national income," we find little change from the Carter days, despite heralded "tax cuts." In 1980, revenues were 25.1% of "national income." In the first quarter of 1988 they were 24.7%.

Reagan came into office proposing to cut personal income and business taxes. The Economic Recovery Act was supposed to reduce revenues by $749 billion over five years. But this was quickly reversed with the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982. TEFRA—the largest tax increase in American history—was designed to raise $214.1 billion over five years, and took back many of the business tax savings enacted the year before. It also imposed withholding on interest and dividends, a provision later repealed over the president's objection.

But this was just the beginning. In 1982 Reagan supported a five-cent-per-gallon gasoline tax and higher taxes on the trucking industry. Total increase: $5.5 billion a year. In 1983, on the recommendation of his Spcial Security Commission— chaired by the man he later made Fed chairman, Alan Green-span—Reagan called for, and received, Social Security tax increases of $165 billion over seven years. A year later came Reagan's Deficit Reduction Act to raise $50 billion.

Even the heralded Tax Reform Act of 1986 is more deception than substance. It shifted $120 billion over five years from visible personal income taxes to hidden business taxes. It lowered the rates, but it also repealed or reduced many deductions.

According to the Treasury Department, the 1981 tax cut will have reduced revenues by $1.48 trillion by the end of fiscal 1989. But tax increases since 1982 will equal $1.5 trillion by 1989. The increases include not only the formal legislation mentioned above but also bracket creep (which ended in 1985 when tax indexing took effect—a provision of the 1981 act despite Reagan's objection), $30 billion in various tax changes, and other increases. Taxes by the end of the Reagan era will be as large a chunk of GNP as when he took office, if not larger: 19.4%, by ultra-conservative estimate of the Reagan Office of Management and Budget. The so-called historic average is 18.3%.

Regulation

you have no clue what usa do for world donate billions of doller no country even match 1 % of their contribuion no one has any dime to give anyone usa does buddy

Because Venezuela is a communist country...?

I have HUGE problems with our trade relationship with China...mostly because we have to follow our own regulatory laws to bring products to our market but they don't....which puts every company in America at a competitive disadvantage on our own soil. When you impose sanctions on your own people that you don't impose on others, there is no "free market".

predecessor = A person who held a job or office before the current holder.

Of coure. If Caprlies Radonski wins(and WILL win with god's favor), Venezuela will finally be born again after a third dictatorial reign.

The one who held the office job before the current holder was the SOB called Rafael Caldera. It is thanks to him that Venezuela's like it is now. He just Pardoned him instead of letting him die in prison for what he did.

Sign up now for the Int'l Conference on Time Travel, to be held in Venezuela one year ago.

The dems had the senate , the house and the presidency for the first 2 years under obama and they still have the senate and the presidency , reid has 25 bills he refuses to bring to the senate and you say the repubs are the obstructors !

You do understand how our government works ?

And your post is Kool Aid drinking BS !

dmikea1 :The dems had the senate , the house and the presidency for the first 2 years under obama and they still have the senate and the presidency , reid has 25 bills he refuses to bring to the senate and you say the repubs are the obstructors !

You do understand how our government works ?

And your post is Kool Aid drinking BS !

lol...that's hysterical. I see you are a Kool-aid aficianado. There one reason we have not had a budget in years and one reason only...the Democrats in the Senate, most specifically Harry Reid. The Senate Democrats and their leader are in glaring violation of their oath of office and in blatant dereliction of the Constitutional mandate to manage the finances of the United States.

Because Obama can't sit down with him as he alluded to, when first elected! There is not enough room on the bench with that slob!

so many dum asses reply the us is the world police and free market only applys to the united states and who is suppose to pay for all this activity. i know santa clause or santa jesus. the republican party is runned by religious zelots and nuts who think the constitution is the bible and everything in the bible should be in the constitution then they brain wash the morons who follow them. not one religious leader is a follower of jesus for jesus said one must give up everything to follow him. in the bible the rich man could not give up is wealth. look at your religious leaders wealthy and full of power they have the ear of business and politicians. hey jesus was a socialist. taught for free, healed the sick for free, fed the poor for free what he was given he gave back.